💡 The DATA MISSING final report is now available in French, Dutch, and Lithuanian! The culmination of two years, this reports contains recommendations on how to improve data collection practices on missing children across the EU. Check them out here: missingchildreneurope.eu/data-missing/

Today, @missingchildreneu.bsky.social and partners met with Commissioner @magnusbrunner.bsky.social to urge the EU to act on the online child sexual abuse crisis that can also put children at risk of going missing. It’s time for EU Member States to protect children and uphold their rights. 🤝

When a child goes missing, every second counts. That’s why we work to ensure the 116 000📞 hotline is available, a lifeline for children at risk and their families. → Free and confidential support → Psychological assistance → Legal guidance → Administrative help

🎨 This week, museums across Europe have joined us in displaying children’s art to raise awareness on international parental abductions That’s when a child is taken abroad by a parent - without consent of a judge, or the other parent 🔗 Learn more at findinghome.world

Every 2 minutes, a child goes missing in Europe, that’s 250,000 cases a year. Yet data collection is inconsistent and fragmented. Our #DATAMISSING project reveals alarming gaps and calls for harmonised, annual EU-wide stats. 📄 missingchildreneurope.eu/data-missing/

Summer sees a rise in international parental abduction cases. Through the #FindingHome project, we're raising awareness and fighting to bring children back home. 💛 Please consider donating today to help bring children back home: missingchildreneurope.eu/donate/

Today, on #InternationalYouthDay🌍, we celebrate the unique role that young people play in shaping our world. Every young person deserves to be who they are without fear of discrimination, especially during adolescence, a crucial time for growth and expression ↓↓

𝐕𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 → 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 → 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 On #WorldDayAgainstTrafficking, we’re raising awareness about an often overlooked link - when children in vulnerable situations go missing, they face a higher risk of being targeted by traffickers🧵

Support #LGBTIQ+ youth under 18 facing (or at risk of) homelessness! 🏳️‍🌈 📋 2 anonymous, multilingual surveys: 1️⃣ For LGBTIQ+ youth (18–29) who left home before 18 2️⃣ For EU practitioners/service providers 🕐 Take 5 mins: www.iglyo.org/projects/yqa...

❗ It sounds like a no-brainer, but young people should have a voice in solving the problems that affect them. With YoU Decide, we’re working with—not for—displaced youth from Ukraine to co-create solutions as they navigate life in a new country. 🔗https://missingchildreneurope.eu/youdecide/

🎉 We're happy to announce that our 2024 Annual Review is now live! But also, different? Last year was hugely impactful for @missingchildreneu.bsky.social. From launching our first-ever Youth Board, to impactful advocacy across European Institutions - 2024 was a year of action ↓↓↓

Yesterday, the team at @missingchildreneu.bsky.social came together for a team-building day to explore how inclusive communication shapes our work in child rights. And, as we are in Belgium, we closed the day with a chocolate tasting! 🍫🧩

⚠️Over 50,000 unaccompanied minors went missing in Europe between 2021 and 2023. Our new #PolicyBrief warns of rising risks for unaccompanied minors as the EU Pact on #Migration and #Asylum moves forward. Read the brief: shorturl.at/NWjfd

Missing Children Europe at the @euasylumagency.bsky.social #StateOfAsylum Conference ↓ Our Sr Programmes Officer Alyona Samar attended the EUAA first-ever flagship conference, a key moment as the EU prepares to implement the Pact on Migration and Asylum🧵

Our joint letter urging the EU to adopt standardised DSA risk assessments to safeguard children online on Politico Morning Tech. Together with 24 NGOs & 5 MEPs we call for transparency, clear benchmarks & meaningful consultation with children & civil society ✉️ 5rightsfoundation.com/resource/joi...

Protect children, protect Europe – fund the fight against child poverty ✊🏼✊🏿✊🏽✊ The EU Alliance for #InvestinginChildren is urging @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu @president.europarl.europa.eu @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu to make ending child poverty a core priority in the next #EUbudget.

