The Municipality of Burgas, UNICEF, the Institute for Social Activities and Practices (ISAP), and the Center for Public Support (CPS) – Burgas have joined forces for the sustainable development of the "Child Advocacy Center" (Zona ZaKrila) model in the city. In August, the four organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation, which lays the foundation for continuing and expanding this specialized service in support of children who are victims or witnesses of violence, as well as their families.

The "Child Advocacy Center" provides comprehensive, free-of-charge support in one single location, ensuring that neither the child nor their family is further burdened during a difficult time. The service includes crisis intervention, assistance with medical care and forensic medical examinations, psychosocial support, and legal aid.

A particularly important part of the model is the sensitive interviewing of children in a specially equipped room, known as the "Blue Room." There, the procedures and environment are adapted to the child's age and needs, ensuring that they are heard in a way that minimizes further trauma.

By signing the memorandum, the partners have made specific commitments to the development of the service. UNICEF will provide expert, financial, and administrative support; ISAP will organize multidisciplinary training, provide methodological support, and offer professional supervision; and the CPS – Burgas will implement the model in practice. The memorandum is in effect until December 31, 2027, with the provision for an extension via an annex offering a long-term perspective for the partnership.

The sustainable development of the "Child Advocacy Center" is part of UNICEF's broader commitment to protecting children's rights. Over the past 20 years, the organization has made a significant contribution in Bulgaria to deinstitutionalization and the introduction of new support models – foster care, early childhood intervention, mobile community-based teams, integrated services for protection against violence, and the development of inclusive education. Among the results achieved are over 5,000 children and parents who have experienced or witnessed violence and have received protection and support through services like the "Child Advocacy Center."

This long-standing mission is also the focus of the anniversary photo exhibition "80 Years of UNICEF – HOPE for every child," which will be hosted in Burgas throughout September. More than 50 photographs from Bulgaria and around the world tell stories of children facing conflict, crisis, poverty, and violence, but also of their resilience, courage, and hope. The exhibition can be viewed until September 30 in front of the Cultural Center NHK, with free admission.

Photo: Nikolay Stoykov, UNICEF Bulgaria