The European Union (EU) has committed $25.7 million to support the United Nations Children's Fund’s (Unicef) child protection program in Bangladesh over the next four years.
The project, with special focus on adolescents and on children living with disabilities, will give over 10 million children access to social services, and will empower children to claim their rights.
Unicef and EU announced the initiative through a joint press release on Sunday.
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Hailing the EU's support as a landmark achievement, Unicef Representative in Bangladesh Tomoo Hozumi said: “This is an unprecedented investment in the realization of child rights in Bangladesh. Children have been hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, and this generous contribution from the European Union comes at such a critical juncture. It will help ensure that children whose needs are the greatest have equal opportunities and equal access to critical services.”
“As families struggle to overcome challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, we must invest now to build the safety nets needed for children and adolescents to reach their full potential and to contribute to their society in the future,” said Maurizio Cian, head of cooperation, delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh.
The initiative will strengthen protection systems, policies and legislation in support of children and adolescents, including those living with disabilities, living in hard-to-reach, disaster-prone and disadvantaged areas, and those living on the streets, said the release.