Organization’s general purpose and missions
Missing Persons’ Families Support Centre is a public, independent, non-profit, and voluntary organization uniting people who help missing persons’ families, victims of human trafficking and families of such victims.
In order to be able to realize its mission the Centre lobbies state policy so as to put an end to human trafficking and cooperates with NGOs, both in Lithuania and abroad.
Actions
Ever since it began, the Center has organized and established 77 projects. The projects are supported by the government of the Republic of Lithuania, the funds come sometimes from foreign countries, and the embassies of foreign countries in Lithuania.
The Centre provided rehabilitation services for 56 victims of human trafficking during 2004-2007.
In 2008, they carried out 8 projects.
In the “Girl power” programme, Emmaus Europe’s support was used for the integration of the victims of human trafficking (for nutrition, salaries for social and payments for public utilities).
Among other assistance could be mentioned:
- Effective assistance to overcome the crisis
- Help to avoid the odds among the inhabitants of the shelter
- Prepare woman for the legal process and represent women in the institutions of the law
- Being on duty at the shelter twenty for hours a day so as to ensure moral and physical security of the victims.
Thanks to the Centre’s lobbying and its actions, the Lithuanian Parliament recognized in 2008 May 25th as the International missing children’s day , recognized by a growing number of nations since 1983 in memory of Etan Patz, disappeared on May 25th 1979 in the United States.
The Centre organized for this day a commemoration for the children who were once missing and for those who are still missing today. The objective is to raise awareness to this danger amongst the population so as to decrease the number of missing children.
On October 2nd 2008, the Centre organized a public campaign called « Don’t sell yourself » at the Vilnius Town Hall, Lithuania.
This campaign mobilized about a hundred school children from the Vilnius and Alytus areas who, accompanied by their teachers, drew together a 20 meters-long banner saying No to human trafficking their own way.