October 21, 2022 - The Osijek Centre for Missing and Exploited Children is the winner of the prestigious international award of the "Care About the Children" Foundation of Queen Silvia of Sweden. It thus became the first organisation from Croatia to receive this award, the Centre reported.
As Index writes, and as announced by the Osijek Centre, among more than 130 nominated organisations in Europe that deal with the protection of children from abuse and exploitation, the Expert Court of the Foundation has chosen ten to award the prestigious award to associations whose protection of children's rights is imperative.
The Queen Silvia Foundation in Sweden "Care About the Children" aims to meet the most basic needs of children, based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Osijek Centre points out that the award was presented on October 18, on the European Anti-Trafficking Day, at the Swedish Royal Palace, to prominent organisations for the fight against child trafficking and sexual abuse of children via the Internet.
The award was received from Queen Silvia by the head of the Osijek Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, Tomislav Ramljak, who commended the fact that such a highly positioned institution recognised the work of the Osijek institution, and the award of 10,000 euros, he added, will be an additional incentive for further investments in preventive programs.
Ramljak pointed out that educational institutions, the police, specialised associations, companies, and state bodies must work together to make the Internet a safer place.
"We must do everything in our power so that children feel safe to report any form of violence on the Internet if they experience it. This requires the joint work of the entire society," said Ramljak.
The Osijek Centre for Missing and Exploited Children reminds us that their long-term work resulted in the launch of the National Centre for a Safer Internet and the telephone number 116 000 - the international hotline for missing children in the Republic of Croatia.
Lectures in schools, education for experts, campaigns to raise awareness, and numerous preventive activities are recognised as of great value in the fight to protect children from abuse and exploitation on the Internet; the Osijek Centre points out.
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