The document outlines the partnership between the European Union (EU) and UNICEF, focusing on improving the rights and quality of life for children globally, particularly in crisis areas like Syria and other neighboring regions. It highlights various joint projects encompassing child education, health, and protection from violence and discrimination, while emphasizing their commitment to the Millennium Development Goals and human rights. The EU remains a major donor to UNICEF, contributing substantial financial aid and resources to ensure the well-being of vulnerable children affected by conflicts and crises.

1. EU Neighbourhood
EU & UNICEF
partners
for children
EU & UNICEF
PRESS PACK

2. EU Neighbourhood
EU & UNICEF
E U & U N I C E F P R E S S PAC K
partners
for
children
November 2013
EU & UNICEF: partners for children
1
A key partnership
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Syria crisis: working together to help children
3
Working together in the Neighbourhood (East)
4
Working together in the Neighbourhood (South)
5
PHOTO GALLERIES
Libya: don’t touch,
stay safe
Children’s Day
VIDEOS
2013 EU & UNICEF: an ANSA feature
for World Children’s Day video
SUCCESS
STORIES
2013 Health in Syria
2010 Juvenile Justice in Georgia
This publication exists only in electronic format. It has been prepared by
the European Neighbourhood Info Centre, a project funded by the EU. It
does not represent the official view of the EC or the EU Institutions. The EC
accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to its content.
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2013 Education in Jordan
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3. EU Neighbourhood
EU & UNICEF: partners for children
The relationship between the European Union and UNICEF,
the United Nations Children’s Fund, has deepened in recent years,
as the EU has joined forces with UNICEF to secure the highest
possible quality of life for children the world over.
“We have a privileged relationship both ways,” says UNICEF
Director of Programmes Dr. Nicholas Alipui, “in which we can bring
a lot of our field expertise and global outreach to the policy and
programme and humanitarian work that they do, and we can benefit
from their new focus on human rights and the rights of children”.
Both the EU & UNICEF are working towards all children having
access to and enjoying the right to education, adequate nutrition,
safe water and sanitation and health. Other priorities include
protection from discrimination, exploitation, violence and abuse.
In 2009, the European Union adopted the Treaty of Lisbon,
which puts human rights, including children’s rights, at the
heart of the European humanitarian agenda. The European
Union is also committed to the Millennium Development Goals
and to eradicating poverty by 2015.
As 2015 draws closer, UNICEF and the European Union are
strengthening their partnership, working with governments,
civil societies, national parliaments and others to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals. The partnership has a particular
focus on equity, and strives to reach the most vulnerable children.
UNICEF and the European Union support the work of national
governments in promoting human and children’s rights and
communicate widely on how the partnership is contributing
to the wellbeing, development and protection of children,
including adolescents. Achieving greater results for children will
be the overriding goal of the partnership in the years to come.
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“If I see the society of
tomorrow, it’s basically
today’s kids, so investing
in them basically
provides the answer
to the challenges that
we face, be it climate
change, poverty or war,
so definitely the kids will
make the difference.”
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Andris Piebalgs
European Commissioner for Development
SUCCESS STORIES
Don’t touch, stay safe – Info Centre feature in Libya
www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed.php?id=695&id_
type=6&lang_id=450
Education of Syrian refugees – UNICEF feature in Syria
www.unicef.org/infobycountry/syriancrisis_69813.html
Children and AIDS – UNICEF feature in Ukraine
www.unicef.org/ukraine/reallives_20835.html
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4. EU Neighbourhood
A key partnership
EU & UNICEF PRESS PACK
As the world’s largest donor, the EU provides more than half of total aid
to developing countries. The European Commission alone accounts for
13 per cent of total aid – €12.3 billion in 2009.
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European Union development cooperation supports services crucial
to children’s rights, such as health, education, and social protection, as
well as combating discrimination, child labour and human trafficking.
To achieve these objectives the EU works with UNICEF and other
partners around the world.
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Development aid
The European Commission’s EuropeAid Co-operation Office
ensures that development assistance is delivered to those who
need it worldwide. Contributions from EuropeAid to UNICEF vary
from year to year, but have been around €30 million.
For the period 2007-2013, the EU’s development action in the field
of children in the Neighbourhood is mainly financed through three
types of instruments:
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•
•
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the main geographical instrument,
the European Neighbourhood & Partnership Instrument
the thematic programme Investing in people, where 8.5%
of the budget is allocated for “Protection and participation
of children and youth”.
the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).
