Family Reunion Project

As you will know CFAB has for many years run a yearly trip to Libya for Mothers and extended family members to see their children who have been abducted there by their Libyan Fathers. Obviously our thoughts are with the children and their families in Libya and their Mother’s and relatives in the UK at this difficult time. As far as we can determine our contacts and supporters in Libya are okay and we watch developments keenly. At the conclusion of the current conflict we will seek to work with whichever Government emerges in Libya in order to continue our work there.

 

Watch the SKY NEWS documentary Libya:The Stolen Children here

CFAB has, since 1997, developed a special and unique project for families whose children have been abducted to Libya. With the co-operation of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Libyan Government, CFAB facilitates and supervises an annual family reunion in Libya, between the children and family members in the UK.

The cooperation between CFAB and the Libyan Ministry responsible for Child Welfare ensures ease of access to the country and the co-operation of the fathers and families in Libya. CFAB staff provide support and counselling for the families during the visit, and on an ongoing basis between visits.

Libya is just one of many countries whose legal system does not allow for the return of a child to his/her country of usual residence following an abduction, nor does it easily facilitate ongoing relationships between both parents and the children. Many countries have not signed up to international agreements concerning child abduction, so the abduction of a child to one of these countries poses particular problems, and a resolution in law may be impossible.

We have developed a contact with a family lawyer in Libya who has greatly helped us in understanding the law generally, as well as assisting legally with individual cases. We have now learnt that in Libya the hierarchy for custody starts with the mother, then her parents and family, and then the father, and then his parents and family. Mothers can be awarded custody but will have to be prepared to exercise this in Libya. The one case where a British mother was allowed to leave Libya with her young daughter was due to exceptional circumstances created by the father and his family behaving so unreasonably that their personal safety could no longer be guaranteed.

For many mothers ongoing contact with their abducted children may thus be impossible, unless they receive the sort of help offered by this project. The CFAB Family Reunion Project may be the only hope they have of ever seeing their children again.

We currently support over 20 families in this situation, but anticipate an ever-increasing demand as awareness of this problem grows and enquiries increase as a direct result of the media interest we are receiving in this project area.  In the last couple of years there has been an expansion in the geographical reach of CFAB, supporting families from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Sweden and Holland, as well as the UK.  Again, the expectation is that this global reach will continue to grow.

It will cost CFAB £320,000 over the next 5 years to maintain its momentum on this project and increase the number of families and children it works with.

To make a donation today to support this project please click here

 

Expansion of the Family Reunion Project into new countries

CFAB have identified an opportunity to roll-out the successful Family Reunion project into Egypt and the U.A.E. – in addition to any other country which falls outside the Hague Convention.   As with Libya, we would work within local laws and recognise the authority of the host government, and promote contact for the child with both parents.

We are currently in discussion with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office about extending this project into other Islamic countries where there are a significant number of children abducted from the UK, including UAE, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia.

We estimate that it will cost £55,000 per country per year to accomplish this and we will be entirely reliant on voluntary donations to make this happen.

To make a donation today to support this project please click here

 

Libya Reports

Libya Family Reunion Project: 2008 Report

Unfortunately the 2009 trip to Libya was cancelled. The 2010 report will be available shortly

 

The Role of CFAB

Most referrals in this category come from individuals, and each person is offered the direct support of a CFAB social worker. For people facing such painful situations on their own, this can be the most valuable help. In addition, CFAB has expert knowledge in this field and can give guidance on the relevant legislation, and can make links with the appropriate authorities and agencies in the UK and abroad.

Useful Links

Reunite