SOS Children's Villages International

Young people in Tunisia lead positive change in their communities in the spirit of empathy and solidarity. 💙 In the Ambassadors Clubs of SOS Villages d'Enfants en Tunisie, nearly 3,000 students from over 60 universities unite to raise awareness and volunteer for children who grow up without their families or are at risk of losing them. Their most recent initiative was the 'Heroes' Journey' - a 1,000 kilometers long solidarity walk that brought together over 2,000 volunteers. 🤝 🏅

How can the European Parliament effectively promote and protect children’s rights?   This question was at the core of today’s discussion between the Child Rights Action Group (CRAG) - the largest informal network of child rights organizations at the EU level - and the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Children’s Rights.   Our priorities are clear and include: ▪️ Tackling child poverty and social exclusion; ▪️ Securing adequate funding for children’s rights post 2027; ▪️ Multiannual Financial Framework; ▪️ Protecting children in migration; ▪️ Championing children’s rights in the EU’s external relations.   During the exchange, Lidia Giglio, our representative to the EU, stressed the crucial role of the European Parliament in ensuring meaningful, inclusive, and safe child participation, including through the EU Children’s Participation Platform.   Together with our partners, we will continue to drive efforts to ensure that children’s rights are protected and promoted both within and outside the EU.   #ChildRights #EUPolicy #EUbudget #EUChildParticipation

'The humanitarian situation is critical. Children and families are resilient, but they cannot bear this level of violence. We need peace, and we need the international community to come together to ensure that people can live without fear, have their basic rights respected, and have a chance for a better future,' says SOS Children's Villages Palestine's program director in #Gaza. Children and families need a definitive ceasefire and a continuous flow of aid. 📷 Bashar TALEB / AFP

In this episode of Voices of Wellbeing, Ruth O'Connell and Andria Spyridou (Dr.Clin.Psych), #MHPSS specialists from UNICEF, discuss the importance of developing psychological and psychosocial interventions tailored specifically for children and youth. 🎧 Listen to learn why youth involvement in the design and implementation of MHPSS interventions is essential: https://t.co/LlbRQwXB3P #EU4Health 💡 The #VoicesofWellbeing podcast is an initiative of SOS Children’s Villages International's Global Programme Expert Group on MHPSS.

'We don't know what to do. We are human beings, ordinary people who keep living through the extraordinary,' says Wesal from SOS Children's Villages Palestine. Renewed strikes on #Gaza are forcing the people who have endured more than 15 months of violence and fear to once again face the extraordinary horrors of war. Yesterday's attack alone reportedly killed 130 children - according to UNICEF, this is one of the largest single-day child death tolls in the last year. A definitive ceasefire is the only way to protect children and families. 📷 Gaza, Mohammad Al Baba

Today, we presented SOS Children’s Villages' recommendations at the European Parliament's public hearing on the “Protection and promotion of the rights of children placed in alternative care.” We were honoured to share the stage with key EU policymakers, including: ▪️ Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth Culture, and Sport ▪️ Ewa Kopacz, Vice President of the European Parliament & EU Coordinator on Children’s Rights ▪️ Li Andersson, Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs in the European Parliament   During her intervention, Maria Dantcheva, our Deputy Director for Programs in Eastern Central Europe and the Middle East, emphasized the importance of ensuring quality standards for alternative care, especially for residential and foster care. She presented SOS Children's Villages’ work in delivering quality alternative care to children across the EU and highlighted how EU support has helped enhance care standards through impactful collaborations.   Our key recommendations to the European Union include: 🔑 Establishing principles for quality alternative care 🔄 Investing in the continuum of care: from prevention of child family separation, to quality alternative care, to effective support for reintegration and independent living 💰 Ensuring ambitious EU funding including for the EU Child Guarantee   We are excited to continue collaborating with the EU institutions to strengthen the implementation of children's rights in alternative care, ensuring sustainable, high-quality support systems for children across Europe.   #ChildRights #AlternativeCare #EUPolicy #ChildProtection

Together with the Child Rights Action Group, we had the privilege to meet with Roxana Minzatu, the European Commission's Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs, and Preparedness.   We discussed how urgent it is to strengthen the European Child Guarantee, ensuring that children from marginalized backgrounds have access to essential services like healthcare, inclusive education, housing, healthy meals, and early childhood education and care. 📚🩹   We highlighted the importance of safeguarding children’s mental well-being, especially for those in vulnerable situations. Mental health support is crucial for children and families and plays a key role in preventing family breakdown.   On top of that, we addressed the upcoming Anti-Poverty Strategy - an essential initiative to break the cycle of disadvantage and create pathways to greater equity for all children in the EU.   Finally, we emphasized the urgent need for dedicated funding for children's rights in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework to ensure every child is protected and supported. 💶   We look forward to collaborating with Executive Vice-President Mînzatu to turn these priorities into meaningful and lasting change for children across the EU! 🙏   #ChildRights #AntiPovertyStrategy #ChildGuarantee #FutureOfEurope

The majority of caregivers - paid or unpaid - are women. As governments and civil society come together at #CSW69, it's time to talk about some of the most fundamental human activities: giving and receiving care. 💡 Adequate social protection that promotes gender equality could help millions of parents create stable homes for their children. 💡 Professional caregivers must be recognized, valued and supported to provide quality care. They need better social and financial conditions, and their rights upheld. If decision-makers choose to prioritize care, the positive impact on societies will span across generations. 💙 🚀 #CareWork #CareEconomy 📷 Lydia Mantler

The wellbeing of parents and caregivers has huge impact on the mental health of children. In this episode of the Voices of Wellbeing podcast, George Kanaris and Eleftheria Aravidou, experts from Terre des hommes - Hellas / Γη των ανθρώπων, explain how to effectively reach communities in need with MHPSS interventions that reduce stress and anxiety. 💡 This podcast is an initiative of SOS Children’s Villages International's Global Programme Expert Group on #MHPSS. #VoicesofWellbeing #EU4Health

On the occasion of International Women's Day, we would like to introduce our colleague Ahlam Muhaysin from the SOS Children's Villages team in Gaza. She is a shining example of the steadfast Palestinian woman who stands tall in the face of challenges, striving to serve her homeland. In one of her interviews, she shared her experience, saying: "My working hours are from 9 AM to 4 PM at the moment. To be there by 9, I have to leave my tent at 7:30 AM to reach the village. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't take this long, but due to the current difficult conditions and the transportation crisis, I have to leave much earlier to arrive on time." The Palestinian woman is a symbol of resilience and sacrifice, they are the backbone of this nation.