Partnership with private sector

Partnering with a wide range of stakeholders has far-reaching benefits for future generations and creates shared value for all involved. UNICEF strives to strengthen strategic partnerships with the private sector, public sector, civil society organizations and other UN agencies.

There is growing potential for private sector partnerships to positively influence the health and well-being of children and families, create a healthy and educated future workforce, and help accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Businesses are key stakeholders in UNICEF’s agenda for children. They advance child rights by promoting child-friendly business practices, supporting advocacy efforts, and leveraging their expertise, resources and innovation to develop solutions that benefit children.

To accelerate results for children in Kosovo, UNICEF collaborates with the private sector.

In 2023, UNICEF signed its first-ever private sector financial partnership with Devolli Corporation, a local company, to support early childhood development in Kosovo through the establishment of two community-based Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in the Municipality of Dragash.

In addition, UNICEF has established non-financial partnerships with Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo (RBKO). Through these collaborations, UNICEF is leveraging the networks and expertise of the private sector to strengthen parenting support, promote the inclusion of children with disabilities, and improve the skills and employability of young people.

RBKO's support for Foleja—the free all-in-one mobile application for parents and caregivers of children from birth to age six—extends to the bank's more than 800 employees as well as its clients.

To further improve the lives of young children, RBKO is also supporting the expansion of the Home Visiting Programme, through which infants and toddlers receive integrated health, nutrition and early learning support during the first 1,000 days of life, by donating vehicles to selected primary healthcare centres for home visits.

Expanding Kosovo’s Generation Unlimited (K-GenU) Internship Programme is another example of how UNICEF and the private sector can work together to accelerate results at scale. Led by the Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers and implemented in partnership with the German-Kosovar Chamber of Commerce, the programme provides paid internships, mentoring and skills development opportunities for young people aged 16–24. So far, around 3,000 interns have been placed in more than 320 companies, with 30 per cent of internships leading to employment. The programme now aims to reach 10,000 young people, with a particular focus on those who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), young people from non-majority communities, those with disabilities or functional difficulties, and those from rural and low-income backgrounds.