Bucharest, Oct 29 (IANS): Romanian President Klaus Iohannis signed into law a new bill declaring 2025 as the "National Year of the Child," a national initiative aiming to enhance the social, educational, and cultural well-being of children across Romania.

Under the new legislation, various government entities, including the parliament, the Presidential Administration, and local authorities, are empowered to organise and fund events that promote child development.

The law mandates that all publicly funded, non-profit initiatives must include a component dedicated to child welfare, emphasising support for children from vulnerable backgrounds.

Projects under this initiative must demonstrate their contribution to improving children's well-being and ensuring equitable access to cultural, sports, and recreational activities, Xinhua news agency reported.

This move aligns with Romania's National Action Plan for the Implementation of the Child Guarantee, launched in 2023. The plan seeks to lift at least 500,000 children out of poverty or social exclusion by 2030.

Currently, according to UNICEF, 41.5 per cent of Romanian children are at risk, a rate that is double the EU average. Romania has committed over 19 billion euros (approximately $20.5 billion) from European, state, local, and non-reimbursable sources to a set of 59 measures targeting child welfare.