BFPA is part of the training of young volunteers of the “Big Brothers, Big Sisters” Association.
Plovdiv, October 20-21, 2018
On October 20th and 21st at the Expo hotel in Plovdiv, took place the first two-day youth volunteer training of the “Big Brother, Big Sister” association’s “First encounters” campaign The campaign aims to create a team of motivated young people who will be working with children and young people from several institutions of closed type in Plovdiv using the peer-to-peer method. Through the prism of the interactive educational methods the volunteers will inform them on topics from the field of health and sexuality education will introduce them to basic human rights and will also work together on prevention of aggression and hate speech. The campaign’s goal is to increase the self-awareness of marginalized young people as far as to underline their emotional and physical world is untouchable and to develop their ability to identify relationships in which violence and risk could potentially arise. The main strategy of the educational program is building self-esteem, equality and empathy through acquiring knowledge, skills and asserting constructive attitudes.
Ambassador Deyana Kostadinova was elected for co-chairperson of the Regional conference for reviewing of the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action at UNECE
Geneva, October 1-2, 2018
Ambassador Deyana Kostadinova, permanent representative of Bulgaria to the United Nations and other international institutions in Geneva, was elected for a co-chairperson of the Regional conference for reviewing of the implementation of the Programme of Action at the UN Conference on Population and Development. The event took place on October 1-2, 2018 in Geneva. Electing Bulgaria for a joint chair is an acknowledgment for the effort of the country including civil society organizations regarding policies for youth, social inclusion and human rights.
BFPA is a part of a national platform for preventing violence against children –“Childhood without violence” Coalition
Sofia, September 12, 2018
On September 12th at the Quill Literary club in Sofia was announced the creation of a large scale national platform to combat the violence against children – “Childhood without violence” Coalition. 19 civil society organizations and experts who have worked for years for prevention of violence against children and its consequences, united for joint actions, provoked by the lack of advancement in state policies and practices, the lack of shared understanding in society and the deepening of the problem in the last years. The members of the “Childhood without violence” Coalition aim for the Coalition to become a major platform working for zero tolerance for violence against children which includes members from all aspects of society – civil society organizations, parents and citizens, institutions, business, media. The platform envisages advocacy work with institutions for legislative changes and ensuring sustainable public services and measures for protecting children from violence, conducting researches, developing instruments for identifying and alerting for children at risk, which are to be used by different specialists – social workers, teachers, medical doctors and health workers, policemen, etc.
BFPA supports the new educational video of Loveguide “Ob/Gyn examination”
Sofia, August 8, 2018
The latest video from our friends and partners from Loveguide is about the Ob/Gyn examination. When do you go for a gynecological examination? Why, how and how often? When you have symptoms or for prophylaxis? Alone or with a friend/companion? Do virgins go to the gynecologist? We from BFPA were happy to help with those and the other answers of the questions in the video. And if you need an examination or a consultation with a specialist you can follow the advice in the video and contact us. We wish you a good and smart summer!
A successful end of the “Journalists in School” campaign of Valya Krushkina Fund, connected this year with the “How to identify fake news” video
Sofia and the country, July 17, 2018
The largest edition of the “Journalists in School” initiative 2018 is over. 2470 students from 38 schools and 34 cities all over the country participated in it. In total, 21 prominent journalists, connected to the “Valya Krushkina-journalism for the people” awards entered the classrooms to show the young people how to recognize fake news, why it’s important to be active citizens and what it’s like to be a journalist. BFPA has supported the campaign ever since its first edition. The meetings began with the educational video “Fake news and how to identify them”. Thanks to it and the following conversation, the students acquired skills to identify fake news and also the knowledge how to check whether news is fake. During the meetings the journalists demonstrated to the young people why it’s important to participate in their community’s activities and convinced them that the change in the environment is up to them. That way the conversations about the media situation in Bulgaria stimulated the students to be active citizens.
The Bulgarian Platform for International Development of which BFPA is an active founding member and coordinating organization, hosts Informational Days in all 28 regional centers in Bulgaria. Each meeting is part of the activities under the “Civil Dialogue for Development” project. It is implemented by BPID with the financial support of the European Commission and aims to contribute to increasing information and engagement in regard of implementing UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the role of the EU in this process as well as about Bulgarian commitment. The focus of the informational activities is on implementation of the commitments by the Bulgarian government specifically for Goal 3 – Good Health, Goal 4 – Quality Education, Goal 5 – Gender Equality and Goal 16 – Peace and Prosperity.
BFPA at the Annual Meeting of the National Network of Children
Tryavna, June 14-16, 2018
Active inclusion of parents, changing the principle of delegated budgets, later start of the work time in schools, more physical activities, integrating of interactive approaches of working, individual approach and special efforts for early professional orientation... only part of the suggestions, given by the participants in the frame of the session of the thematic working group ‘Education’ on question asked by the organizers: ‘What would you change in the system of education today?’ One of the discussions during the event put in the focus of attention the question: is video tracking really needed in the kindergarten and schools and aren’t the harms from such an initiative bigger for the children, than the expected benefits concerning preventing of violence. The Network is to going out with a position against installation of video cameras in the classrooms, in which to reasonably expose arguments in support of work to build trust as a better and working alternative to the idea to install observation equipment. The participants in the Annual Meeting had opportunity to listen, discuss and express opinions on different topics of the Network. The principle of child participation had been respected with involving young people from the organizations members; the youth network ‘Megaphone’ and the National Eurochild Forum.
The implemented by BFPA project ‘Increasing the capacity of the team, partners and supporters of BFPA in the field of advocacy for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) ended in August 2021. It was funded by the Active Citizens Fund of Bulgaria under the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. In the frame of the project trainings and discussion meetings took place during which the team of BFPA, together with key partners and supporters, worked for enlarging the knowledge and practical skills to formulate and communicate messages, targeting different publics, and tried different ways of conducting effective dialog in public space. In parallel with this the trainings contributed for the development of analytical skills of the participants in the area of national and international legislation concerning human rights in general and with special focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights. PR and Communicative strategy for popularizing messages, connected with the implementation of the main strategies of the association was developed.
Representatives of seven organizations from six European countries (Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Slovenia, Romania) gathered for a training of trainers in Timisoara on 27 and 28 August 2021. The training is part of the ARIE project, funded by the Erasmus+ of EU, and project main goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in accordance with EU directives and guidelines, which includes healthy nutrition and physical exercises. The Directives mean that PLHIV must be taught how to perform a set of exercises tailored to their condition, whether they’re on antiretroviral therapy or not. The training in Timisoara covered all aspects - approach, physical condition, psychological attitude, the role of coaches, even first aid for the most typical fitness-related injuries.
During the period July-August 2021, 42 young people from Kyustendil, Pernik, Radomir and Sofia took part in 6 focus groups in a study on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of services and care in the field of sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Different groups of young people, young mothers and pregnant women were involved. Some of the groups were with participants from the Roma community. The aim was to examine the needs, challenges and difficulties faced by young people during the pandemic and to give them the opportunity to propose ideas for improving various health services.
Plovdiv, October 20-21, 2018
Geneva, October 1-2, 2018
Sofia, September 12, 2018 
Sofia and the country, July 17, 2018
Sofia, July 12, 2018
Tryavna, June 14-16, 2018
