Skopje, 11 December 2021 (MIA) - Today UNICEF marks 75 years since it was created to meet the critical needs of children whose lives had been torn apart by World War II. While we commemorate the past, the challenges that children face today require us to reimagine the future so that every child has a better childhood, better future and a fair chance, UNICEF said in a press release on Saturday. “Through the decades, together with government partners, donors, advocates and supporters, UNICEF has delivered for children all over the world. From short-term relief during crisis to long-term development programmes, we have reimagined what is possible to advance child rights and their wellbeing,” read the release. Aside from the coronacrisis, UNICEF stressed, children are also in the midst of a learning crisis, climate change, widespread social and economic challenges and rising poverty and inequality. “We still see many children being left behind simply because of where they live, the wealth of their family, their ethnicity or disability. These challenges impact us all, but they hit the most vulnerable children the hardest. This week, UNICEF launched a new study on the Multidimensional Child Poverty in North Macedonia highlighting that deprivations in education, early childhood development, nutrition, safety, and love and care are among the top 5 contributors to the multidimensional child poverty,” the release noted. It added that investments to improve quality and inclusive education, expand access to preschool and basic social and child protection services, support to mental health and introduce new services and programmes to support parents so that every child grows up in loving family environment, ensure fair justice for children system, must be seen as investments to tackle child poverty and build a brighter future for all of the citizens of the country. “Now more than ever we need action so that every child has a better childhood, future and a fair chance. Just as we rebuilt from the ruins of World War II, our goal today remains ensuring recovery from the pandemic by prioritizing investments for children,” read the press release. UNICEF’s very first global supply shipment of clothing, shoes, soap and other emergency supplies, in August 1947, was actually for children of this country when it was Yugoslavia. In the 50’s UNICEF worked with the government to improve the supply of milk. UNICEF imported equipment to support a national milk conservation plan – as a result, safe, wholesome milk was made available either free or at a very low cost for over 800,000 children and mothers. In 1957, UNICEF initiated the formation of National Institute for Mother & Child Health in Skopje. At that time the child mortality rate was as high as 138.6 per thousand live births. In 1963, UNICEF supported relief efforts after the tragic earthquake in Skopje. Since 1993 - when UNICEF open an office in the country after it became an independent state - UNICEF has always been among the first to provide support to children during times of crisis and has been working with partners to ensure every child, enjoys every right. Throughout our history, UNICEF has helped to shape healthier and safer environments for children, everywhere across the globe and in this country. “We supported system strengthening reforms that have contributed to less children dying before the age of five, more children in school, every child in the country living in a family environment and promising cross-sectoral reforms to end exclusion and protect children from violence, abuse and neglect,” read the release. As we work with governments, donors and other organizations to reimagine our collective path for the next 75 years, UNICEF highlighted, we must keep children first in line for investment and action.