Events

Read between the lines!

Sofia, October 20, 2017

„Read between the lines” is an unconventional and attention-catching campaign of the National Commission to combat Trafficking of Human beings which was launched at an international forum in connection with October 18th - the EU Anti Trafficking Day. Participants in the meeting were the UK Ambassador H.E. Emma Hopkins, the deputy foreign minister Yurii Shterk, representatives of state institution and NGOs working on prevention of trafficking. BFPA was represented by its Executive Director Dr. Radosveta Stamenkova.
The campaign focuses on prevention of enrolling over the internet of potential victims of labour and sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and violence of children, of different fraud or blackmailing schemes by personal information. The aim is to focus the attention on catchy work opportunities or dating ads which can be misleading and a mechanism for attracting potential victims of trafficking. The messages of this campaign will be disseminated online in dating sites, job sites as well as offline – with printed materials which attract attention. The slogan of the campaign - “THINGS ARE EXACTLY WHAT THEY DON’T SEEM” – urges us to look beyond the often misleading façade.

You can see the video messages of hte campaign here (in BG)

BFPA and “Condom with a cause” – partners of BRCY’s “Volunteer Academy” 2017

Kamchiya, September 2-9 2017

Between September 2nd and 9th in Kamchiya, Varna Province, the 2017 “Volunteer Academy” took place, organized by the Bulgarian Red Cross Youth (BRCY).
“Volunteer Academy” is the largest educational event, organized by BRCY. It was held for a 12th consecutive year and over 100 participants from 10 countries attended it.
Volunteers and resident specialists from all Regional Councils of the BRC in Bulgaria are educated on the following topics: Healthy eating and healthy living; Substance abuse prevention; Prevention of risky sexual behavior; Social assistance activities; Promotion of humanitarian values; Innovative methods and approaches in organizational work.
For a third consecutive year within the “Volunteer Academy” there was a specialized educational module on international cooperation, in which took part youth leaders from different National Red Cross/Red Crescent societies.

BFPA, NNHM and NNC insist on institutionalizing the health mediator work model in improving the quality of care for vulnerable groups

Sofia, August 2, 2017

On august 2nd 2017 Prof. Ivailo Turnev from the National Network of Health Mediators, Dr. Radosveta Stamenkova from the Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association and Dani Koleva and Mila Tashkova from the Secretariat of the National Network of Children had a working meeting with the Deputy Health Minister Svetlana Yordanova during which they discussed the health mediator work model and the necessity of including their work into the Health Law as well as the need for elaborating and implementing quality standard guidelines or regulations and the funding of the mediators’program
Deputy – Minister Yordanova stated on behalf of the MoH an intention for mutual cooperation and work on the subject and the representatives of the civil society have taken it upon themselves to send written specific suggestions on how the existing legal framework can be improved in view of ensuring quality of services and sustainability of the work of the health mediators in Bulgaria and improved access to healthcare and services for vulnerable children, parents and communities.

World’s Population Day: Let’s Give a Chance to More Women and Girls to Plan Their Future

London, July 11, 2017

Young people from five cities in Bulgaria were included in the global campaign for equal access of all girls and women to health care, contraception and services, connected with family planning. The Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (BFPA) is supporting the efforts of the global initiative #IDecide #АЗрешавам, organizing and implementing focus groups with young people from different schools in the country. The aim of each group was to formulate three main key messages to be printed as ‘fortune slips’ and to disseminate them in cafes chosen by the young people. In the frame of the calendar year Sofia, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Pleven and Ruse – places where BFPA has its branches – will inform citizens or guests in this untraditional way about the importance of the goals the campaign has.

BFPA participated in the Annual Meeting of NNC

Plovdiv, June 22-25, 2017

Representatives from the Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (BFPA) took part in the Annual Meeting of the National Network for Children (NNC), which took place near Plovdiv 22 – 25 June 2017. An accent of the event was the General Assembly, during which new members of Board and Control Panel were chosen. Georgi Apostolov from Applied Research and Communication Foundation was chosen to be chairman of the Board to succeed the former one – Vessela Banova from Child and Space foundation. Around 200 people participated in the various working meetings of the Regional Councils, working groups by topics and exhibitions of organizations. All the participants contributed in a brainstorming using the method World’s café looking for future possibilities and activities for a successful functioning of the House of Children which is to be built in Sofia.

NNC presented Report Card 2017

Sofia, May 18 2017

‘The percentage of births with malformations among women without health insurance is much higher’, shared prof. Ivaylo Turnev from National Network of Health Mediators, who presented the ‘Healthcare’ section from this year’s issue of ‘Report Card: What is the average government score in childcare?’of National Network for Children (NNC). As a whole the sections ‘Healthcare (3.64) and ‘Education’(3.44) have made some progress compared to the previous years. Building of comprehensive services children hospital and enlarging the scope of screening research programmes for newborn are among the priorities still to be implemented.
Besides Sofia, the Report Card was promoted at 18 May 2017 in Varna, Silistra, Ruse, Vratza, Kjustendil, Plovdiv, Kardjali and Burgas. The Ombudsman Maya Manolova participated at the event in Sofia and supported in her speech the efforts of NGOs working for the benefit of children in Bulgaria.

Roma medical students and their mentors received well deserved recognition

Sofia, April 7 2017

On April 7th, World Health Day, and on the eve of April 8th – International Day for remembering Roma Holocaust victims, the health minister organized an official meeting at the Council of Ministers’ Granite hall in which participated Roma medical students, young graduated doctors and their mentors, health mediators who study in different universities as well as organizations who support various educational initiatives. The distinguished achievers received honorary diplomas and had the chance to share their thoughts and emotions.

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