✨ Updates from our #YouthBoard! In Sept 2024, we @missingchildreneu.bsky.social launched a dedicated Youth Board of 5 young people from across Europe to shape our work.

Last week at our Annual Conference in Poland, our Secretary General Aagje Ieven spoke on teenagers who run away — a growing issue across Europe 🧵

Big win! The @europarl.europa.eu has raised the bar in the fight against child sexual abuse by saying: ⮕AI-generated child sexual abuse should be criminalised ⮕Online abuse is as serious a crime as offline Time for Member States to step up. www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...

24 hours to go! Tomorrow, the European Parliament could make history by setting a new standard for EU law to tackle child sexual violence. We call on MEPs to vote YES to the proposal on the Directive to #EndChildSexualAbuse.

🔍 NEW REPORT: An estimated 250,000 children go missing in Europe each year — but there's no EU-wide system to track them. The #DATAMISSING report reveals critical gaps in national data systems. → Read the full report: missingchildreneurope.eu/europe-faces...

Last week, we hosted a Belgian stakeholder meeting at @missingchildreneu.bsky.social headquarters for the #EUfunded #SafeBorders project. Excited to see how this project continues to grow and enhance child protection systems across Europe! Learn more: shorturl.at/NqB7e

“For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn.” Each pair of shoes tells a story – Last week, we @missingchildreneu.bsky.social laid out over 1,000 shoes in front of @europarl.europa.eu to raise awareness of #MissingChildren and the 116 000 hotline. 📹 www.youtube.com/watch?v=54ED...

🎥 Yesterday was a landmark moment for #MissingChildren — this is what we did. EU policymakers, Commission officials, and civil society orgs came together to spell out "116 000" with hundreds of children's shoes — the hotline for missing children across Europe. Full video on Monday!

On Thursday, May 22nd, we'll be observing International Missing Children’s Day in the heart of Europe with a powerful, emotional action – and we want you to be part of it! 🩵 🕗 Action starts at 12:45pm CET

Tomorrow, we'll be celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia! 🏳️‍🌈 Every child deserves to be protected, respected, and free to be who they are, and through our #LGBTIQ+ Missing Children Project, we’re working to make that a reality. Learn more🧵

Really great news, everyone👏- the LIBE Committee in the European Parliament just took a decisive stance. This updated directive is a vital tool to address the risks children can face - both online and offline. www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...

Yesterday, our SG Aagje Ieven addressed the @europarl.europa.eu LIBE Committee, chaired by MEP Javier Zarzalejos, on the root causes of missing children in Europe. 250,000+ children go missing each year in the EU That’s 1 child every 2 minutes

This year, on International Missing Children’s Day, we will gather in the heart of Brussels for a powerful, emotional action—and we want you to be part of it.🩵 📍at Place du Luxembourg 🕛on 22 May, 12:45 pm 🤝What to bring? Yourself, and a friend! We can't wait to see you there! #ShoesTooBigToFill

We promise, this isn't a typo. It's an invitation! Join us on June 3 in Brussels or online for the DATA MISSING final conference by @missingchildreneu.bsky.social Join the conversation around fixing the data gaps around missing children & build better protection systems. Info & signup ↓

For the 3rd year, Missing Children Europe is re-granting EU funds to support child protection!🧩🌍This includes ‘The Last Call’ in Greece or ‘ACACIA’ in France. Explore all 2025 projects → shorturl.at/pZtWp

It’s not “sextortion”—it’s sexual extortion. Child sexual abuse and exploitation isn’t a headline. Learn how to talk about #ChildSexualExploitation without causing harm: ecpat.org/terminology/ @ecpat.bsky.social #TerminologyMatters #CallItWhatItIs

The phrase “child porn” isn’t just outdated—it’s dangerous. Say it right: Child Sexual Abuse Material. 👉 Explore the updated @ecpat.bsky.social Terminology Guidelines and make sure your language protects, not harms: ecpat.org/terminology/ #TerminologyMatters #CallItWhatItIs

