Child protection
Every child has the right to grow up safe
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Every child has the right to grow up free from fear, violence and harm, to feel safe, protected and supported to grow, learn and thrive - at home and in the community.
In North Macedonia, important progress has been made. But for too many children, this promise is still unfulfilled.
The challenge
Violence against children remains a hidden but widespread reality in North Macedonia, often taking place in homes, schools and communities, where children should feel safest.
For many children, violence is not an isolated experience. It is part of everyday life. Data show that more than two in three children aged 1–14 experience violent discipline at home, including psychological aggression and physical punishment.
As children grow older, violence follows them into new spaces. Nearly one in four adolescents aged 13–15 report being bullied, highlighting how peer violence remains one of the most common and visible forms of harm. [unicef.org]
For some children, the risks are even more severe. Hundreds have been affected by sexual violence in recent years, exposing critical gaps in protection systems and the urgent need for stronger prevention and response.
These experiences do not happen in isolation. Violence is often interconnected - at home, in school and increasingly online - creating cycles of harm that can shape every part of child’s life.
New risks are also emerging. Children today navigate digital environments where harm can extend beyond physical spaces, while adolescents increasingly face mental health pressures that remain insufficiently addressed.
Despite the existence of child protection systems, too many children still fall through the gaps. Services are not always accessible, responses are not always timely or coordinated, and children are not always able to receive the support they need when they need it most.
For too many children, this means that violence is not prevented and protection does not come soon enough.
The solution
Protecting children means more than responding to harm - it means building systems that prevent it, detect it early, and respond in ways that truly put children first.
This is where UNICEF works, together with the Government and partners, to drive lasting change.
The focus is on strengthening the systems children rely on every day - from social services and schools to health and justice. These systems must work together, respond faster, and reach every child who needs them.
It starts with prevention. Supporting parents, engaging communities and shifting social norms so that violence is no longer accepted or ignored. Because the best way to protect children is to stop harm before it happens.
It continues with stronger, more coordinated services. When a child needs help, the system responds as one - quickly, effectively and with care. Children receive the support they need without delay, without duplication, and without further trauma.
It also means reaching those most at risk. Ensuring that services are inclusive, accessible and designed with equity in mind - so that poverty, disability, gender or discrimination do not determine whether a child is protected.
Children in contact with the law, whether as victims, witnesses, or in conflict with the law, deserve responses that uphold their rights and dignity. This means child-friendly procedures, trained professionals and trauma-informed approaches, so that children can move forward with support and care.
For all children, as risks evolve, so must the response. From online safety to mental health support, child protection systems must adapt to the realities children face today.
Underpinning all of this is stronger data, better policies, a well-supported workforce, and sustained investment - ensuring protection is not only possible, but reliable, consistent and strong enough to reach every child.
A safer future for every child
A childhood free from violence is not a privilege - it is a right.
Real change happens when systems work together, when services reach those who need them most, and when prevention becomes the priority. Not just for individual children, but for entire communities and future generations.
Because protecting children is more than safeguarding today - it is laying the foundation for a stronger, fairer and more resilient society tomorrow.
And it begins with one important promise: ensuring that every child, everywhere, is safe.