Municipalities in Romania, Poland and Slovakia strengthen inclusive services for children seeking refugee status and children who are migrating through an EU– funded, UNICEF-implemented initiative

BUCHAREST, Romania, 2 July 2026. European Union-funded technical support has helped municipalities in Romania, Poland and Slovakia provide inclusive, high-quality services for children seeking refugee status or migrating, along with their caregivers.

The project - Supporting municipalities in improving access to quality and inclusive services for children and caregivers with refugee and migrant backgrounds: moving forward from an emergency approach to long-term inclusion strategies – was implemented starting with September 2024 in Romania (Bucharest and Timișoara), Poland (Bialystok and Lublin) and Slovakia (Bratislava and Nitra) to move from emergency response to sustainable, long-term inclusion systems for vulnerable families.

The initiative focused on strengthening local systems, improving coordination among institutions, and equipping local authorities with practical tools to ensure access to essential services such as education, healthcare, social protection, and child protection.

As a result of the project:

• The municipalities have stronger local policies and strategies to support the inclusion of refugee and migrant children.
• There is an increased coordination among municipalities, national authorities, and service providers to provide access to quality and inclusive services for migrant children.
• The local authorities have now clear, standardized procedures that improve the consistency and efficiency of services provided.
• The capacity of local authorities through targeted training and technical support in enhanced.
• The use of data is more effective and the access to funding to sustain inclusion efforts is improved.

Policy recommendations, guidelines, and standard operating procedures helped municipalities to be better equipped in designing and implementing long-term integration measures, so that refugee and migrant children can access quality public services on the same level as the local children.

“Municipalities are where inclusion becomes real. Through this EU-funded project, cities in Poland, Romania and Slovakia have strengthened their capacity, coordination and long-term planning. This ensures that refugee and migrant children – and their caregivers – can access quality, inclusive services beyond the emergency phase. I am confident that the tools, procedures, and partnerships developed will help deliver a lasting impact for more inclusive local communities,” said Cornelis van Duin, Head of Unit, European Pillar of Social Rights, Secretariat-General Reform and Investment Task Force (SG REFORM)

“For Lublin, it's also a project which built on initiatives that we already launched. During the height of the crisis in 2022 there were as many as 68,000 refugees from Ukraine in Lublin, or nearly one-sixth of the city's population. We responded by launching integration centres and creating partnerships between the local authority, NGOs and universities. What was lacking, though, was a structure. The recommendations, guidelines and procedures which have emerged from this TSI project help us to start the transition from responding to an emergency, to formulating and implementing a proper and long-term integration policy. We are grateful to UNICEF and European Commission for their support and partnership throughout this process. This is an essential step towards reinforcing the city's capabilities and ensuring that integration is properly included in the planning of municipal services for all citizens," said Małgorzata Zmysłowska, Chief Specialist at the Social Participation Office, Lublin City Council.

“For Bucharest, this project came at the right time. After years of managing emergency situations generated by the refugee crisis, there was a need to move toward a more structured, long-term approach. The capital hosts nearly one third of the country’s migrant population, and such complexity requires proper tools, not improvised solutions. The recommendations and tools developed now provide us with a solid starting point for planning future integration services. This is an important step toward strengthening the institutional capacity of the Municipality of Bucharest and toward the way we will respond, from now on, to the needs of an increasingly diverse city," said Lucian Judele, City Manager, Bucharest Municipality.

“The TSI project has strengthened Bratislava’s ability to manage migration‑related challenges and develop long‑term measures. It enabled us to continue our cooperation with the Centre for the Research of Ethnicity and Culture. Through the development of an approved Integration Strategy and a more detailed Action Plan, the city gained a clearer and more coherent strategic framework. Intercultural trainings and workshops improved the skills of municipal staff, while research conducted by the Slovak Academy of Sciences deepened our understanding of key local issues and informed recommendations at the national level. The project delivered a comprehensive analysis of Bratislava’s data‑management processes, helping us set up data‑sharing mechanisms at the local level. It also enhanced emergency preparedness, which is an important topic for Bratislava, as several of the principles can be applied across different types of crisis situations," said Dominika Nagyová, Head of the Department of Support for People with a Foreign Background

“Investing in strong local systems and long-term inclusion is essential to ensure that every child, no matter where they come from, can access the services they need to thrive,” said Francesca Lazzaroni, Partnerships Specialist, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia. “Municipalities are at the heart of this effort, and their strengthened capacity will have a lasting impact on children, families and communities. UNICEF will continue to work with local authorities to strengthen their capacities, particularly in areas such as coordination, data use, and service integration.”

The 24-month project is funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument. The project was implemented by UNICEF Country Office in Romania and UNICEF Refugee Response Offices in Poland and Slovakia under coordination of UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, in cooperation with the European Commission’s Reform and Investment Task Force (SG REFORM). 

After the completion of the project, the six municipalities will continue to use the systems, strategies and tools developed during the past two years, ensuring sustainable support for refugee and migrant children and their caregivers and reinforcing inclusive local development.