The organization Save the Children issued a statement to express its position after the raids carried out on Thursday, April 25, by the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (Feci) at its headquarters in the Guatemalan capital.
The operation, according to the Public Ministry (MP), was part of an international investigation related to alleged abuses against children.
While Save the Children in the statement indicated that “it is the leading organization in the defense of the rights of children and adolescents in the world.”
“We have been shocked and disconcerted by the unprecedented search of our offices by the Guatemalan Public Ministry. “No specific allegation was made known to us, and there is no evidence to support any allegation of misconduct,” he argued.
He added: “We defend the rights of children and adolescents, and ensure that they survive, learn and are protected from harm in more than 100 countries around the world. For almost 50 years we have worked in Guatemala with different ministries and municipalities on health and nutrition programs for children, access to education and food in the public school system, and assistance to boys, girls, adolescents and their families during emergencies.”
He stated: “we have protected children from any abuse of their rights. “We do not facilitate – and we have never done so – the transfer of children or adolescents out of Guatemala.”
The international NGO highlighted that its decades of work in favor of Guatemalan children speak of its “commitment and responsibility” to the minors and families with whom they work to guarantee the protection of their beneficiaries.
“As a respected international organization based in the UK, we adhere to the highest standards in child protection and financial management. We are also accountable to the UK Charities Commission and our books are audited annually by multiple donors,” he highlighted.
Save the Children added that it will remain dedicated to providing aid in humanitarian and development contexts to children, adolescents and their families in Guatemala.
On the day of the operation, the MP explained that the procedure was carried out in coordination with the National Civil Police and involved “a raid, inspection, search and seizure of evidence at the headquarters of a Non-Governmental Organization, in follow-up to an investigation of a nature.” transnational that encompasses actions that could be related to violations and abuses against Guatemalan children.”
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— COINCIDIR Association (@Acoincidirgt) April 26, 2024
#Raids #MPfuerteYfirme #FECES
The Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity, in coordination with the National Civil Police, carries out search, inspection, registration and seizure of evidence at the headquarters of a Non-Governmental Organization, in pursuit of a… pic.twitter.com/PwisrqQg99— MP of Guatemala (@MPguatemala) April 25, 2024
#Save #Children #speaks #due #diligence #Feci #headquarters #Guatemala