Previously we have reported on efforts made by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling to help raise awareness and change regarding the plight of orphaned children in Eastern European countries. A founder of the Children’s High Level Group and active with the Children’s Voice campaign, Jo has written on her website in the past about the plight of disabled and mentally handicapped children locked in cages, and her commitment to seeing conditions improve for these orphaned children. Today, UK newspaper The Sun reports that Jo is continuing in this effort as she and the wife of UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown will meet with the wife of visiting Romanian President Calin Popescu-Tariceanu in London. The paper reports
The plan is to help tackle health care problems in the East European country that can lead to disabilities.Mr Brown also wants to support efforts to stop babies being abandoned at hospitals.A Downing Street insider said: “This is an issue which Sarah and JK are passionate about.“They’ve been grateful for the willingness of the Romanian government to engage in serious discussion about it.”
UPDATE: There is a new report online now, from the British Embassy in Bucharest, Romania, with a photo of JKR at this meeting. The press release says The participants at the meeting agreed on the impressive progress that Romania had already made and on the importance of further collaboration and exchanges of best practices… A second outcome of the meeting is that Bucharest will host a seminar gathering officials from child protection fora, NGOs and business representatives, later in the year.The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown commented: “I am delighted that this meeting has taken place today. Although there is still work to be done, Romania is helping to show the way on how to tackle the challenges faced by children with disabilities. Britain and Romania will continue to work together in this important area.”
Readers will recall Jo made a trip to Romania several years ago, and visited some of these children; photos from this previous trip are available here in our galleries.
Yes, Jo is amazing. Unfortunately the other side involved in this, namely the romanian govt only does this because 2008 is election year. Funny how they remember these thing every 4th year…...
Stop children being abandoned in hospitals? How? Do they mean that giving up babies for adoption is wrong, somehow? Women who give birth have already performed a great sacrifice, giving of their health, bodies and youths. Now they’ve chosen to give their babies up, and it’s up to the state and the state’s social programs. It’s NOT up to the state to ruin these women’s lives, and neither it is to Brown or Rowling. They can try and better these children’s conditions, not to intrude into private lives.
@ Kulyok: I think it doesn’t mean intruding in their lives legally by making their choice to give their babies to adoption illegal, but making it easier for women to keep their kids, this is, trying to solve the problem starting by the base of it all.
And, even if this woman gave up her health, her body and her youth to have that baby, that baby didn’t come out of the blue.
Perhaps they mean that babies are being left by mums at hospitals without the authorities knowledge. You know – mums abandoing their babies by leaving them within the hospital & walking away without them.
Posted by Mrs BJ Williams on February 27, 2008, 01:23 PM
report to moderator
To Kulyok, do you honestly think that it’s Jo’s plan to ruin a woman’s life? Remember that she was a struggling single mother herself once and I bet she wouldn’t wish that one anyone. If you abandon a baby at a hospital in Romania it’s not like in the US or UK, there is no home for that child, or a plan to give them one. I’m a big one in believing that no one should make you have a child, but do you honestly think the only plan that Jo and Mrs. Brown have is to force mothers to take their babies home? That’s almost guaranteeing that neither the child or the mother will have a good life. Think about it.
oh god. this makes romania look so bad in europe’s eyes. no that it didn’t look like that before, but still. there are loving mothers and normal parents in romania too, just so you know. it’s true that we need help, but i guess i’m too proud to accept it.
UUUU…..that’s just amazing! I wish I could help,but I don’t even have enough money for myself. Not only she wrote the books that changed our lifes, now she’s helping to other people…. your great. I can even compare her with Oprah!!!
wants to support efforts to stop babies being abandoned at hospitals
What shall i think about that? Are child and mother now forced to lead a 18-year long fight, because the mother is forced to love a baby she didn´t want?
Where will she put the baby instead? Dead in the streets? Although this can´t be Jo´s plan it sounds like that.
fiiiiiiiirst !! Jo you are an amaring woman !!!! Cool