The SOS telephone for children and youth (0800 12222) within the First Children’s Embassy in the World – Megjashi continuously has been working for 16 years now.

During the period of 1993 – 2008 through SOS telephone for children and youth, there has been registered  17. 407  calls. In the 2008, the SOS telephone for children and youth answered 360 calls and took actions upon 199 cases. The calls in 2008 were regarding problems of abuse and violence upon children (39,19), family relations (34,17), legal matters (7, 35), school problems (5,53), prostitution, juvenile delinquency (2,51).

Comparing with 2007, during 2008 the percent of calls regarding the abuse and violence upon children has been increased (for 25,76%) family relations (FOR 9, 55%), question regarding legal matters (for 3,8%) and others.

This service is provided by many young people, students and professionals, psychologists, social workers, lawyers etc. on volunteer basis. They are the first who are dealing with the request for help. In the same time, the First World Children’s Embassy Megjashi, upon taken action on this cases, cooperates with the Ombudsman, and for certain cases when there is need directs its intervention towards the police, courts, Centers for social work, schools and other relevant institutions.

There are many reasons why children call on SOS free telephone. The children are vulnerable group in every society. They are involved in the family problems and depend on adults’ steps, which not always act conscious and correct with the children. That is way the SOS lines for help gives them opportunity to get help and express their problems. The function of the SOS telephones is very important and significant, because they are significant mechanism of connection with the children, which provides the voice of every boy or girl to be heard. Their mission is to answer upon the children needs for care and protection. It is good to know that children are separated from the help/support only by one call.

The First Children’s Embassy in the World – Megjashi is part of the international network Child Helpline International – which unites SOS services for help of children from the countries worldwide. On the 17 of May together they celebrate the fact that none of the children is alone.

SOS free line for children and youth 0 800 1 22 22 provides services which are very important for help of children and protection of their rights. Megjashi embassy appealed to the representatives of the Government, local self government, telecommunications services and social responsible business partners to support financially SOS lines for children help.

In the same time Megjashi expresses its gratitude to the Macedonian telecommunications which provides free line since year 2005, for those who call on Megjashi’s SOS telephone for children and youth.

For further information, please contact the following persons:

  • Jagoda Naskovska, social worker: + 389 76 836 710
  • Maja Fotevska, special education teacher: + 398 71 846329

Documents:

  • Statistics

    Table of Reported Cases of Child Abuse

    • SOS free telephone line: