SOS-Kinderdorf International [to 3 May 2014]

Lugansk, Ukraine: Unrest Affecting SOS Children´s Village
SOS children, families safe. But movements are restricted.
30 April 2014
Fresh episodes of separatist unrest have been reported this morning in the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk, where SOS Children’s Villages has a presence. SOS children, co-workers and families are staying at home for safety, until further notice…

Children and the Post-2015 Development Agenda
In an exclusive round-table meeting at the UN on post-2015 development, SOS Children´s Villages CEO Richard Pichler argued that issues related to children should receive direct and powerful attention – and ambitions should be high.
Excerpt
(New York) – On 8 April 2014 a select group of ambassadors and CEOs from the leading child-focused NGOs were invited to a meeting at the United Nations to discuss the post-2015 agenda. SOS Children´s Villages CEO Richard Pichler was among the participants calling for children to be placed at the centre.
As 2015 marks the final year of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and also the year that post-2015 development frameworks will be decided, priority setting is already well-underway. SOS Children´s Villages is leveraging its vast experience in caring for the most vulnerable children to influence the orientation of development policy and to advocate for the rights and welfare of the child at risk.
At the meeting Mr Pichler stressed the importance of eradicating child poverty. He reasoned that discrimination against children cannot be addressed by targets and interventions alone; a comprehensive plan and multi-pronged approach are necessary to get at the root causes of child suffering.
He listed some of the biggest issues concerning children´s well-being, including hunger; stunted growth; newborn, child and maternal mortality; lack of universal access to health services and education; and violence against children. As serious and widespread as these issues still are, the SOS Children´s Villages CEO said he believes it is possible to resolve them in the next 30-40 years – if the right actions are taken today and prioritised in the post-2015 goals and targets.
“Children only have 10-12 years of childhood… we’ll miss their future if we do not address the issues that concern their well-being today,” he said.
Mr Pichler also stressed that while addressing child rights adequately in the post-2015 development framework will cost trillions, not addressing them will be even more costly, as the damage caused will be irreversible and draining on public services, and lost opportunity costs will be even higher….
…Based on over 60 years of experience and operations in 133 countries, SOS Children’s Villages strongly believes these recommendations will make the post-2015 agenda a solid foundation for sustainable development.
Download SOS Children´s Villages´Proposal of Targets for a Post-2015 Framework tgat Leaves No One Behind.

Children’s Villages @sos4children Apr 29
What happens to children when they leave an SOS Children’s Village? Find out how we support young people http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/sponsor-a-child/life-in-a-childrens-village/after-childrens-village …

SOS Children USA @SOSChildrenUSA • May 1
We are so PUMPED to be featuring the #SOSfamily on instagram! We’ll be posting pictures from around… http://instagram.com/p/nd1WA2PUoY/