Humanitarian aid
The EU as a whole (the Member States and the Commission) is also one
of the world’s main humanitarian aid donors; the Humanitarian Aid
Department (ECHO) works closely with UNICEF, and is one of its top
donors. In 2009, ECHO gave UNICEF €40 million to assist children and
women in emergencies.
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5. EU Neighbourhood
Syria crisis:
working together to help children
EU & UNICEF PRESS PACK
The EU is the largest donor to UNICEF’s appeal to help
the children victims of the war in Syria. By the end of
2013, the EU contribution to UNICEF’s operations in
Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey is expected to reach
more than €75 million.
“We need to do all we can to prevent
a lost generation growing up
without access to school as a result
of the terrible conflict in Syria.”
In September 2013, UNICEF and the EU signed a
new cooperation agreement providing an additional
€34.2 million to protect children affected by the crisis
and promote access to learning in Syria, Jordan and
Lebanon, giving 2.5 million children in the region a
chance to receive education and the hope for a better
future.
Štefan Füle,
Commissioner for Enlargement
and European Neighbourhood Policy
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The EU & UNICEF work together on a wide range of
projects to help children victims of the crisis in Syria.
A series of videos and success stories shows the real
impact of this partnership on the ground:
Students promote learning in Za’atari Camp, Jordan
Continuing studies amid continuing unrest,
in the Syrian Arab Republic
Syrian children in Turkey build bridges to the future
In Turkey, teachers learn how to work better
with their Syrian refugee pupils
Summer camps help Syrian refugee children recover,
regain missed education
Jordan – For refugee children, school back in session
Strengthening the water infrastructure in Zaatari camp
Jordan – For refugee children, school back in session
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6. EU Neighbourhood
Working together in the Neighbourhood (East)
EU & UNICEF PRESS PACK
In the East, the EU & UNICEF work together on a number of projects, both
across the region and in individual countries
Juvenile Justice Reform in ENP East countries and Central Asia
(Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova,
Tajikistan and Ukraine). Running from 2011-2013, this €1.5 million project
seeks to strengthen juvenile justice system reform in ENP East countries
and Central Asia through UNICEF-led support for legislative reforms,
capacity building, the setting up of alternatives to detention and research
on torture and ill-treatment.
Video: Georgia – Juvenile justice system focuses on rehabilitation
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Examples of joint projects are presented on a
UNICEF webportal, which highlights just some of
the projects where the EU & UNICEF are working
together to improve children’s lives.
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Capacity building of non-state actors for HIV-AIDS testing and
counseling of most-at-risk adolescents and young people
(Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine).
Running from 2012-2014, this €2 million project aims to build capacities
of non-state actors in ENP East countries to increase the access of
adolescents and young people within most-at-risk populations to
confidential, anonymous, and free HIV testing and counseling services
and build linkages to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.
Changes that save lives: a story of success in Ukraine
Georgia Disaster Risk Reduction programme
Since June 2010, UNICEF along with local Government and NGO partners,
have been implementing a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) programme
among vulnerable communities in Georgvia, funded by the European
Commission humanitarian aid department (ECHO).
Video: Georgia – UNICEF prepares students for potential disasters
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7. Working together in the Neighbourhood (South)
EU Neighbourhood
EU & UNICEF PRESS PACK
In the South, apart from the considerable effort to help the victims
of the Syrian conflict, UNICEF and the EU collaborate across the
region to improve the lives and opportunities of children.
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Projects include:
Egypt: working together against Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C)
Through a joint project on the abandonment of social norms harmful to girls
and women, UNICEF and the EU have helped save thousands of girls
from female genital mutilation in five African countries –
Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Senegal and Sudan.
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Examples of joint projects are presented on a
UNICEF webportal, which highlights just some of
the projects where the EU & UNICEF are working
together to improve children’s lives.
EU webpage – EU saves thousands of girls from female genital mutilation/
cutting and child marriage
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UNICEF video – Egypt – Villagers Say No to FGM/C
Helping Palestinian children to deal with conflict
The EU & UNICEF work together on a number of projects that seek to
help children come to terms with the impact of the ongoing conflict.
These include:
Occupied Palestinian Territory - Protecting childhood (video)
Children affected by the recent violence in the State of Palestine
are encouraged to come to terms with the past (success story)
Palestinian children and women fight distress in East Jerusalem
(success story)
UNICEF provides support to Palestinian students through
rehabilitation and psychosocial sessions (success story)
Libya – improving access to education
A two-year, €1.3 million funded by the European Union and implemented
by UNICEF to improve access to quality education for all children in Libya,
with a special focus on the most vulnerable children, including those
affected by the conflict and those that are internally displaced.
