Sofia, December 13 2016
“Violence thrives in silence. To overcome the taboos is the first step for prevention. We need to work with people to know that violence must be disclosed”- shared Galina Markova from the Know-How Center for Alternative Care for Children at the New Bulgarian University during the last meeting of the Learning Action Partnership (LAP). The meeting was organized in the framework of the BFPA project “The Art to inform”, supported by OAK Foundation.
The LAP members gathered on 13th of December 2016 in Sofia to discuss current challenges in their work on prevention of violence and sexual exploitation of children. Participants from different NGOs presented their current activities, including involvement in the preparation of the National Program for Prevention of Violence against Children (2016-2020).
Foundation PULSE-Pernik reported on the recent developments of the LEAP initiative, Ms. Teodora Angelova from foundation ‘Career with Cause’ introduced the topics of the webinar “How to talk with young people about sexuality?” The last micro projects of LAP members were presented shortly.
Guest lector of the event was Assist. Prof. Dr. Stoycho Stoychev from Sofia University. He presented the recent study of the Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS) “Prostitution in Bulgaria” - a qualitative research on prostitution and sexual services market in Bulgaria and the existing threats to human security of the people involved in it. Ms. Ivana Murdjeva, a lawyer at Foundation ‘Hope against HIV’, presented the ‘Handbook to Survive (or not) for Positive’. The guide was published by BFPA and presents stories of people leaving with HIV on the challenges connected with stigma faced in our society.
Jane Wаrburtоn, consultant of OAK and BFPA and one of the “godmothers” of the LAP idea, provided professional facilitation of the brainstorming and strategic planning sessions during the meeting. Participants managed to analyze the work of the LAP until now and elaborated ideas for the short and long-term vision of its future development. Priorities in the future LAP activities include consentient formulation and understanding of the entire group on the messages against children abuse and sexual exploitation; media partnerships in the ongoing LAP campaign against violence; national campaign targeting preventive work with the perpetrators; involvement of young people, Ministries and key institutions in the prevention against sexual exploitation of children; regular public events and continuous awareness raising in order to create “zero” tolerance to sexual violence of children.
Active participation in the meeting took representatives from OAK Foundation, National Network of Children, Association Re-Act, BFPA, Tulip Foundation, SEED Foundation, PULSE Foundation, UNFPA, ARC Fund, Demetra Association- Burgas, Know-How Center for Alternative Care for Children at NBU.
