Terre des hommes

Terre des Hommes (literally: Land of Men) is an international charitable federation concentrating on children's rights, founded in 1959 and based in Geneva. Terre des Hommes campaigns for a more equitable relationship between the countries of the North and the South, without racial, religious, political, cultural or gender-based discrimination. It is named after the book "Terre des hommes" of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, which was translated as Wind, Sand and Stars into English.

Several independent organisations coexist under the name of Terre des hommes and work together under the aegis of the International Federation of Terre des hommes (IFTDH). The various national organisations of Terre des hommes met in 1966 to form the International Federation of Terre des hommes, headquartered in Geneva. Today, eleven organisations in Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Luxembourg, Holland, Switzerland, Spain and Syria belong to the Federation. An important part of the IFTDH work is as a consultant to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Terre des hommes – child relief, Lausanne-CH

Today, two organisations are located in Switzerland: the Terre des hommes Foundation – child relief(Tdh), located in Lausanne, and Terre des hommes Switzerland, whose Swiss-German headquarters are in Basel, with a Swiss-French secretariat in Geneva. Over time, Tdh has become specialised in two areas of expertise: health and child protection. From Algeria to Bangladesh, and from Afghanistan to Peru, Terre des hommes – child relief currently has 85 projects in 31 countries, including Switzerland. Tdh brings both development projects – such as the long-term improvement of care in Benin or giving the community charge over orphaned children of AIDS victims in Burundi; as well as emergency aid – such as the tsunami-affected regions of Sri Lanka or in Mozambique following Hurricane Favio in February 2007.Promoting the Convention on the Rights of a Child is an important activity of Tdh. Advocating for children’s rights, defending them, and spreading information are tasks which Terre des homme – to the aid of children considers a priority. The widespread recognition of children’s rights will depend on constant efforts in the field.

Terre des hommes Germany

Terre des hommes Germany was founded in Stuttgart on 8th January 1967 by Lutz Beisel. At the outset, Terre des hommes Germany was intended to help injured Vietnamese children and to provide German hospitals with medications. Today, Terre des hommes Germany supports over 500 projects in 25 countries, with funds of €17 million, and has regional offices in Thailand, India, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Burkina Faso and Mozambique. Headquartered in Osnabrück, Terre des hommes Germany is independent of the State, Church and political parties. Staff and volunteers are organised into local working groups in around 150 German cities and towns.

Terre des hommes Holland

Terre des hommes Holland is a non-profit organisation which works to defend children’s rights throughout the world. Terre des hommes Holland supports 297 projects – created and established by local organisations – in 22 countries. Locally based, these projects are closely linked in to the problems the local people face. They offer, for example, evening classes for children who have to work during the day, and sports for children with a disability.

Terre des hommes Spain

Terre des hommes Spain is a non-profit-making foundation, an associated member of the International Federation of Terre des hommes, giving direct aid to the most vulnerable children. Terre des hommes financially supports various direct relief programs for children in many countries in Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe, for social aid and education, the rights of children and mother-and-child health care. In Spain there is also a campaign for awareness-raising, entitled "Stop child trafficking", with the aim of fighting all the various forms of child exploitation. Terre des hommes Spain also carries out significant medical aid for children from several African countries, thanks to the program "Journey towards Life".

Terre des hommes France

Terre des hommes France (TDHF) is a philosophically, religiously and politically independent organisation. A non-governmental association for international solidarity, it works to establish the conditions for development that is sustainable, and ecologically and economically viable – North and South. To do so, Terre des hommes France works with partners in the field on activities that protect and defend economic, social and cultural rights. Its goal is to encourage the development of local civil society and to both integrate these rights into national legislature and achieve their respect in the everyday.

Ethiopian paedophilia allegations

In 2008 Terre Des Hommes-Lausanne brought a defamation suit against a teacher in Ethiopia, Jill Campbell, for accusing the branch of knowingly hiding child abuse in one of its centres in the village of Jari. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article3471613.ece Teacher faces jail in Ethiopia after helping to expose paedophiles at a children’s charity - Times Online ] ] Mrs Campbell compiled evidence which helped to convict [ [http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1308392,00.html Ethiopia: British Teacher Jill Campbell Spared Jail Over Paedophile Claims |Sky News|UK News ] ] a British paedophile who was sentenced in 2003 to 9 years hard labour in prison. Another suspect committed suicide after posting a confession on the internet. However Mrs Campbell alleged that senior staff running the centre knew of the abuse, covered it up and failed to inform the authorities. Mrs Campbell faced 6 months in prison if she failed to withdraw the allegations. Her husband Gary had already withdrawn similar allegations in order to avoid prison and ensure that one of the couple would be able to look after their two ten-year-old adopted children. The charity eventually withdraw its suit before Campbell was due to be sentenced on 7 March, saying that her husband's apology was sufficient. [ [http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1308392,00.html Ethiopia: British Teacher Jill Campbell Spared Jail Over Paedophile Claims |Sky News|UK News ] ]

In a statement the charity said that it asked the court not to sentence Mrs Campbell because her husband had made a full apology.

“The case is now closed with the Campbells' acknowledgement of wrongdoing and promise to halt their illegal defamation campaign which has been wrongly interpreted as ‘whistle blowing'”.

“From the First Instance Court to the Ethiopian Supreme Court the judges have upheld the Terre Des Hommes argument in this respect and ruled accordingly.”
[ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article3504750.ece British teacher Jill Campbell avoids Ethiopian jail - Times Online ] ]

References

Official Sites

* fr icon [http://www.terredeshommes.org/ International Federation Terre des Hommes]
* de icon en icon [http://www.tdh.ch/ Terre des hommes - child relief Lausanne - CH]
* en icon fr icon [http://www.tdh.de Terre des hommes Germany]
* nl icon [http://www.terredeshommes.nl Terre des hommes Holland]
* en icon [http://www.tierradehombres.org/ Terre des hommes Spain]
* [http://www.terredeshommes.asso.fr Terre des hommes France]
* en icon es icon it icon [http://www.tdh-geneve.ch/www/index.php?lang=en&page=main Terre des hommes Switzerland]
* [http://www.tdh.ca/links.rox Canadian website]