State Statistical Office and UNICEF to Strengthen Data for Children and Women in North Macedonia

Skopje, 9 April 2026 – State Statistical Office (SSO) and UNICEF have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, officially starting preparations for a new round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2027) in North Macedonia. The partnership reaffirms their shared commitment to strengthen evidence-based policymaking for children and women.

The survey on children and women is one of the world’s most comprehensive, providing high‑quality, internationally comparable, disaggregated data on key areas including health, nutrition, education, early childhood development, child protection, disability, gender equality and living conditions. By filling data gaps that administrative sources alone cannot capture, this survey supports better‑informed policies and fairer investments for children and families.

“Through this cooperation with UNICEF, we are strengthening national capacities for large‑scale household surveys and ensuring that decision‑makers have access to high‑quality and disaggregated data,” said Dejan Stankov, the Director of the State Statistical Office. “The upcoming MICS 2027 will provide important insights into the living conditions of children and women and support better‑informed public policies.”

For over two decades, the data from the MICS surveys has been a cornerstone source of evidence for understanding the realities facing children and women in North Macedonia. One of its most valuable features is the level of disaggregation, including a comprehensive data set on the situation of children and women in Roma settlements. The surveys have helped the country make inequalities visible and have guided more targeted and effective policies and programmes.

“Every child counts and every child should be counted,” said Lesley Miller, UNICEF Representative. “Reliable, disaggregated data is essential to understand how children and women are really living today and where inequities persist. MICS 2027 will provide updated, credible evidence to track progress and design targeted interventions, especially for children who are at risk of being left behind.”

The survey will be implemented under the leadership of the State Statistical Office, with technical support from UNICEF, in line with global standards to ensure data quality, ethical safeguards and international comparability.

For more information, please contact

State Statistics Office: Kiril Angelov | tel: (02)-3295-642 |[email protected]

UNICEF: Suzie Pappas Capovska| Tel: (02) 3231-244 | [email protected] or Simona Mirkoska  | Tel: (02) 3231-172 | [email protected]