SOS Children’s Villages under Pressure for the Abduction of Ukrainian Children
Already last week, the internationally active aid organization SOS Children's Villages, founded in Austria, was confronted with accusations of being involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children to Russia.
The Organisation SOS Children's Villages Has Distanced Itself from the Organisation in Russia and Condemns their Deeds. / Picture: © Mirek Pruchnicki from Przemyśl, Sanok, Polska, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
In the course of the ongoing audit surrounding the care of 13 Ukrainian children in an SOS Children's Villages in Russia, the Russian organization has so far been unable to prove that all child rights and humanitarian standards are being met. It can still be assumed that there is a worrying connection with forced relocations. However, there is still no evidence that SOS Children's Villages is involved in these, according to the SOS press release.
Last week, the media reported on propaganda activities in an SOS Children's Villages facility. Now there is information that the Chairman of the Board of SOS Children's Villages Russia is working as editor-in-chief for a magazine for children in which propagandistic content is being disseminated. In their press release, they strongly oppose the use of children for any form of political work and propaganda and condemn any kind of forced adoption, forcible relocation, or forced naturalization.
The current situation makes it necessary to take action against the Russian club. Therefore, all international money flows are frozen until further notice. As the founding country and worldwide trademark owner, SOS Children's Villages Austria has also initiated trademark examination proceedings.