Over 1.2 million Libyan children return to school after months
of conflict (success story)
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8. EU Neighbourhood
Useful Links
EU & UNICEF PRESS PACK
EU-UNICEF joint projects in the ENP South and East regions (2010-2013)
East
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CEE/CIS Regional Office partnership with the EU www.unicef.org/ceecis/partners_13720.html
Justice for Children: High level regional conference in Brussels in June 2013
part of EU-UNICEF project
www.unicef.org/ceecis/protection_24084.html
Various one-minute junior videos produced as part of EU-UNICEF project on justice for children.
www.unicef.org/ceecis/media_20646.html
Justice for children in Georgia supported by the EU (2012) www.unicef.org/georgia/media_19634.html
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Interviews with
Commissioner Piebalgs,
Commissioner Georgieva and
ECHO Director General Sorensen
www.unicef.org/eu/index.html
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Juvenile justice system in Georgia supported by the EU (2012) www.unicef.org/georgia/media_16005.html
EU & UNICEF: juvenile justice in Moldova (2013) www.unicef.org/moldova/media_24299.html
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UNICEF and the EU working together in Ukraine www.unicef.org/ukraine/children_15262.html
UNICEF project funded by the EU on
“Support to Children in Difficult life circumstances” in Ukraine
www.unicef.org/ukraine/children_20919.html
UNICEF project funded by the EU on HIV/AIDS prevention,
treatment and care in Ukraine and other ENP countries www.unicef.org/ukraine/children_20913.html
Child Development in Chernobyl affected Ukraine www.unicef.org/ukraine/reallives_14761.html
UNICEF project funded by the EU in support of vulnerable children in Ukraine
www.unicef.org/ukraine/reallives_13916.html
EU-UNICEF Human interest success story on health (AIDS) in Ukraine
www.unicef.org/ukraine/reallives_20835.html
South
Video on Female Genital Mutilation in Egypt www.unicef.org/eu/devaid_child_protection.html#pid474
Video and human interest story on joint education project in Syria www.unicef.org/infobycountry/syria_53970.html
Video and human interest story on joint project on health in Syria www.unicef.org/infobycountry/syria_53302.html
Launch of an EU funded project in Tunisia in June 2013 www.unicef.org.tn/html/eve_27062013.htm
EU & UNICEF support Libya’s education programmes (2013) www.unicef.org/eu/files/PR_eu_unicef_033013.pdf
Human interest story on Education of Syrian Refugees in Syria July 2013
www.unicef.org/infobycountry/syriancrisis_69813.html
EU Neighbourhood Handbooks
From the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre website, a number of
different handbooks can be downloaded, offering tips to media
professionals for improved coverage of EU cooperation activities,
but also providing information on how to access EU funding or
to navigate through EU jargon.
A wealth of knowledge at your disposal, just a click away on
www.enpi-info.eu.
Human interest story - Syrian children in Turkey - August 2013 www.unicef.org/infobycountry/syriancrisis_70070.html
MENA Regional Office: www.unicef.org/mena/media_376.html
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9. EU Neighbourhood
Find out more
EU & UNICEF PRESS PACK
UNICEF and the European Union – web portal
EuropeAid – children and youth
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European Commission Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection
(ECHO)
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UNICEF – Middle East and North Africa
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UNICEF – Central and Eastern Europe and the
Commonwealth of Independent States
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EU Neighbourhood Library
Our online database
Action plans
Agreements
Country reports
Declarations
Resolutions
Strategy documents
www.enpi-info.eu/library/
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10. EU Neighbourhood
EU & UNICEF PRESS PACK
The EU: a major donor for the Neighbourhood
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EU support to the region is channeled through the European Commission’s Directorate General
Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid
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The European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) funding approved for
the period 2007-2013 was € 11.2 billion. The proposed amount for the new European
Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) - in 2014-2020 is € 18.2 billion.
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East: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and a partnership with Russia.
South: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia.
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The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre is an EU-funded Regional Communication project
highlighting the partnership between the EU and Neighbouring countries. www.enpi-info.eu
5
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A project implemented by
EU Neighbourhood Info Centre
An ENPI project
The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre is an EU-funded Regional Communication project highlighting the partnership
between the EU and Neighbouring countries. This presspack has been produced by the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre.
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Photos: UNICEF and AFP/EPA for the EU Neighourhood Info Centre
Copyright EU/EU Neighbourhood Info Centre 2013
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