Events

MINSK, 22 September (BelTA) – Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Kalinin met with UNICEF Representative in Belarus Rashed Mustafa Sarwar on 21 September to discuss topical issues of cooperation with the fund, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian government.

The sides touched upon possible UNICEF projects in Belarus’ transport sector. Anatoly Kalinin reaffirmed that proposals brought forward by the UNICEF on cooperation in this field will be considered by all agencies concerned. “In turn, Rashed Mustafa Sarwar recalled that 24% of Belarusians donate money to charity. Anatoly Kalinin invited UNICEF to consider setting up a platform to promote charity in Belarus,” the press service noted. According to the deputy prime minister, Belarus and UNICEF maintain a high level of cooperation. Support for children and youth is among the top priorities of Belarus’ current five-year social and economic development strategy. This goal receives special attention at the highest level.

According to the UNICEF Country Program for Belarus for 2016-2020, the fund’s key priorities are: a safe, caring and supportive environment for children; realizing the rights of children with disabilities; an enabling social environment for the resilience and meaningful participation of adolescents in decision-making. “I believe that the implementation of this program will help Belarus meet the goals of the National Sustainable Development Strategy through 2030, the government program People’s Health and Demographic Security for 2016-2020, the National Action Plan for Gender Equality for 2016-2020, and other documents. We are grateful to the fund for its assistance to the government in the strengthening of cooperation between the systems of education, healthcare, social protection, and law enforcement bodies,” Anatoly Kalinin underlined.

He commended the innovativeness and the wide range of tools of the UNICEF-Belarus cooperation.