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, this makes Romania look really bad and also Czech Republic, it looks like we keep childern locked in cages and Jo is our rescuer. I love her, she’s amazing, but it’s not good for us (Czech), now it looks like we are ‘bad people from Eastern Europe’. And I’m sad because of that.
Indeed, it does make Romania look terrible in foreigners’ eyes. And even though she just wants to help the kids here by donating money and such, the media will or already made an entire fuss about all this, and I can’t help but the doubt if there’s truly such a huge number of kids and the fact they’re treated so brutally. It just makes me wonder, because media always exaggerates almost everything.
Anyhow, I support her action, but I cannot but say that’s she’s kind of wasting her money if she involves politicians. I have to admit that corruption here is at daylight (it’s just the truth) and I sincerely hope that the money will go to the right place – the kids.
Ironic fact – now Rowling will be in foreigners’ eyes some kind of “saviour” or so and Romania will be the poor and communist remnant which still uses chains or cages to calm down kids. >_> I’m not very patriotic, but it does make me squeamish a lot in front of this entire situation.
@secunda
She should care about the UK instead. I find her behavior arrogant.
Posted by Voice of Vienna on February 27, 2008, 06:43 PM
report to moderator
In Romania the government and healthcare system are corrupt. They do nothing for the people unless bribed to do so. I’ve worked with orphans in Romania and not only are they treated poorly, but no one cares about them. They are not pitied like they are in the U.S. but are looked down upon like a lower class of people. Many orphans run away from the orphanages and live on the streets. It’s crazy how many kids live homeless and on their own in Romania, but they have no other choice. I think what Jo is doing is amazing. I love Romania and the Romanian people and while this may shed some bad light on the country, it is worth it if it makes a difference! Jo is awesome!!
Why doesn’t she help orphans from Jersey? I’ve heard hundreds of them have been molested, beaten and even killed and their bodies stacked in the building.
I just knew I’d come on here and see some negative comments thrown Jo’s way. It’s pretty ridiculous. She’s involved in a charitable organization that works to improve the conditions of children abandoned at birth as well as the conditions in the orphanages (recall the caged beds anyone?!?). Criticizing her just screams of ignorance. She’s using her notoriety to get the organization some attention… that’s the whole point! If more people know about it, more people can help.
... and just because she’s focusing on Eastern Europe doesn’t mean they’re saying everyone in Eastern Europe abandons their child or provides poor homes. GEEZ! It’s just an ongoing problem that needs attention so the situation can be improved.
We need help here in the States too with our foster care system… I think it’d be great to have some attention brought to it by a public figure.
ania – What makes the kids in Jersey worth more than the kids in Romania? All of those situations are sad, but it’s ridiculous to imply that she has to help everyone otherwise she’s not being helpful. You aren’t being fair to her by any means.
I think it’s funny how you can’t do a damn thing in this world without people finding something to bit@h about. This woman is trying to do something good. It’s a Sun article, doesn’t explain well, end of story. This reminds me of a coworker of mine who, we like to joke, would bit@h if he won a million dollars and the bills weren’t crisp enough. Who in their right minds would actually believe that Rowling is trying to force everyone to keep a baby? Who? Hahaha
You people are unbelievable. Jo shouldn’t help these children because they aren’t of the correct nationality? Seriously?
Good for you Jo – trying to do something good in this world. I can only wonder if the people bitching in this thread are making equally honest efforts to help children in need.
and RDR Books and stanford law are smearing and defaming jo, trying to paint her as a morally bankrupt greedy bad person trying to take away from the less fortunate.
on a similer note. mel, any idea when we will hear JK/WB’s reply that was suposed to be filed today?
I am Romanian, and I think some of my people are a bit too touchy about our image. It’s not the image that counts here, it’s the reality, and Rowling is willing to do something to help. I think it is quite possible that some people are too poor to keep their children. Maybe it is those people they want to help keep their children. I don’t see how anything other than financial help would do it there. Otherwise, I don’t know, but I am sure it is humane, or Jo wouldn’t support it.
ive seen A LOT of news docus about this.. and yes it is very, very tough on the children..they have mental illnesses and they were just in those ‘cages-like’ things the whole day.. the caretakers would just give them food though a hole.
although there is many institutions that have stopped doing this, a lot are still doing this treatment.
“Indeed, it does make Romania look terrible in foreigners’ eyes”
im sorry to be rude, but is that the only thing you care about? how romania will look through a foreigner’s eye.. how about those kids?
i just had to add that some comments about jo here is SO ridiculous, she isnt the first person to criticize what romania is doing, and from what ive seen in the news, their government KNOWS about this.
Just to clear out things, the one with the plan to stop kids being abandoned is Mr. Gordon Brown, not JK Rowling or Gordon’s wife. Anyways, all the article says is that Sarah Brown and JK Rowling are very passionate about Romanian child care system. Are they wrong for that? Nope. We live in a globalized world people, I can be worried about kids in other countries other than mine and that doesn’t mean that I think everything is alright in my country. Anyways, I think that JK Rowling is proving herself once more to be a great role model, one ore two celebs should take a leaf of her book.
@ Romanian peeps: Cheer up! At least people don’t think there are no universities where you live…which is more than I can say about the common opinion about Latin America…
"Harry Potter escaped me by a lucky chance. And I am now going to prove my power by killing him, here and now, in front of you all, when there is no Dumbledore to help him, and no mother to die for him."
Yes, this makes Romania look really bad and also Czech Republic, it looks like we keep childern locked in cages and Jo is our rescuer. I love her, she’s amazing, but it’s not good for us (Czech), now it looks like we are ‘bad people from Eastern Europe’. And I’m sad because of that.