The Opening Doors for Europe’s Children campaign has been officially launched in Moldova and Ukraine at high profile events organised to coincide with Universal Children’s Day last month.

The EU has shown significant commitment to  the transtition from institutional to community-based care for children within members states not least by including explicit references to deinstitutionalisation in the Regulations on the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, among others which were voted recently in the European Parliament. We are calling on the EU to extend this commitment beyond EU borders by supporting deinstitutionalisation in pre-accession and neighbouring countries.

At the request of our National Coordinator in Moldova, CCF Moldova, the deputy-speaker of Moldovan Parliament called a joint meeting of 2 parliamentary commissions –Education and Youth and Health and Social Protection.

During the meeting, delegates discussed the national DI process and heard reports from the Deputy-ministers of Health and Education, as well as the Minister of Labour, Social Protection and Family. Liliana Rotaru, Director of CCF Moldova, presented the Opening Doors campaign and called on members of parliament to support the DI process in Moldova.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine Opening Doors National Coordinator Hope and Homes for Children organised an exhibition to highlight the over-reliance of institutional care in the country in spite of international recognition that the practice is damaging to children, family and society. The event challenged perceptions in Ukraine about institutional care by recreating the conditions of a typical institution in Ukraine such as a strict routine, poor material conditions and a lack of any warmth or love, and contrasted this harsh reality with banners declaring, “institutions only the best for children” and “full state support”.

Attended by the Ombudsman for Children’s Rights, the event attracted high profile support and media attention in the country. Watch some national coverage (in Ukranian) of the event below.