Lithuania has selected seven Ukrainian NGOs for funding under the “Children First. Protection of Ukraine’s Future” call for proposals. EUR 600,000 will support projects helping to bring home Ukrainian children abducted by russia and strengthen accountability for crimes committed against them.
The organisations were brought together at the Embassy of Lithuania in Kyiv on the eve of Ukraine’s Independence Day, for the “Children First” Recognition Ceremony, attended by First Lady of Lithuania Diana Nausėdienė.
“Organisations represented here today have chosen to take on some of the hardest and most important work this war has created: finding Ukrainian children, helping them return home, supporting their families, and ensuring that the crimes committed against them are properly documented and investigated by the societies and authorities,” said First Lady of Lithuania Diana Nausėdienė.
The seven organisations were selected and will implement their projects over the next 6-12 months. Their work will focus on creating practical opportunities for Ukrainian children and their families to return from deportation and temporarily occupied territories, while strengthening accountability for crimes committed against them.
“We hope the selected projects will contribute to realmechanisms that can actually help bring childrenhome. Lithuania is providing the funding, and we at the Lithuanian International Partnership Centre are proud to put that support into action. In a very short timeframe, the call attracted 23 applications. Today, thestrongest projects have been selected, led by organisations with the expertise to do the real work. The task is extremely difficult, but the direction must remain clear: towards home and towards justice,” said Šarūnas Radvilavičius, Head of The Branch of the Lithuanian Central Project Management Agency in Kyiv.
About the “Children First. Protection of Ukraine’s Future”
“Children First. Protection of Ukraine’s Future” is Lithuania’s broader programme supporting Ukrainian children abducted by russia. It brings together four interconnected areas: the return of Ukrainian children, accountability, rehabilitation and reintegration, and support for Ukraine’s child-care system. Lithuania has stated its intention to allocate at least EUR 10 million to activities across these areas.
The programme is implemented The Branch of the Public Institution Central Project Management Agency – Lithuanian International Partnerships Center, in cooperation with Ukrainian institutions and partners.The current call for proposals within the programme is financed by Lithuania’s Fund for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid. Up to EUR 600,000 has been allocated to the call, with individual projects receiving between EUR 30,000 and EUR 100,000 for activities lasting 6–12 months.
