Europe and Central Asia
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Programme
The Child Guarantee: Phase III
UNICEF pilots innovative approaches aimed at breaking the cycle of child poverty and social exclusion
Programme
Protecting children with disabilities from the pandemic
COVID-19 and children with disabilities in Europe and Central Asia
Programme
Response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and Central Asia
We are appealing for $149 million to shield vulnerable children and their families in the region from the worst impact of the pandemic.
More resources
Article
How indoor air quality affects children
When most people think about air pollution, they think about outdoor pollution. However, with more than 90 per cent of our time spent indoors, much of the air pollution that we breathe is from the air in indoor environments, like our homes, kindergartens, schools and places of work. In 2019, 5,801 children and tee...
Report
Ending violence against children in Europe and Central Asia
Violence has a devastating effect on children. From its immediate threat to a child’s life and well-being to its long-term – even lifelong – repercussions, it undermines a child’s sense of self-worth and disrupts their emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Statement
Pregnant woman dies and several children remain missing after boat capsizes off the coast of Lampedusa
ROME, 18 October 2025 –, "A pregnant woman has been confirmed dead, and several children remain missing following yet another tragic shipwreck off the coast of Lampedusa. Survivors report that around 35 people departed Al Khums, Libya, aboard a small fiberglass boat. After two days at sea, the boat capsized off the coast of Lampedusa. So far, 11 people – including four…
Press release
Two thirds of children across Europe and Central Asia experience violent discipline at home, a third are physically punished – UNICEF
GENEVA, 13 October 2025, – Nearly one in three children in countries and territories with available data across Europe and Central Asia is subjected to physical discipline at home, and up to two in three face psychological aggression – the most common forms of violence against children, according to a new report p...
Press release
Bucharest hosts regional ministerial conference on ending violence against children
BUCHAREST, 13 October 2025, - High-level representatives – including ministers, senior decision-makers, professionals, and children – from across the European Union and the wider Europe and Central Asia region met today in Bucharest for a two-day regional ministerial conference dedicated to ending violence against...
Report
Where we live and learn
Both experiencing and witnessing violence have a devastating effect on children. From the immediate threat to a child’s life and well-being to the long-term – even lifelong – repercussions, it undermines a child’s sense of self-worth and disrupts their emotional, cognitive and physical development.Violence against...
Report
Gaps and inequities in child health across the European Union
Every country in Europe recognizes the rights of every child and adolescent to good health, nutrition, development and support for their mental and emotional well-being, as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Despite this shared commitment, significant disparities persist across the region: whi...
Statement
Two years of hellish war have devastated Gaza’s children
NEW YORK, 8 October 2025, — “For more than 700 days, children in Gaza have been killed, maimed, and displaced in a devastating war that is an affront to our shared humanity. Israeli strikes on Gaza City and other parts of the Gaza Strip continue. The world cannot, and must not, allow this to go on. “In the last t...
Explainer
How oxygen is a lifeline for Uzbekistan's newborns
As she watched the baby's heart rate on the monitor, Qunduz, a neonatologist at the maternity hospital in Tashkent city, Uzbekistan, silently prayed. The newborn's condition was critical. She had severe pneumonia and could barely breathe. For a moment, Qunduz imagined announcing bad news – that the baby had died –...
Explainer
Child poverty trends in Europe and Central Asia
Looking at child poverty across regions is useful for making comparisons, but it can mask important differences sub-regionally or between countries. 1 The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region spans 6,500 kilometers from east to west and includes countries ranging from Luxembourg, with a GDP per capita of $137,517 ...
Press release
UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia concludes visit to Croatia
ZAGREB, 26 September 2025, - UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia and Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Response in Europe, Regina De Dominicis today concluded her first official visit to Croatia. During the visit, De Dominicis met with government officials of the Republic of Croatia...
Article
Vaccines during pregnancy: Which vaccinations are recommended – and why
Vaccinating your baby on schedule is the most effective way to protect them against life-threatening, preventable diseases. But to keep infants (and their mothers) as safe as possible, vaccinations shouldn't only happen after birth. Why are some vaccinations recommended in, or before, pregnancy? First, they prote...