Приєднуйся до Молодіжної Ради YoU Decide! 🟡🔵 ⚠️Time’s ticking – apply before April 27th!⚠️ #Ukraine #Youth #Childrights #Migration

🎬 #Adolescence isn’t just a show — it’s a mirror. A raw look at growing up online, where connection meets vulnerability. At Missing Children Europe, we see the real-life impact of what Adolescence portrays ↓

Care about mental health?🧠Join European Mental Health Week 2025 (6th edition) and explore how social policies shape our wellbeing—housing, education, work & more. 💡Got an event? Apply to be featured! #EMHW25 l1nq.com/MCgDd @mentalhealtheurope.bsky.social

Online safety starts with knowledge 📚 Two weeks ago at cesie.org, we joined partners of the #BeAwareProject to step up the fight against Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of minors through a workshop on gender and intersectional discrimination.

Last week, our Secretary General Aagje Ieven spoke at the 25th annual Alliance against Trafficking in Persons conference in Vienna. Highlighting the risks faced by missing children, she emphasized the vital role of the 116000 hotline📞 in preventing trafficking. #MissingChildren

Are you 15–24, displaced from #Ukraine and living in Poland, Hungary or Czechia? ↓ Join the #YoUDecide Youth Board and help shape real change. Apply by 27 April 2025. Find out more: shorturl.at/eyNQL

Last week, our Advocacy Officer, Léa Meindre-Chautrand, joined the 11th plenary of @coe.int's Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child! We shared MCE’s work and took part in key discussions to advance children's rights, including👇

How can the EU ensure children’s rights are at the heart of its policies? This is the central question discussed between the Child Rights Action Group (CRAG), the largest network of child rights organisations at EU level, and @europarl.europa.eu Child Rights Intergroup🧵

In Brussels on April 10? Don’t miss the #Protech Final Conference! Experts, policymakers & frontline professionals will tackle one of the biggest #ChildProtection challenges: preventing online child sexual exploitation & abuse across Europe. Register: shorturl.at/3ipoh ↓

Today: The Child Rights Action Group #CRAG, the largest network of child rights organisations in Brussels, joins the @europarl.europa.eu Child Rights Intergroup for our first meeting to discuss priorities for 2025. Children must be at the heart of EU policies. Let's make that happen 🧩🇪🇺

How can we prevent children from going missing in the EU? Well, here's how! The latest #ChildProtection report from @eurightsagency.bsky.social echoes our recommendations and highlights urgent needs. We welcome these important findings and emphasise the need to ↓

🔎 Why do children go missing, and how can we prevent it? Yesterday, our SG Aagje Ieven and Sr. Advocacy Léa Meindre-Chautrand spoke at the #CERIS workshop on Missing Persons sharing insights from #CESAGRAM on grooming and missing children. Some key takeaways ↓

Yesterday, we met with Executive Vice President for Social Rights Roxana Minzatu, to discuss urgent actions to protect children across Europe. We covered key topics like access to social services, early education, mental health, and funding for children’s rights. Grateful for the conversation! 🙏

This morning, the entire MCE team met with our dedicated volunteers! It was a much-needed and inspiring moment to discuss upcoming projects and challenges ahead, and, most importantly, to thank them for their ongoing support. Their dedication to child protection makes our work possible. #Teamwork💙

Last week, our Secretary General Aagje Ieven & Project Officer Salomé Habousha were at @coe.int in Strasbourg discussing the #LanzaroteConvention on the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. The session included exchanges with @interpol.int and GRETA. Key insights👇

Advancing gender equality is crucial to building safer futures for all children! On #InternationalWomensDay, we want to shed light on the specific risks tied to gender inequality that contribute to girls going missing.

Hello BlueSky! We're a network of 160+ orgs working to advance the rights of undocumented migrants. Follow us for updates on our work on: 📝 regularisation 🛠️ migrant workers + work permits ⛔ immigration detention + deportations 🩺 access to health, justice and other services 👶 undocumented children