The First Children's Embassy in the World Megjashi (FCEWM) was established in Macedonia in 1992 to protect the rights of children. The Embassy contributes to the development and strengthening of citizen awareness.
During the initial stages of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, FCEWM provided support and shelter for children refugees, by sending them to host families in foreign countries and securing humanitarian aid for them. Through doing this they helped around sixty thousand refugee children.
FCEWM is recognised as a leading Macedonian organisation for advocating and promoting children's rights. In 2001, FCEWM was the first ever recipient of an award for civil society and democracy given in recognition of its lasting and sustainable contribution to the establishment of democratic society in Macedonia through its work for the rights of children.
The organisation has a number of active peace education programmes in schools. FCEWM has implemented projects aimed at establishing non-violent conflict resolution programs in high schools in Macedonia.
In 2006, together with five other organisations (Macedonian Women’s Rights Centre, Shelter Centre, Association for Democratic Initiatives-ADI, Polio Plus-Movement Against Disability and Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of the Republic of Macedonia), the Embassy established the Human Rights House of Macedonia.
Through extensive advocacy and campaigning FCEWM is helping to bring down the wall of silence concerning children's rights, especially related to the physical, sexual and economic abuse of children. In doing this, the public is exposed to numerous cases of abuse and becomes directly involved in supporting the establishment of more effective mechanisms for child protection.
In the past 20 years (1992-2012) over 18,000 calls have been registered through the SOS helpline. Over 1,200 volunteers have participated in the activities, with 700,000 working hours. Their work calculated in money is over one and a half million Euros. Over 100 tons of relief aid has been distributed. More than 1,500 notices are published for the Embassy’s activities. Over 2,000 children have visited the children’s workshops for free. Approximately around 8,500 children have become members of the First Children’s Embassy in the World -Megjashi. More than 500 children have been to the summer camps.
[linked page_id="26159"]
