3.4 ADVOCACY
Child and the UN Guidelines for Alternative
parental care, has been designed to make the
Care for Children as our main points of
resolution more accessible and ensure that
reference, we hold our governments and
the pledges made by governments become
The SOS worldwide call to action is to provide
societies to account for ensuring children’s
the reality for children and young people. We
‘A loving home for every child’. We can
rights are respected and that the specific
have widely rolled out the document on our
significantly increase the impact of our work if
needs of each child are met. Our work is
online channels and those of Better Care
we share our knowledge and insights
connected and contributes to the Sustainable
Network Netherlands, and fellow child rights
regarding the needs of these vulnerable
Development Goals (SDGs) as established in
organisations in the Netherlands.
children and the best way to protect their
our federation’s International Strategy 2030.
rights.
In the Netherlands, SOS Children’s Villages
As a federation with over 70 years’ experience
profiles itself increasingly prominent in the
Unaccompanied Minor Refugees on Greek Islands
in keeping families together and alternative
field of humanitarian aid and child devel-
At the beginning of 2020, Greece called on
family-based care for children, SOS
opment, and recently as a national actor in
EU countries to help take in a small share of
Children’s Villages is increasingly vocal in the
youth care (Simba Family Care), and a
the 100,000 refugees in Greece, unaccom-
field of the international rights of the child, with
champion of the rights of the child.
panied minors who need extra care that
representatives at the United Nations in New
Greece is unable to offer. Children who have to try and survive in appalling conditions on
(EU) in Brussels. As a champion of children
3.4.1 ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES IN 2020
who run the risk of losing or who have already
A summary of our main activities.
Children’s Villages, along with over a hundred
York and Geneva and the European Union
lost their parental care, we speak out at the
the islands as well as the mainland. SOS former and current politicians, aid organisations, scientists, doctors, representatives of
defend their rights. Our work also focuses on
User-friendly version of the UN Resolution - Rights of the child
empowering children and young people, and
In 2020, SOS Children’s Villages International
public figures jointly issued an appeal to the
we promote their participation in decisions
launched a user-friendly version of the UN
Dutch government to evacuate all unaccom-
that affect their lives.
Resolution – Rights of the Child (2019) with a
panied minors from Greek refugee camps.
focus on children without parental care. This
We also actively spoke out via newsletters,
version, aimed at children who have lost their
posts on social media and appealed to our
regional, national and international levels to
With the UN Convention on the Rights of the
churches and mosques, municipalities and
supporters to sign the petition #500kinderen (#500children)
Advocating for keeping families together
Webinar: KROS – Youth, Civic Space and the Right to Speak up
Supervisory Board member Mariëlle Bruning
Minister Kaag Orphanage
provided the introduction and Joel
Tourism Study
In October, SOS Children’s Villages, in
Voordewind (ChristenUnie) shared his
Better Care Network Netherlands, in which
association with the coalition The Rights of
thoughts on the discussion. Five key
SOS Children’s Villages has a seat in the
One of our main objectives is to ensure that decision-makers understand that invest-
the Child in Development Cooperation
takeaways were used as input for the
steering committee, played an active role in
ments to make the family stronger can prevent children being separated from their
(KROS) organised the webinar Youth, Civic
Principles document of the international
establishing the study commissioned by
parents unnecessarily. We are part of the NGO Committee on UNICEF: a coalition
Space and the Right to Speak up. The
Youth@Heart forum organised by the Ministry
Minister Kaag into orphanage tourism. Lobbying
comprising over 60 social organisations that try and convince governments to invest in
webinar brought together members of political
of Foreign Affairs in November 2020.
on this theme shifted up a gear in relation to the
programmes that make families stronger, in child-protection systems and the
youth organisations in the Netherlands and
meaningful participation of children.
young people from the programmes in which
Volkskrant Opinion Piece
questions from House member Bente Becker
the KROS organisations work, including
In October 2020, we were co-signatory of an
and a private member’s bill by House member
Fatema: a participant in an SOS
opinion piece in the Volkskrant, which
Wybren van Haga in 2018, a hearing in the
family-strengthening programme. The young
benefited from sector-wide support and in
House of Representatives and a debate with
people discussed the importance of youth
which we called on the Dutch government to
Minister Kaag in 2019, in which she promised a
participation, the obstacles that need to be
keep its word and not cut spending on
study into orphanage tourism. The study and
We advocate for quality alternative care in which the interests of the child are key and
overcome in order to participate and why it is
Development Cooperation to cover the costs
the government response were published in
the actual care system is not the starting point for action.
important to be able to speak freely.
of the Covid-19 pandemic.
January 2021.
Advocating for quality care
33 | SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES ANNUAL REPORT 2020
#stopweeshuistoerisme campaign, written
