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SOS Children's Villages International withholds report on its role in separating Syrian children from families
Overview
Global charity SOS Children's Villages International has decided not to release an independent investigative report into its role in housing children separated from their imprisoned parents by Syrian security forces under former President Bashar al-Assad. The charity has also not yet provided compensation to affected Syrian families. The decision to withhold the report has caused internal turmoil, leading several national associations to leave the federation, while legal battles continue over dismissals and the handling of the investigation.
Key points
- SOS Children's Villages International has withheld an investigative report into its role in hiding the identities and whereabouts of children separated from imprisoned parents during Syria's civil war.
- The charity has not yet distributed promised compensation to impacted Syrian families.
- A draft of the report indicated that SOS was not forced to accept the children and that the international office in Vienna held ultimate responsibility.
- National associations in countries including the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, France, and the Netherlands have decided to leave the federation over the controversy.
- Directors of the German association who set aside a compensation fund and voted to leave were dismissed by their supervisory board, a decision currently being challenged in court.