TEHRAN – The head of the Welfare Organization, Javad Hosseini, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) ad interim Representative in Iran, Monika Oledzka Nielsen, have explored the potential to expand cooperation, particularly regarding children aged below 18.

During the Saturday meeting, Nielsen said the two organizations have so far held two meetings to prioritize issues based on assessments made by the Welfare Organization, Mehr news agency reported.

The core area of collaboration focuses on improving children’s rights, such as child labor and street children, she noted.

Highlighting that UNICEF and Tejarat Bank have launched a campaign titled ‘Disability is part of me, not all of me’ which aims to empower children with disabilities in Iran through raising awareness and fostering a supportive environment, the official said that it is important to have a specific program for the raised money to support children with disabilities as it has not been included in the current cooperation.

For his part, Hosseini said, “In addition to financial aid, we need UNICEF's knowledge and experiences. Currently, the Welfare Organization is implementing 12 development programs for children. For example, a comprehensive educational, cultural, social, and skills training program has been developed for 10,000 children living in quasi-family centers. ‘Kind hands’ is another project which connects elderly people living in welfare centers with orphans, or the program to help families take care of their twins or triplets or more children in their own homes.”

The Welfare Organization supports 1.66 million people with disabilities, of whom 137,000 are under 18 years. The Organization has prepared different plans for training and empowering them, but the main priority is to provide rehabilitation equipment.

The two organizations are planning to meet next week to follow up on the issues.

UNICEF supports children with disabilities

UNICEF, in cooperation with the Special Education Organization, is running a program to help children with disabilities from low-income families pay for their medical care and stay at school.

Currently, the program is being implemented in nine provinces, covering 1,554 children with disabilities, each of whom received cash support of about 50 million Rials (almost 44 dollars).

It helps families pay for medical care, rehabilitation, and school supplies, so their children can stay in school and continue learning. In the next phase, another 2,564 children in other provinces will also receive such support, the UNICEF website announced in a press release on October 5.

In addition to direct financial aid, UNICEF is working to improve how schools and health centers support these children.

Teacher Training: In Khorasan Razavi province, more than 300 teachers and specialists completed a training program focusing on early support, better student assessments, and creating personalized learning and rehabilitation plans. This ensures schools are better equipped to understand each child’s needs and help them learn more effectively.

Accessible Equipment: To make essential services more accessible, UNICEF provided new occupational and speech therapy equipment to 53 rehabilitation centres in Khorasan Razavi, which helps specialists deliver better care.

Mobility and Hearing Aids: Across Khorasan Razavi and Sistan and Baluchestan, UNICEF has so far provided 36 hearing aids and 29 wheelchairs, ensuring more children can fully participate in school and daily life.

These comprehensive efforts show that by working with national partners, UNICEF is building a future where every child, no matter their ability, can learn, grow, and thrive, ultimately opening opportunities for all.

MT/MG