Butterfly Rewards - earn free credits and redeem for good causes -  learn more!

ABANDONED CHILDREN OF BULGARIA

Target:
Bulgarian Officials
Sponsored by: 
My goal is to raise awareness of the crisis in Bulgaria and to bring about social policy change so that physically and mentally challanged children and young adults can live with dignity in community based care. Your active support is vital and by signing this petition there will be hope for these innocent human beings.
Please pass this on to as many people possible.
Thanks
My goal is to raise awareness of the crisis in Bulgaria and to bring about social policy change so that physically and mentally challanged children and young adults can live with dignity in community based care. Your active support is vital and by signing this petition there will be hope for these innocent human beings.
Please pass this on to as many people possible.
Thanks

Honourable Maxime Bernier,

 Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade,

House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

 

Dear Minister:

I am writing to you to bring to your attention the desperate situation of children growing up in state-run residential facilities in Bulgaria and to urge you, as Canada%u2019s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to take up the cause of their protection.

On 24 February, TVO Ontario broadcast the BBC documentary entitled 'Bulgaria's Abandoned Children.' It is about a state-run residential care facility in Mogilino, Bulgaria, where 75 unwanted children are growing up.

Most of the children cannot talk because they are never spoken to. Some are abused by the staff but are unable to report it as they cannot speak. The children are devastatingly malnourished. They may enter the institution with only a mild disability or blindness, but often deteriorate to the point of being bedridden. Several die every year due to neglect. They are locked in dormitories at night with only one member of staff in the building. Most never, ever go outside. With nothing at all to do all day, they simply sit and rock backwards and forwards - a typical human response to lack of stimulation. In the mornings they are herded to the showers naked, often by a person of the opposite sex, and not even given towels to dry themselves. The younger children sit on potties for most of the day, just rocking.

I urge you to view the full documentary online at www.video.google.com   It is compelling viewing.

What is deeply shocking is that this is not the only home like this - in Bulgaria thousands of children grow up in such institutions. Most have families who have not relinquished their parental rights and would not place their child in an institution if they had a real choice. But parents of children born even with a mild disability are advised by %u2018professionals%u2019 to give them over to institutions. There are no community-based services to help the development of and the care for disabled children. The financial support available to such families in this poorest of EU countries is inadequate.

This is happening despite consecutive Bulgarian governments%u2019 undertaking to the EU to reform the child welfare system. In the past six years 30 million US dollars of loans and donations for child welfare reform were poured into the country by the World Bank, the European Union and the UK Department for International Development. Improvements are promised, but there is evidence that children still suffer unspeakably.  

I find it deeply shocking that  Bulgaria, a member-state of the European Union and significant trading partner of Canada, should warehouse and mistreat its weakest citizens with impunity.  Bulgaria must be held to account by the international community, including Canada. A groundswell of international protest and pressure is mounting as this documentary has been shown in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and now in Canada.

I urge you to take up this cause. Specifically I ask that you address this matter with the European Union and with the Bulgarian government,  seeking assurances that the Bulgarian government will make good on its agreement in principle to de-institutionalize children, and will allocate sufficient resources to enable the transition of the children and young adults to appropriate supported accommodation in the communities they come from.

I look forward to hearing from you  what actions Canada will take to add to international pressure on Bulgaria.

 

signature
goal: 1,000
 
sign petition!
50
50 log in or sign up to start earning Butterfly Credits today!
Already a Care2 member? log in

This petition is closed. Thank you for your interest.

