From 27–29 May 2025, the DPPI SEE in partnership with UNICEF and hosted by Romania’s Department for Emergency Situations (DSU), convened a regional workshop in Bucharest focused on Child-Sensitive and Inclusive Emergency Preparedness and Response.
This important event, followed after signing the MoU in September 2024, brought together representatives from civil protection authorities across the region and UNICEF experts to explore how child-focused perspectives can be more effectively integrated into disaster risk management policies and practices.
Key highlights included:
Alignment of national strategies with the European Preparedness Union Strategy and other EU and UN policies and strategies
Deepening understanding of UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action
Experience-sharing from Romania, Croatia, and other member states on good practices in child-centered disaster preparedness and education
Group exercises and discussions to identify policy gaps and outline concrete action plans for 2025
The event was opened by Dr. Rade Rajkovchevski (Head of DPPI SEE Secretariat), Mr. Michele Messina (Regional Emergency Advisor, UNICEF ECARO), and Dr. Raed Arafat (State Secretary and Head of the Department for Emergency Situations in the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs). It concluded with strong commitments to foster inclusive disaster risk reduction strategies that place children at the center of preparedness and response efforts.
We thank all our partners and participants for their valuable contributions and look forward to continued collaboration in making our region safer for children.
We warmly acknowledge the exceptional efforts of Mr. Marian-Cosmin Bunoiu and Ms. Alina Tanasescu (Romanian DSU), Mr. Rekha Shrestha (UNICEF) and all our Romanian and UNICEF colleagues involved in the organization of this important event.
