UNFPA CO in Ukraine handed over 19 vehicles to the regional centers of Social Services for Family, Children and Youth

26-11-2007, 16:10

On November 23^rd UNFPA CO in Ukraine handed over 19 vehicles to the regional centers of Social Services for Family, Children and Youth.

Official ceremony of the vehicles' hand over was attended by:

• Dr. Borys Vornyk, UNFPA CO in Ukraine Assistant Representative,
• Ms. Svitlana Tolstoukhova, Deputy Minister for Family, Youth and Sport of Ukraine,
• Mr. Sergiy P?lyuk, Project manager, health and social matters section, EC Delegation's to Ukraine,
• Mr. Arthur Gorin, Director of the state Social Services for Family, Children and Youth of Ukraine.   

Also, directors of the regional centers of Social Services for Family, Children and Youth took part in small briefing on programmes implementation which followed the official ceremony.   

The vehicles were procured in the framework of two porgammes implemented by UNFPA CO in Ukraine.

First programme "Support to establishing a comprehensive system of social services for young drug users" was initiated in September 2006 and financed by the European Union (EU) and UNFPA.  The programme is planned for 3 year and implemented by UNFPA and the State Social Service for Families, Children and Youth (SSSFCY).  The Programme's main objective is to support the SSSFCY in developing and strengthening the national system of Social Services for intravenous drug users (IDUs) capable to promote safe behaviour and prevent drug abuse and HIV/STI spread among IDUs, their co-dependants and wider youth population. In the framework of the programme implementation 14 vehicles were transferred to region centers of social services for family, children and youth, which will be used for the work of social services for IDUs.

Second, joint programme "Reduction of HIV/STI spread among youth in the selected regions of Ukraine" funded by Swedish international development agency (Sida) and UNFPA was launched in October 2006. The programme is implemented by UNFPA and State Social Service for Family, Children and Youth. The programme goal is reduction of HIV/STI spread among youth in the most affected by HIV southern and eastern regions of Ukraine (Crimea, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk). The 5 vehicles complete mobile units of volunteer counseling and testing and will be used in hard-to-reach districts of the selected regions.