#EurochildGA: Eurochild expands its network with seven new members
On 8 May 2025, Eurochild's full members participated in a vote on key governance and membership decisions, bringing the total membership to 225 across 41 countries, including the election of our new President, Tanya Ward, and Vice-President, Bruce Adamson, with heartfelt thanks to Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca for her leadership as outgoing President.
During our General Assembly, 118 attendees joined us online to take part in key decisions shaping the future of our network. Our President and Secretary General also reflected on what we accomplished in 2024, much of which is captured in the Annual Report we published on the same day.
We voted on important matters such as membership and finance, and formally approved our Strategic Framework for the next four years—an important milestone guiding our collective efforts. The Eurochild Children’s Council had the opportunity to present the activities they carried out over the past year, highlighting their main achievements.
Some changes in the Management Board
We welcomed our new President, Tanya Ward (Children’s Rights Alliance, Ireland), and Vice-President, Bruce Adamson (Honorary Member, United Kingdom). We also welcomed Macarena Céspedes (Plataforma de Infancia, Spain), in her second mandate, Vasylyna Dybaylo, (International Charity Partnership for Every Child, Ukraine), and Lucija Vejmelka (FICE, Croatia) as Eurochild Ordinary Management Board members.
Ahead of the General Assembly, the Eurochild Children’s Council met with the newly elected Management Board members. They prepared a set of questions for the candidates, designed to evaluate their experience working with children and their commitment to promoting meaningful participation within Eurochild. The Council reviewed the responses and shared their feedback with the Election Committee.
They also had the opportunity to speak directly with the newly elected President, Tanya Ward, and Vice-President, Bruce Adamson. Together, they discussed the vital role of child participation within Eurochild and explored ways to strengthen collaboration between the Children’s Council and the Management Board. This engagement reflects Eurochild’s ongoing dedication to embedding children’s voices in its governance and decision-making processes.
We thank our former President, H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, for her vision, dedication, and unwavering commitment — a legacy that began when she took office in 2019. Long before joining Eurochild, she has been a tireless advocate for children’s rights and the rights of the most vulnerable in society, championing these causes throughout her political career and as President of Malta. During her two mandates, Her Excellency played a key role in expanding and strengthening our influence and working with EU institutions and governments, helping to amplify our voice on critical issues.
We would also like to thank former Ordinary Board members Uroš Brezovšek (Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth, Slovenia) and Adrian Oros (Hope and Homes for Children, Romania) for supporting the work of Eurochild for so many years!
Welcome to our new members!
Six organisations were admitted as full members:
- Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a leading organisation in Croatia that has been active for more than a decade in the field of protecting children from online abuse and sexual exploitation. They take care of children who are in unfavourable living conditions every day, and they strive to raise the quality of their lives.
- French Council of Associations for Children’s Rights (COFRADE) gathers more than 50 NGOs in order to promote and defend the Convention. COFRADE leads advocacy campaigns and court proceedings, and organises events to allow children to express themselves about their rights.
- Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is dedicated to enhancing the lives of children and young people; they are at the heart of everything they do. They do this by providing a suite of relevant services, all under their Childline.
- L’Ecole des Valeurs is an organisation focused on empowering young people through self-discovery, continuous learning, and active engagement in society. Drawing on over 14 years of experience from their partner, Scoala de Valori in Romania – a leader in values-based education – they apply proven methodologies and expertise to their work in Luxembourg.
- Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project is a Swiss non-profit organisation with a focus on placing children and young people at the heart of decision-making. Their vision is a world where children and young people have an effective voice in decisions that impact their lives, empowering them to realise their rights, develop critical life skills, and actively engage in civic participation.
- Charity Organisation "Charity Fund RIDNI” is a Ukrainian Charity Fund whose mission is to overcome orphanhood and develop the institution of the family. They provide children and adults with psychological counselling, social support, and educational assistance.
One organisation was admitted as an associate member:
- Eriks Development from Sweden is a child rights organisation which works with a rights-based approach where they want to see people empowered and become society changers, impacting the community, region and nation. In four regions, Eastern Europe, Asia, West Africa and East Africa, they work solely through implementing partner organisations with support from their regional offices.
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