Skopje, 3 October 2025 (MIA/UNICEF) - UNICEF's Skopje office published an open call Friday urging that children are put first during the upcoming local elections. In the press release, UNICEF stressed that these elections are a chance to commit to bold, transformative actions that will help every child thrive and reach their full potential. 

"As North Macedonia enters the local election season, we have a unique opportunity to focus on children’s well-being and inspire local communities to prioritize their development. Nearly one-third of the population are children, yet they remain disproportionately affected by poverty, exclusion and underinvestment. Local governments have the power to change this. The decisions made at the local level – about schools, kindergartens, parks, and community centres - shape the environments where children live, learn and play," UNICEF said.

In its open call UNICEF outlined seven priorities and one goal, which MIA is reporting in full:

1. Support Children at Risk of Poverty 

Children in North Macedonia are far more likely than adults to live in poverty: 30 per cent of children live below the national poverty line and 43 per cent experience multiple forms of deprivation. Roma children are particularly at risk. 

Child poverty is not just about individual hardship hindering the child’s development and opportunities later in life - it undermines the country’s human capital. Addressing child poverty is far more cost-effective than dealing with its consequences later – such as poorer health outcomes, higher unemployment, and the perpetuation of the cycle of exclusion in the next generation. 

Local governments can introduce social protection programme to support families facing hardship, like municipal cash benefits for families with newborns and first graders and fee waivers for kindergarten for low-income families, including Roma and children with disabilities. They also play a key role in assessing needs, local action planning, expanding services and coordination with the centres for social work to help vulnerable children and families. 

2. Prioritize signal shift schooling for every child 

With over two-thirds of 15-year-olds failing to meet basic competencies in reading, math and science, quality education is a national priority. Many schools operate in two shifts, reducing learning hours and leaving little time for quality learning and extracurricular activities. 

By the time a child turns 14, they receive almost 900 fewer hours of instruction compared to their OECD peers – equivalent to more than a full school year lost. At the same time, declining number of students and a growing number of teachers have led to very small class sizes in most municipalities. Only 12 municipalities (15%) meet the legal requirement of 20 students per class. 

Local governments can optimize their school networks to transition to single-shift schooling. This can ensure every child, no matter where they live, has access to a full-day learning in well-resourced environments with class sizes that foster both peer learning and socialization. 

With the introduction of the new primary and secondary school funding formulas, resources will be better matched to the realities and needs of local communities. The new approach will help to boost academic results, open space for extracurriculars that build creativity, well-being, and social–emotional growth and ensure adequate resources for the inclusion of every child in quality learning. 

3. Expand early childhood education and care 

Despite its proven benefits for children, women, and the economy, only 1 in 2 children aged 3-5 in North Macedonia attend kindergarten. Attendance is significantly lower among children who are most disadvantaged - those living in poverty, Roma and children with disabilities.

Investing in early childhood education and care is both a social investment and a smart economic policy. Quality early education improves school performance, reduces dropouts, and helps children build stronger social and emotional skills. Expanding care services, enables parents, especially mothers, to participate in the labour market by reducing caregiving barriers, which in turn increases household income, local economic growth and reduces gender gaps in employment. Care responsibilities remain the biggest barrier to women’s employment: 59% of inactive women cite this reason, compared to just 2.3% of men.

Local governments can repurpose unused spaces in schools and other community buildings to expand early childhood education and care services - a cost-effective strategy for improving children’s development, empowering women, and strengthening local economies. 

4. Remove barriers for children with disabilities 

Children with disabilities face significant barriers to full participation in community life and access to essential services. The lack of early childhood intervention services and limited preschool options hinder their development and transition to primary and secondary school.

At all levels, shortages of qualified staff and insufficient funding further undermine inclusive practices, leaving many children without the support they need to learn and thrive. Local governments play a critical role in ensuring communities are accessible and that children with disabilities are adequately considered in local planning. From pavements to parks, preschool

to secondary education, accessible environments are essential, requiring infrastructure adjustments, assistive technologies, and effective support services.

Local governments also play an important role to establish community-based services and a school-based support centre in each municipality, a new measure introduced by the Law on Primary Education. 

5. Support for children at risk of violence 

Whether living or working on the streets, in conflict with the law, at risk of substance abuse, or without parental care - local governments play a crucial role in ensuring that children at risk receive the support and opportunities they need.

Local governments can strengthen child protection systems by establishing Local Councils for Prevention and Justice for Children, as required by law.

They can bring together multiple sectors including outreach teams working with children on the streets to identify needs early and offer support such as family integration or alternative care; and schools and community services to provide mental health support and life skills. They can cooperate with foster care centres to promote and support new foster families, ensuring that children grow up in safe and nurturing environments.

More broadly, local governments can support parents and caregivers, and provide effective community-based prevention, response and support services for children and families at risk, including women and children who have experienced violence. 

6. Make local climate and environmental action child-focused 

Recent climate events and hazards have drawn attention to environmental threats in North Macedonia. Extreme heat, wildfires, toxic smoke, air pollution, and unsafe surroundings endanger children’s health, safety, and development. An estimated 11.6 per cent of infant deaths can be linked to air pollution. Exposure in early childhood harms both physical and cognitive growth, with lasting consequences.

Local governments can change this. Through their authority over urban planning, waste management, environmental strategies, and disaster response, local governments can lead a green transition that directly benefits children and adolescents.

This means enforcing waste standards, strengthening fire prevention and rapid response, creating safe green public spaces, and investing in air quality monitoring. It also means supporting youth-led initiatives that raise awareness, resilience, and civic engagement, while ensuring children have a voice in local decisions through Youth Councils, Youth Centres, and

Local Youth Strategies. By placing children at the center of environmental policies, municipalities not only protect them from immediate harm but also build a healthier, more sustainable future. 

7. Promote healthy food environments in and around schools 

Children are increasingly growing up in unhealthy food environments that fuel poor nutrition, rising overweight, and long-term health risks. One in three school-aged children is already overweight, underscoring the urgent need for action. In many schools, sugary drinks and ultra-processed snacks are much easier to find than nutritious and healthier options.

Schools should be safe spaces that promote healthy development. A healthy food environment means regular access to fresh fruits and vegetables, balanced and nutritious meals, and a school setting that encourages healthy choices and physical activity. Local governments play a key role by ensuring schools and food suppliers provide nutritious, affordable meals in line with national guidelines. They can also use their influence to discourage schools from installing vending machines with sugary drinks and ultra-processed snacks and giving school advertising space for promotion of unhealthy food choices.

By promoting nutritious food in schools, local governments can support children’s physical and cognitive development and send a strong message that children’s health and well-being comes before commercial interests. 

One Goal: Children First 

Children cannot vote, but they count. They count on local leaders to make decisions that shape their futures. By considering these actions, local governments can contribute to the well-being and future development of children in their communities. Together, let’s work to put children first. 

MIA file photo