Our Impact in 2015

Developing cross-border solutions

> Grew the network of Cross-Border Family Mediators to include 142 trained bi-cultural mediators
> Developed an accreditation mechanism to ensure consistent quality services are provided by missing children hotlines consisting of 69 criteria which are being used by 21 hotlines
> Represented the rights of missing children at high level conferences and events including the European Parliament conference on missing people, Interpol Specialist Group, the Conference of the Anti-Bullying Network and more
> Co-chaired the Child Rights Action Group, coordinating the exchange and cooperation between 14 child rights organisation to increase influence on policy making
> Trained 30 law enforcement agents through the European Financial Coalition project to deal with child sexual exploitation online
> Brought together national child alert coordinators from 14 countries to foster cooperation to quickly find vulnerable missing children

Supporting research and evidence

> Brought together 81 international academics, NGOs, law enforcement officials, decision makers and government officials to share research and findings at the International Academic Conference on Missing Children and Adults

> Compiled annual European data and statistics on missing children to understand and respond to missing children trends
> Launched an online research, publications and best practices hub on the topic of missing children
> Interviewed 58 law enforcement officials, carers, reception centre operators, guardians and hotlines for missing children in Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, UK, Ireland and Belgium on the prevention, response and after care of missing unaccompanied migrant children
> Launched a report that examines the transposition of Directive 2011 / 93 / EU on combating sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography by 27 EU Member States
> Published a best practice guide for the financial industry on the prevention and detection of commercial child sexual exploitation material as well as a report on the implications for web hosting companies of using image recognition technology to detect known child abuse material uploaded by users to their network

Raising awareness and prevention

> Showcased our “Missing Children: Out of Focus” exhibition based on 3 real stories of missing children at the European Parliament and at the offices of Allen and Overy, Covington and Mundo J
> Launched an awareness raising video about why children go missing and how Missing Children Europe can help prevent, support and protect these children
> Encouraged 100 000 people to save the 116 000 number in their phones via a crowd amplifying campaign
> Broadcasted 2 powerful radio adverts to raise awareness of the 116 000 missing children hotline number on Belgian radio
> Press mentions in Europe in 15 media outlets from the BBC to Al Jazeera
> Reached 1.09M impressions and 26.7K engagements with Twitter campaigns and 5 623 video views via a YouTube campaign

 

Promoting policies and laws

> Organised a round table event at the European Parliament to engage with European leaders on polices to tackle the issue of missing children
> Published a memorandum to European leaders detailing recommendations on how to tackle the different categories and issues facing missing children
> Brought together 37 law enforcement officials, NGOs and legal workers at a workshop to present a report on how EU countries were transposing Directive 2011 / 93 / EU on the sexual abuse and exploitation of children
> Organised a conference at the European Parliament that highlighted the persistence of commercial sexual exploitation of children online and the emergence of new threats, to 70 delegates from law enforcement agencies, the private sector, NGOs, traditional and alternative online payment providers and policy makers
> Collaborated with the EU Fundamental Rights Agency and the European Asylum Support Office to develop better responses to missing unaccompanied migrant children
> Actively contributed to the work of the European Parliament Intergroup on Children’s rights, as well as to the Lanzarote Committee with the Council of Europe
> Brought evidence on the problem of missing unaccompanied children on the occasion of a European Parliament Hearing