IAC: International Advocates for Children

from: www.associatedcontent.com

Hope for World Orphans!

By Lawrence Adams

was established 2001, in Atlanta, Georgia. It was established as an independent, non-profit human rights organization for orphaned and abandoned children worldwide. In January 2006, the IAC headquarters were moved to The Hague, Netherlands. IAC may also undergo a formal name change in the near future to better reflect the full mission of the organization. IAC feels children who are deprived of the guidance and protection of their primary caregivers are more vulnerable to health risks, violence, exploitation and discrimination and they are often deprived of education. Their vision was to strive to guard the fundamental needs of this disadvantaged population by engaging in advocacy, education, problem analysis, and the development of solutions based on sound research that can be applied by countries and NGO’s worldwide. Its mission is to serve the best interest of children without parental care worldwide, by reducing the number of children without parental care. Whenever adults must make life-altering decisions for children, they believe there is a simple and universally agreed upon rule to help guide them:

Personally, I became involved with IAC in the spring of 2004 after its Executive Director contacted me due to my experience within the foster care system and my passion to see its transformation into a system based on BIC. Through our discussion I conveyed I would be willing to serve IAC as an “Advocacy Ambassador.” I made a trip to Atlanta in the summer of that year to learn more about IAC and its vision to better the lives of those most vulnerable in society. I also made a presentation to their Board of Directors and staff. I left Atlanta convinced that IAC’s vision matched very well with my own mission. I have since been privileged to address the first two World Conferences conducted by IAC in Atlanta (2004) and Boston (2005). The first conference drew delegates from 16 countries as well as numerous NGO’S (non-governmental organizations). The 2005 conference brought forward representatives from 31 countries and several NGO’S. One reading this article may wonder why there is a need for such an organization. Here are a few facts concerning orphans: As of

This is over 8% of all the children in the world. (UNICEF) In

alone,

(UNICEF) In

, there are

(HIV/Aids, conflict, disability, street children). (World Bank)

. (UNICEF) In

an estimated

. (UNICEF) Nearly

-. (UNICEF) An estimated

. (IAC) Over

At the end of

. (UNICEF) It is best at this point to give the full definition of Orphans. According to the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, Article One, an orphan is: “A child means every human being below the age of eighteen years and orphans are children without parental care. There are

This means one or both of the child’s parents have died. There are also social orphans. The concept of

is used to describe children whose parents might be alive but are unwilling or unable to properly care for them. Social orphans are mainly caused by: Poverty, Discrimination based on disability or gender, Culture, Conflict and War, Abuse and Neglect, Abandonment or Trafficking.” They may live in a foster or kinship care setting, orphanages or other institutions, rebel or government armies as sex slaves or combatants, on the streets, or due to the death of family and community members-they may be heads-of-households. The facts surrounding orphaned and abandoned children around the world show a definite need for an organization committed, through a variety of means, to address this need which continues to grow each and every day. Unless immediate steps are undertaken it is

estimated that the orphan and abandoned population will grow.

IAC is proving to be the committed organization that is needed! Why should IAC, governments, ngo’s and the general public be working to enrich the lives of these children? In

member states of the United Nations adopted the

This document states: “All member states agreed that the family, as the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members and particularly children, should be afforded the necessary protection and assistance so that it can fully assume its responsibilities within the community. All member states also recognized that the child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding, Article 3:

In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration. Article 4:

States Parties shall undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of the rights recognized in the present Convention. With regard to economic, social and cultural rights, States Parties shall undertake such measures to the maximum extent of their available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international co-operation. Article 20:

1. A child temporarily or permanently deprived of his or her family environment, or in whose own best interests cannot be allowed to remain in that environment, shall be entitled to special protection and assistance provided by the State.  2. States Parties shall in accordance with their national laws ensure alternative care for such a child.  3. Such care could include, inter alia, foster placement, kafalah of Islamic law, adoption or if necessary placement in suitable institutions for the care of children. When considering solutions, due regard shall be paid to the desirability of continuity in a child's upbringing and to the child's ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic background.”  Unfortunately, despite this declaration, not much has been accomplished in the years that followed to make the document a reality in the lives of orphans and abandoned children. The statistics sighted earlier bears proof of this fact. Making it a reality is IAC’s vision and mission and will be our guiding principle in all actions concerning children.

IAC will do this by using the best possible research on “best interest of the child” to assist governments and NGO’s worldwide to unite children as early as possible with permanent and loving care. Special attention will be given to find structural positive solutions for older children, less easy to place in family or family-type environments. IAC will unite and coordinate countries, NGO’s and thought leaders in a strong international coalition of child placement experts.

IAC is convinced that the countries of the world together should strengthen their efforts to improve the life conditions of hundred forty plus million children without parental care in the world. IAC is taking the initiative to create a strong platform of all UN-countries in a membership / partnership organization. This forum will be the World Council on Child Welfare for Orphaned and Abandoned Children. The role of the World Council is to strongly promote, facilitate and help implement the obligations of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. The Council will create momentum by creating global awareness, dialogue, research and knowledge-exchange on the needs of children without parental care The Council will focus on all available child welfare options for children without parental care, including reunification, foster care, adoption and institutional care. The council will also serve as a global knowledge network on behalf of the development of child welfare policies, and legislation for children without parental care for enforcing their rights.

IAC will establish a global Resource Center that can be accessed by members and partners from over the world. The Resource Center will hold the latest research reports, research data and recommendations on children without parental care and the provisions for their alternative care offered by governments, local communities and/ or ngo’s. It will be organized into three main areas; a databank, a clearinghouse and a knowledge center.  In collaboration with international scientific institutes (Law, Medicine, Social Sciences, Political Science) the Resource Center will be a source of knowledge to and international experience in many aspects of problem oriented and solutions oriented research. This expertise is going to be actively used in a wide range of externally financed activities, such as alternative care capacity development, research projects and advisory services.  IAC Resource Center project activities in this field include teaching inputs, policy advice on a wide range of issues, and the appraisal, formulation, evaluation and monitoring of alternative care projects.  A great small project in one country could work in another country. In the needs of children without parental care knowledge exchange is crucial. The resource center will also issue regular communications briefs to members and partners, thus promoting a global knowledge network.

IAC will do this through continuing to gather governments, ngo’s and child welfare experts in an annual World Conference. Their research will be presented along with potential best solutions. This year IAC organizes its 3rd Annual World Conference on Children without Parental Care in The Hague, The Netherlands in October. This year already over 60 nationalities registered for the largest conference ever held on the topic of orphaned and abandoned children, this includes currently 25 of the 54 countries on the continent of Africa. It is hoped over 100 nationalities will be represented by the time the conference convenes, with over 500 in overall attendance. This will be the largest world conference ever held dealing with orphaned and abandoned children. This conference will also be the official launch of the IAC World Council (WCCW), the very unique triangle of partnership between UN-governments, NGO’s and the Academic world spoken of earlier.

An objective of IAC (through the World Council) will be to establish a World Orphans Week. In order to increase worldwide awareness for the specific problems of this rapidly growing group of vulnerable children, a public annual attention week will be organized by working with member countries, partners and other international organizations (such as UNICEF, the UN, Save the Children, Plan International etc). Soon our web site will have available options for which the world’s general public may participate in World Orphans Week.

It is our hope that

will become involved to help save our most vulnerable…the orphans of the world.  For further information about our organization or how you may donate to our cause feel free to visit our web site. More resources