Joint Council on International Children's Services
Announces Two New Exciting Initiatives
 

The Global Awareness Campaign includes a media outreach campaign to raise awareness of child welfare issues and to promote family permanency. 

The International Child Welfare Symposium which will begin an international dialog on child welfare issues and facilitate discussion among foreign leaders, US government officials and other NGOs to reach innovative ways we can collaborate together to best serve children in need around the world. This program is tentatively scheduled for 2006/ 2007.

Photographs copyright Jeff Davis of Lumen Production Company. 

 

Join Us To Promote International Child Welfare and International Adoption! Click the button below to learn more about how you can make a donation and join us in the campaign to find permanent families for children around the world....   As a donor recognition gift, individuals or groups donating $20 and above, will receive a complimentary Global Awareness Poster to grace your home or office.  We hope that you will proudly display this beautiful fine art piece and share the message of the Global Awareness Campaign.  (click the image below to enlarge) Visit our Donor Recognition Page to view current contributors to these initiatives! JCICS is a 501(c)3 charitable organization; all donations are considered tax deductible.

Photographs copyright Jeff Davis of Lumen Production Company. 

International Child Welfare Symposium

Purpose:
It is estimated that by the year 2005 there will be 108 million children worldwide under the age of 15 who have lost one or both parents.^[i]  Approximately 20 million of that group will be orphaned due to the increasing HIV/AIDS epidemic.  

It is internationally recognized that children need and deserve to grow up in a family environment for their full development.  The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (1993) states:  

"…the child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding…" and that "…inter-country adoption may offer the advantage of a permanent family to a child for whom a suitable family cannot be found in his or her State of origin...".^[ii]

In the year 2003, United States citizens adopted 21,616 children from foreign countries^[iii].  It is a trend that has grown tremendously in the last several years as way to expand a family and assist an orphaned child in need.  However, as the world of international adoption continues to change and becoming increasingly complex as more children are left orphaned and abandoned, there is an increased need for progressive partnerships and dialog between child welfare organizations, governments, lawmakers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that will serve to improve the lives of the countless children that need loving families to attain their full potential.

Project:
To begin an international dialog, JCICS, with support from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, is creating a goodwill program called the International Child Welfare Symposium that will occur in September of each year in conjunction with the Angels in Adoption Awards Banquet.  This program is based on a belief that sending countries will benefit from visiting the United States to meet with U.S. officials from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, members of Congress, and adoption professionals and adoptive families and witness first hand how foreign born children are thriving as a result of adoption.  Meetings with high ranking officials will be scheduled to discuss the continued need for adoption and cooperation among countries.  Medical and behavioral experts will also be invited to present and discuss particular topics as they relate to international child welfare issues.

Support:
Due to the large scope of this project, JCICS is seeking funds from foundations, corporations and private individuals to assist with the cost of the event and ensure its success.  Sponsorship opportunities are available to JCICS members and non-members (other NGOs, for-profit organizations, individuals, etc.) eager to support this global dialog and exchange.  To support this program, click here.    

Schedule:
The JCICS Child Welfare Symposium will likely take place in 2006/ 2007. More details about the specific dates, location and reception open to the public will be coming in the next few months. The invited foreign delegations will be chosen by the JCICS and will be based on a number of criteria including current child welfare practices, political stability and greatest need for international dialog and attention.  The invited countries will rotate annually to ensure dynamic discussion and global coverage. 

  * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 
Photographs copyright Jeff Davis of Lumen Production Company. 

The Global Awareness Campaign

Purpose:
All children -- regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, medical limitations or other conditions -- deserve permanent, loving homes. Unfortunately, a range of complex conditions throughout the world, including war, violence, disease, abuse, famine, a lack of family planning, and extreme economic struggles often strain the fabric of international communities and leave children without this essential support.  If a child cannot remain with his or her birth family, or cannot be placed through domestic adoption, then international adoption offers a viable, positive solution.

International adoption affects many people from all walks of life, cultures, countries, races, religions and means.  It provides a home to a child in need of a permanent family, opens doors to another culture, and brings understanding and compassion between nations. 

Addressing this global tapestry and to counter the often negative and sensationalist claims presented by the media, JCICS has initiated a multi-year, worldwide awareness campaign using fine art photography, narrative, and documentary film to illustrate the range of child welfare issues including international adoption.  The campaign will illustrate and explore critical themes, questions and alternatives for children and highlight a range of child welfare issues.  This will contribute to policy and advocacy initiatives and promote international adoption as a positive option to policy leaders and the global community.   

JCICS Membership Benefit:
To extend the reach and impact of this campaign, JCICS will explore the distribution of education, fundraising, and public relations tools directly to JCICS members to be used for each organizations' own marketing, awareness and fundraising programs.

Support:
JCICS is seeking contributions from foundations, corporations, non-profit organizations and private individuals to assist with the cost of this initiative and ensure its ongoing success.  To support this program, click here.    

Photographs copyright Jeff Davis of Lumen Production Company.