site.btaJustice Ministry Signs Child Protection Memorandum with UNICEF

A Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation for the Protection of Children's Rights was signed in Sofia on Thursday between the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry's National Office for Legal Assistance (NOLA) and UNICEF Bulgaria. The parties to the memorandum will work to improve access to justice for at-risk children and child victims or witnesses of violence and crime, including domestic and gender-based violence, and to protect unaccompanied child refugees, the Justice Ministry said.

Caretaker Minister of Justice Maria Pavlova noted that children are subjects of all fundamental human rights but need special protection due to their vulnerability.

UNICEF Representative to Bulgaria Christina de Bruin expressed hope that the memorandum will deepen the already strong cooperation and partnership among the three institutions. She said she is proud of what the UN agency and Bulgaria have achieved in the field of juvenile justice, which is now aligned with the needs of the kids.

The Head of NOLA, Natalia Ilieva, said cooperation with UNICEF will become even stronger as the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum begins to be implemented and its provisions are transposed into Bulgarian law.