UNICEF Begins New Five-Year Cooperation Program with the Country

The UNICEF office in Serbia has launched a new cooperation program for the period from 2026 to 2030, which is aimed at further strengthening national systems so that existing services are available to all children and adequately respond to their specific needs, including children who need additional support to access these services. As UNICEF representatives in Serbia emphasize, the program builds on significant progress made in the past five years, and the results of this project so far indicate that early intervention services for children with difficulties and developmental disabilities have been extended to 80 percent of districts in Serbia, and parenting support and early stimulation have become part of primary healthcare. Preschool education enrollment has increased from 50 percent in the 2015/2016 school year to 63 percent in the 2024/2025 school year, while all preschool teachers have been trained to implement the modern preschool curriculum. Thirteen resource centers have been established to support inclusive education, and the mental health reform has also been supported – six ministries have agreed on coordinated action, and local support mechanisms have been established in ten percent of municipalities in the country to ensure children receive the help they need, with the involvement of trained professionals working directly with children and families. Budgeting in the field of early development and parenting support, focused on children's needs, has been included in regular planning processes in one-third of local self-government units.