Say No to Orphanages – Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Building Workshop
It is time to Say No to Orphanages.
To mark World Children’s Day, we invite you to join us in-person on Wednesday, 20th November from 1pm – 3.30pm for an important knowledge sharing and capacity building workshop about the steps that are needed from individuals, organisations, and governments to end orphanage volunteering and visits, and to promote child-centred, family-based care around the world.
We understand that global care reform is a long-term process, with lots of hurdles along the way. This event has been developed to support individuals and organisations who are on this journey, with international advocates coming together to share their lived experience, knowledge, and expertise.
While often well-intentioned, orphanage volunteering and visits help to sustain a system which puts children at risk and harms their long-term development. Now it the time to learn from the mistakes of the past and to work collectively to promote the best interests of children.
Who should attend?
We encourage attendance by those who are looking to deepen their understanding about the steps that they can take to support global efforts to end orphanage volunteering and visits, and to promote child-centred, family-based care around the world.
Perhaps your organisation has worked with orphanages or other residential care institutes for children in the past? Or possibly your school or college organise student visits to the Global South which may include visits to orphanages? Or maybe your organisation is in the position to financially support care reform and can lead the way in moving away from charitable donations to orphanages? Or perhaps you can raise awareness about the harm caused by orphanage volunteering through your platform or public profile?
Everyone has a role to play in the global care reform movement. Come along to learn more and to join us in our collective effort to promote the best interests of children.
Our Speakers
We will be joined by leading advocates who will share not just their knowledge and expertise, but also their own stories and lived experience.
Dr Kate van Doore is a child rights lawyer, Deputy Head of School at Griffith Law School in Brisbane, Australia, and an internationally recognised expert on orphanage trafficking. Dr van Doore also has a personal story to share – she has gone on a journey over the past twenty years, from co-founding an orphanage in Nepal, to recognising the harm caused by this model of care and becoming a leading advocate for child-centred care reform.
Katharina Thon is the Programme and Capacity Building Office at the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking of Human Beings. Katharina works to research and raise public awareness about the close connections between orphanages, orphanages visits and volunteering, and the trafficking and exploitation of children.
Notes
This workshop is organised by the Comhlámh End Orphanage Care and Volunteering Campaign, which is co-convened by Comhámh and Tearfund Ireland and includes representatives from Misean Cara, Nurture Africa, and SeeBeyondBorders Ireland. The campaign is endorsed by 45 organisations from across civil society.
The event takes place in Europe House, 12-14 Mount St Lower and is wheelchair accessible. A vegetarian lunch will be provided from1pm, with the workshop starting by 1.30pm. For any additional dietary requirements please let us know in advance.
This workshop is being delivered as part of the work of the Rethinking International Volunteering Network, a training network led by Comhlámh as part of the Wheel’s Training Links 2024 – 2026 programme. This network aims to strengthen individual and collective values-led approaches within the Comhlámh community. We also acknowledge the support of Irish Aid who will co-fund this workshop as part of our annual work programme.