You can do more! Show me more petitions »
We signed the "ABANDONED CHILDREN OF BULGARIA" petition!
# 595:
5:30 pm PDT, Sep 22, Randi Genest, Missouri
# 594:
6:50 am PDT, Sep 22, Karen Gregory, California
# 593:
8:33 pm PDT, Aug 16, Lorenda Haubrich, Canada
These children are living in horrid conditions!!! In this day and age!!! What is wrong with this government!! We cannot close our eyes and pretend this is not happening! Change is needed immediately..I have seen animals treated better. This film impacted me.. how can anyone in Bulgeria allow this to take place.. Do something NOW!!!
# 592:
3:36 am PDT, Aug 10, Josien Schippers, Netherlands
Let these children be what they should be: happy little human beings!
# 591:
6:36 am PDT, Aug 7, Deb Pavone, New Jersey
# 590:
10:37 am PDT, Jul 22, Fathimath Shifna Mohamed Shifna, Maldives
Please help these children , not by talking , we need prompt action .. may Allah bless these children..
# 589:
3:45 am PDT, Jul 14, Name not displayed, New Zealand
One of these children could have been me, if i had an uncaring mother. This is criminal!
# 588:
4:16 pm PDT, Jul 4, Aurora Borealis, Serbia And Montenegro
# 587:
7:53 pm PDT, Jul 2, Ian Docker, Australia
I wish to support the awareness of the plight of these children who really belong to all of us!
# 586:
8:20 pm PDT, Jun 19, Kate Sadler, Ohio
# 585:
9:24 am PDT, Jun 17, Name not displayed, Norway
# 584:
7:12 am PDT, Jun 11, Name not displayed, Australia
It really made me cry for all the children in these "institutions". Prisoners are treated better in jail! Absolutely Shocking!!!
# 583:
10:17 pm PDT, Jun 10, Elizabeth Ireland, Australia
i was disgusted to see children suffer and not get the necessary basics in life.
# 582:
8:39 pm PDT, Jun 9, Al Hayward, New Zealand
The worst kind of human rights abuse. How is Bulgaria able to remain a member of the EEU? Where is the UN in all of this? Why is the Bulgarian government not called to task to take proper care of its most vulnerable citizens. An absolute disgrace!!
# 581:
6:58 pm PDT, Jun 9, Elena Rebuli, Australia
Something must be done to help these poor children. Not just talk but action - and quickly.
# 580:
4:38 pm PDT, Jun 9, Monique SMITH, New Zealand
Monique Smith
# 579:
7:47 pm PDT, May 14, Edita Hajdar, Minnesota
# 578:
3:15 pm PDT, Apr 19, Luigi Saracino, Italy
# 577:
9:44 am PDT, Apr 3, Anneke Kaat, Netherlands
# 576:
2:04 pm PDT, Mar 29, Xuan Chen, China
# 575:
1:25 pm PDT, Mar 29, Lola Richards, Maine
# 574:
12:27 pm PDT, Mar 29, Jie Liu, New York
# 573:
11:17 pm PDT, Mar 28, Mary Strobridge, New York
# 572:
7:30 am PDT, Mar 25, Kara Lemire, North Carolina
Children are without a doubt, most deserving of our unyeilding love and care. Please help them.
# 571:
3:46 pm PDT, Mar 20, Anja MM, Germany
# 570:
3:16 pm PDT, Mar 19, Dave Nielsen, Oregon
# 569:
12:48 pm PDT, Mar 19, Teresa Del Castillo, Mexico
# 568:
9:45 am PDT, Mar 18, Ivona Parkaceva, Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic Of
# 567:
7:30 pm PDT, Mar 13, Laylah Zanuy, Spain
... PLEASE!!!
# 566:
10:47 am PDT, Mar 9, Edyta Bartman, Poland
# 565:
6:59 pm PDT, Mar 8, Natalie Kallenbach, Kansas
# 564:
3:04 am PDT, Mar 8, Sandra Kiris, Australia
I am haunted by the images of the mogilino children. This state sponsored cruelty has to be stopped.
# 563:
9:11 am PST, Mar 7, Monika Dudziak, Italy
# 562:
12:53 pm PST, Mar 6, Darina Molikova, Slovakia
For more impact, add a personal comment here
# 561:
4:23 am PST, Mar 6, Chantal Buslot, Belgium
# 560:
6:02 pm PST, Mar 5, Natalie Santiago, Puerto Rico
# 559:
2:46 pm PST, Mar 5, Laura Jaramillo, Colombia
# 558:
2:03 pm PST, Mar 5, Nathaly Masclé, Netherlands
I'm supporting this organisation in Holland. I think it's very important to bring awareness
# 557:
12:28 pm PST, Mar 3, Hazel Seymour, Canada
# 556:
9:45 am PST, Mar 3, Heather Wolf, Washington
# 555:
4:14 am PST, Mar 1, Sanda Jovanovic, Serbia And Montenegro
# 554:
12:56 am PST, Mar 1, Irena Atkocaitiene, Lithuania
# 553:
9:38 am PST, Feb 28, Barb B, Florida
# 552:
5:57 pm PST, Feb 27, Petra Burnac, Serbia And Montenegro
# 551:
12:17 pm PST, Feb 27, Joan Fleming, Tennessee
Copyright © 2009 Care2.com, inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved