Europe A new strategy for Terre des hommes in the region

Project : Regional Office 23 Mar 2010 | child exploitation child trafficking education protection systems

Budapest: The regional team of Terre des hommes has now new rails to follow for the coming three years! The fourteen participants worked hard on the design of a new strategy for 2010 – 2012 and two axes were clearly defined. The first area of work will be the strengthening of the capacities of Tdh delegations and partners to develop tools in the field of child protection systems. In the future, good practices and tools will be shared, and a regional model of action, developed based on lessons learned in each national context will be promoted.

The second orientation concerns mainly the European decision makers. Based on lessons learnt from the field, the messages from Tdh should contribute directly to policy change in countries of direct intervention (Albania, Kosovo, Moldova and Romania). The findings of new situational analysis on child vulnerability, particularly when affecting children from Eastern Europe, will also be communicated to the key actors in Europe.

Even with the findings of the external evaluation of the regional project implemented last December, this strategic planning exercise was not particularly easy, especially because of the geopolitical diversity of the countries where Tdh develops projects. A common ground has been identified, gathering together the national teams, especially with two new delegates in Romania and Albania, the regional team specialised on advocacy and the direct line management and resource persons at the HQ. The target remains the same: children in situation of vulnerability in Albania, Kosovo, Romania and Moldova, and children on the move in other European countries. The themes on which the regional team will work on concerns still ‘Child Protection Systems’ and tackle issues related to exploitation and trafficking of children. A special emphasis to right to education will be developed in the future.

All participants agreed on replacing the former title of the regional initiative of the Swiss foundation in Budapest. From now on, it will be simply the Regional Office and not “Regional Child Protection Project” any more. The Regional Office will continue to implement several regional projects in Europe (especially on children on the move) and will provide capacity building services to delegations and partners. [VT]