Croatia

Towns and Districts Friends of Children
Launched in 1999, the Croatian Towns and Districts Friends of Children Initiative has mobilized a broad coalition including the Union of Societies "Our Children, Croatia", the Croatian Society for Social and Preventive Pediatrics, the State Institute for the Protection of Family, Motherhood and Youth, UNICEF, other institutions and professionals. The programme promotes action to fulfil the rights and needs of children. Local authorities and civil society, children's institutions, parents and children commit to make their towns and districts more child friendly and monitor achievements through a complex set of rights-based indicators. The initiative builds on the partnerships developed by the Town Mayors Defenders of Children launched during the Balkans war as a way to assist displaced children. The programme aims to mobilize local governments, professional services, children's institutions, civic associations, trade and other legal entities, and parents and children in their towns and districts to do, jointly, whatever they can to benefit children. The programme records the results achieved and evaluates progress made and encourages media assessment of this progress. It highlights and promotes the work of towns and districts that have achieved results that make life better for children.

Contacts

Marty Rajandran, Project Officer
CEE/CIS Regional Office
UNICEF
Palais des Nations
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Telephone (4122) 909.5111
Fax 909.5909
E-mail mrajandran@unicef.org

UNICEF Zagreb
Ilica 207/Selska 2 - Building A
10 000 Zagreb
Croatia
E-mail unicef@zg.tel.hr