Medium-term budget planning and investments: Ministry of Finance and UNICEF hold first regional training for local finance officials from Poltava region

From April 1 to 4, 2025, the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, jointly with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Department of Finance of the Poltava region Military Administration, held a regional training for representatives of local financial bodies and key spending units from territorial communities of the Poltava region. The training focused on “Implementing a Child-Centered Approach in Local Budget Planning.”

The main objective of the workshop was to enhance the professional competencies of local financial officials in implementing and applying a child-centered approach within medium-term budget planning at the community level, through the identification and addressing children and youth needs.

Given the complex demographic and economic situation in the country, it is extremely important to ensure balanced and more targeted planning, as well as the efficient use of budget resources at the local level. Investing for children and youth should be seen as a strategic priority, contributing to an improved quality of life in communities, strengthening their financial capacity, and attracting additional resources.

The workshops brought together the representatives of the Department of Interbudgetary Relations and Local Budgets Policy of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, financial divisions of the Poltava region Military Administration, as well as finance specialists from more than 60 territorial communities of the region.

The training served as an effective platform for experience exchange, discussion of practical aspects of implementing new approaches to budget planning, and establishing direct communication between communities and the central executive authority responsible for financial policy.

Participants were introduced to the key principles of the child-centered approach in medium-term budget planning as a tool for ensuring the rights of children and youth. Special attention was given to the application of the program-based budgeting method and gender-responsive approaches as important components of effective public finance management.