SAVE THE CHILDREN ANNOUNCED PROGRAMS FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 24,2007) – Save the Children UK, in cooperation with the British Embassy in Bosnia, presented in Sarajevo its five-year plan of activities in the field of the protection of children and inclusive education.

These initiatives will be implemented as a single program for the region of Southeastern Europe. The aim is to achieve sustainable improvements of the lives of endangered and socially excluded children from marginalised groups.

The implementation of the plan for inclusive education will provide some 650.000 socially and endangered children in the region an opportunity for a more complete development as a result of the improvement of policies in the fields of children’s protection.

Furthermore, 63.000 children without parental care, children under the risk of separation from families and victims of abuse and violence will enjoy better care and protection.

In regards to the program of inclusive education, Save the Children will ensure access to high quality education for 65 percent of the 850.000 poor children in the region.

British Ambassador to Bosnia Matthew Rycroft underlined the fact that many children in Bosnia do not have the privilege to live a happy childhood, which is not only a consequence of the past war, but of the current social-economic trends in the country.

This has a massive impact on the lives of children, especially those who are socially excluded, children with special needs, children living in poverty and without parental care, Ambassador Rycroft said.

He stressed the need for a partnership between all relevant social factors, especially the responsibility of governments at all level in order to achieve changes for a full implementation and the respect of the rights of children.

Save the Children Program Director for the Southeastern Europe Tim Bainbridge said that changes for children can be achieved only with the support of governments, the civil society, private sector and the international community.

“Our objective is to achieve long-term and sustainable changes for marginalised children”, Bainbridge said.

145.000 children live in poverty in Bosnia and 245.000 lives just above the poverty line.The general rate of enrolment to schools in Bosnia stands at 96 percent.

Save the Children will by supporting policy change and practice in this field, and by advocating responsibility of the authorities, try to introduce positive changes for all children by 2012.