Sistan-Baluchestan Empowers Parents with Engaging Workshops on Positive Parenting Skills

In a significant initiative to enhance positive parenting skills, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is conducting workshops aimed at empowering counselors from Primary Health Care (PHC) centers and schools in Sistan-Baluchestan province. This program, which spans across 14 cities in the southern region and eight in the northern region, focuses on equipping local professionals with the necessary tools to support parents of adolescents.

Recently, two workshops were successfully held in this province. The first took place in Chabahar from October 6 to 9, 2025, followed by the second workshop in Zahedan from October 19 to 22. The primary objective of these workshops is to assist local counselors in guiding and supporting parents as they adopt positive parenting strategies, as announced in a UNICEF press release dated November 10.

Thanks to the UNICEF-supported Adolescent Positive Parenting training program, psychologists and counselors in Sistan-Baluchestan now possess enhanced capabilities to aid families in developing effective parenting skills. Here are some key takeaways from the workshops:

• Acquisition of vital knowledge and skills to engage with parents of adolescents.
• Support for parents in promoting their adolescents’ healthy and positive development.
• Strengthening of family relationships.
• Preparation to bring training resources into the community.

The workshops mark just the beginning of a larger initiative. Following the training, multisectoral teams will begin organizing adolescent-positive parenting sessions within local communities. These teams will comprise crucial partners from:

• Schools
• Primary Healthcare (PHC) services
• Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS)
• Social Emergency Services

Through this collaborative approach, the teams aim to ensure that at least 2,000 parents and caregivers across all 22 cities in Sistan-Baluchestan can access vital support for fostering positive parenting practices.

For additional resources, parents are encouraged to visit the UNICEF Iran website’s dedicated section on parenting. This platform offers a variety of resources, articles, and practical advice designed to help families enhance their children’s well-being and development.

In December, UNICEF, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) and the Ministry of Education (MoE), organized another comprehensive workshop titled “Adolescent Positive Parenting” in Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi Province. The purpose of this workshop was to create a supportive environment for adolescents living in vulnerable areas.

This intensive eight-day training was conducted in two four-day segments, involving 90 psychologists, counselors, and mental health practitioners from various sectors, including Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), schools, and community centers. Funded by the EU Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), this program aimed to enhance participants’ knowledge, skills, and technical expertise in delivering positive parenting programs specifically tailored for parents of adolescents.

As part of this UNICEF-supported initiative, parents residing in vulnerable districts are receiving hands-on training in positive parenting skills. The overarching goal is to cultivate nurturing and supportive environments for adolescents in disadvantaged communities.

The “Adolescent Positive Parenting” package, developed with UNICEF’s support, includes:

• Three detailed manuals and workbooks for trainers, parents, and adolescents.
• Seventeen educational films for trainers.
• Five videos aimed at parents.
• Five motion graphics designed to enhance engagement and learning.

To successfully conduct the workshop, UNICEF collaborated with several organizations, including the Drug Control Headquarters (DCHQ), Provincial Drug Coordination Council (DCCC), Iranian Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and local NGOs.

In the initial phase of this program, trained professionals are set to reach out to at least 1,600 parents in Khorasan Razavi Province, providing them with practical training on positive parenting skills. This initiative is part of a broader effort to expand adolescent parenting programs that were originally launched in Qom Province to support vulnerable parents.

To date, over 4,000 parents from marginalized areas of Qom have participated in at least eight sessions of parenting training, showcasing the program’s success in fostering robust family relationships and enhancing adolescent well-being.

By actively collaborating with key governmental and non-governmental organizations, UNICEF is continuing to broaden its outreach, ensuring that adolescents and their families in vulnerable districts receive the essential support they need for a brighter future.