YEAR IN REVIEW
MAKING SURE THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD BECOME A REALITY FOR ALL CHILDREN
grow up safely in their own family. Children who need temporary care, while the family is strengthened to become more resilient, so that the children can eventually reintegrate safely into their family of origin.
The child is at the centre of everything we do at SOS Children’s
As in the case of Joyce, who I was able to visit
Villages. We actively involve children and young people in the
twice in 2019, and who was so proud she was
At the same time, we are working on
decisions and processes that affect their lives. We ask for their
able to earn enough again to look after her
expanding and relocating our SOS family
opinion and listen to what they have to say. In a year dominated
children properly. Her little girls were back at
homes into the community. As a result
by Covid-19, our efforts to defend the rights of each child
school and could continue to pursue their
children become part of the local community
continued unabated.
dreams. When I asked a local colleague
and find it easier to make friends outside the
about how she was doing now, a year later, I
Children’s Village; it prepares them more
T
heard that although life remains tough she is
effectively for their future life in a similar
he strength of family is always
doing well. The pandemic has made things
environment.
key in this endeavour. In our
more complex, but Joyce has received a grant
work to strengthen families and
for her charcoal and kerosene business, has
These developments mean that we can
care for children in an SOS or
been supported with the renewal of their
support more children and young people and
foster family, to make education accessible
health insurance and, most importantly, she
guide them towards a future in which they are
and improve the employability of young
can provide for her children.
more self-reliant; it means we can increase
people, as well as during crisis situations.
our impact. Thanks to our supporters we can
Wherever you are born in the world, a strong
Evolving family-based care
break the circle of poverty and vulnerability.
family is the key to a bright future.
In the wake of the transition to prevention we
Something that extends to future generations.
continuously evaluate the family-based care
After all, a child passes on the things he or
Right to participation
we provide. Care that remains necessary if
she learns.
We respect the right of children to be involved
children no longer have anyone to care for
in discussions and issues. This might seem obvious, but sadly we still find that decisions are often made on behalf of children and young people instead of with them. The right to
Fourteen-year-old Agnès is
participation, established in the UN Convention
passionately committed to
on the Rights of the Child, serves as a guiding
bringing an end to the violation
principle in all our activities. At SOS Children’s
of children’s rights in her
Villages children and young people are always
homeland and is knowledgeable
involved in decisions that affect their lives, in
and self-confident in her work as
shaping their future. We give them a voice.
an activist for children’s rights; she is bold enough to speak out.
Focus on strengthening families
Not only in her own environment,
The right to participation goes hand in hand
but also at the European
with the right to unconditional parental care,
Commission in Brussels.
protection and education. Led by the UN
Arian Buurman Managing director of SOS Children’s Villages The Netherlands
3 | SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES ANNUAL REPORT 2020
them, or if (temporarily) they can no longer
Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children,
Watch the video of Agnès
SOS Children’s Villages has embarked on the
speaking at the European
transition to focus on prevention; to strength-
Commission at soskinder-
ening families. This is to prevent children
dorpen.nl/verhalen/agnes-
being neglected and abandoned and to make
verdedigt-de-rechten-van-kin-
sure families stay together.
deren/
