On July 29 the latest IFCO members-only Enewsletter was sent by email to paid-up members.  If you did not receive yours please contact ifco@ifco.info

Contents include items from the recent sold-out Brighton UK conference, Belgium, Ukraine, Portugal, Latin America, USA, the United Nations, Facebook, EveryChild, news of IFCO's new 3 year joint projects in Russia, plus our fundraising "Win a Mini" lottery draw +++ and more news on the July 2011 IFCO WORLD CONFERENCE IN CANADA < "Call for Papers" & more in August.

To receive the monthly IFCO Enewsletter you need to be a current IFCO member - please support IFCO's mission by joining or renewing your membership today!  Click here > http://www.ifco.info/?q=join_us_today

CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE NEXT Enews by August 24 please to the EDITOR  

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Children's rights are violated or left unfulfilled in ways in which those of adults are not. This is a result of systemic discrimination - direct or indirect - against children.   The Guide > http://www.crin.org/Discrimination/CRC/index.asp

Children face discrimination in most societies in comparison to adults because they have less power. This is a result of children’s dependence on adults and adults' reluctance to give them more decision-making power as they develop the ability to exercise it themselves.

Besides experiencing discrimination as a group (or 'age-based discrimination'), children face discrimination on other grounds such as their gender, disability, or sexual orientation, and sometimes because of a combination of reasons. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has so far identified 53 grounds of discrimination against children based either on their identity or the identity of their parents.

All forms of discrimination against children are exacerbated by virtue of their age and vulnerability which mean they have fewer opportunities for challenging discrimination because, for example, they do not have access to courts and complaints mechanisms on an equal basis with adults.

This document aims to highlight the links between discrimination and the lack of fulfilment of children's rights. It shows how article 2 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – the right to non-discrimination – could be applied to every right as set out in the Convention. Each article includes examples both of discrimination against children as a group and against particular children.

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An experienced and dynamic Team Leader is sought to provide project management and technical leadership on an exciting EU-funded three year project supporting the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSPP) in Tajikistan to develop and modernise the national social services system. 

APPLY BY 2 AUGUST - MORE DETAILS HERE         

       Please feel free to circulate this to anyone you feel may be interested

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>>> RELAF 2010 Seminar - September 2,3,4 - FOZ DE IGUAZU, BRAZIL <<<

For more details in Spanish & English + RELAF's latest Enews click here 

>>> REMINDER >>> you can get a basic translation of the IFCO web site in many languages by using the "Google Translate" tool in the right side bar >>> 

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21 July - from CRINMAIL 1184        

"Ukraine: call to halt return to 'Soviet style' institutions"        "Time warp"   

Ukraine: Children's rights NGOs in Ukraine have called on the Prime Minister to scrap an order which they say would undo progress made in reforming the country's system for children without parental care.

The order sets out a plan for reviving and developing residential institutions for children in the country. It further requests local governments to encourage low-income families to send their children to study in residential institutions in a move that would penalise poverty.

"The State shouldn't support an outdated and entrenched system inherited from Soviet times which is more convenient for warehousing children rather than caring for them or finding families for children," said EveryChild in a statement.

EveryChild is organising an advocacy campaign with Hope and Homes for Children and other Ukrainian NGOs to prevent the order from coming into force on 1 September 2010.

The text of the appeal and the order can be found in English & Ukrainian at  http://www.everychild.org.ua/index.php?hl=en.

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21 JULY > A Russian-U.S. agreement on child adoption will come into effect by the end of this year, a Russian Education Ministry department head said today.

On July 21-23, the fourth round of Russian-U.S. adoption talks will be held in Moscow.  

"We hope we will manage to iron out the remaining uncoordinated positions during these three days in order to pass the text of this agreement within the next two weeks for coordination in the U.S. and Russian federal executive bodies," the director of the Department for Education, Additional Education and Social Protection of Children at the Ministry of Education and Science, Alina Levitskaya, said.

She said the agreement would come into effect in November or at the beginning of December.

Russian Child Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov also insists that the bilateral adoption agreement should be signed as soon as possible, the ombudsman's press service said in a statement issued on 21 July.

"...Such a complicated and delicate issue as adopting children and taking them abroad can't be done without a proper legal base which a bilateral agreement should presuppose," the ombudsman said.

Astakhov also said that the number of foreign adoption agencies working in Russia should be reduced.

Russia is one of the largest sources of foreign adoptions for U.S. families, accounting for about 10% of foreign adoptions, but the issue has become controversial in recent years following several incidents involving the mistreatment of Russian children in the United States.

Gabrielle Jerome - UK > Our young people particularly benefitted from the opportunity to present their production and the positive reception and  personal comments they received afterwards has done a lot for them as individuals and as a group. There are few arenas where young people feel confident to express their personal experiences of being in care and their achievements despite all obstacles, and it is the warmth and acceptance of IFCO conferences which provide a much needed launch pad for voices which we hope will have the courage to do great things.  Well done and keep up the good work. 

Luisa Boleo - Portugal > I enjoyed the Brighton Conference: a nice venue, a good organisation, wonderful plenary sessions, interesting workshops and once again the participation of young people. I don’t know any other conference where adults listen to young people and try to understand what they feel and how they have lived through all the difficulties in their lives. I think that contribution is invaluable. No expert can replace that.

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If you were at the IFCO Brighton Conference Dinner then you were able to buy a £2 Draw ticket to win a new Mini in the "Great Big small Charity Car Draw" but you can also buy them online by clicking here > http://tinyurl.com/IFCOminiDRAW   [Open in new window]                              

Sorry - but only residents of England, Scotland and Wales aged over 18 are allowed to buy our online tickets to enter the Great Big small Charity Car Draw, due to the regulations from the UK Gambling Commission. Sales of Draw tickets finish on 6 September.  Draw is on 14 October 2010. The winner's name will be displayed on the web site: www.smallcharitycardraw.co.uk

The Draw is organised by the Foundation for Social Improvement (FSI) www.thefsi.org   FSI & IFCO promote responsible gambling www.gambleaware.co.uk

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BIDS ARE INVITED FROM IFCO MEMBER ORGANISATIONS TO HOST / CO-HOST IFCO'S 2012 & 2013 CONFERENCES - more info from president@ifco.info 

> To see a list of the 30 previous IFCO Conferences click the headline above < 

After the Conference Dinner at the IFCO2010BRIGHTON European Training Seminar singer Nikita performed her great song about Foster Care called "Second Chance" and then got the delegates from 25 countries up and dancing the night away! 

What is Second Chance? -  The name comes from the lyrics of the song that features on Nikita's Single CD. The song has been co-written by a foster carer using the thoughts and memories of a girl who went through the care system in England.  One of her wishes was to be given a second chance in life.  Nikita who sings the song, was that girl.  

Preview clip > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhFDKt79fpo

Who are Second Chance? – Second Chance is a small group of people in the UK who are either directly involved with fostering as carers, have experienced being in care or are supportive towards fostering & adoption…    Ordinary people with a common desire to help children. http://secondchance.uk.com/   Any profits from the sale of the CD plus other fund raising events will be used for the benefit of children in care.  You may buy the single online here

>>> IFCO's JULY 2011 WORLD CONFERENCE IN CANADA click HERE <<<