Ukraine and Lithuania agree on further steps for cooperation in child rights protection

The First Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine, Liudmyla Shemelynets, held a meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to Ukraine, Inga Stanytė-Toločkienė.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the implementation of the Strategy for Ensuring Every Child’s Right to Grow Up in a Family Environment in Ukraine, as well as future areas of cooperation in child rights protection – particularly for children returned from temporarily occupied territories and the russian federation.

“We are grateful to Lithuania for its ongoing support of Ukraine, especially on issues concerning children. It is extremely valuable that our children have the opportunity to undergo rehabilitation and rest in Lithuania – this helps them recover from what they have endured. Today, it is crucial not only to ensure their return but also to create conditions in which they feel safe, receive proper support, and can integrate into communities,” noted Liudmyla Shemelynets.

The parties also plan to expand the implementation of the child care and support system reform.

“By the end of the year, we have an ambitious goal to increase the number of regions implementing the Strategy. We want every region to be able to adopt child-centred approaches and build an effective system of family upbringing and social services,” emphasised Liudmyla Shemelynets.

The sides agreed to continue coordinating joint actions within the Better Care partnership and to explore opportunities for additional assistance in establishing family and child support centres, developing community-based social services, and strengthening rehabilitation support for children affected by the war.