2022 Global Report

Protecting children and reuniting families across borders since 1924

WELCOME NOTE
The International Social Service (ISS) has been the leader in thefield of cross-border social work for almost 100 years. In its
leading role, ISS has been instrumental in addressing difficult
social issues and improving the lives of individuals andcommunities. The tireless work of ISS people and theircommitment to reuniting families and protecting children
remains unwavering. ISS stays dedicated to make a positive
impact all over the world.
As ISS approaches its 100th anniversary, it is important toreflect on its achievements and identify areas for
improvement. One of ISS priorities is to expand its global
outreach by engaging with more partners through developing
cooperation ventures in Southeast Asia, Southern Africa, MENA
and Latin America. Through a wider outreach, ISS aims to be astronger advocate for core issues including alternative care,child migration and search for origins to name a few.
ISS will embrace technology, such as AI, to enhance theeffectiveness and timeliness of service delivery. In addition, ISSaims to acquire the ability to measure the social impact of its
programs and the positive changes it can bring about in the
lives of individuals, families and communities.
These tools are crucial to ascertain ISS comparative advantage
and cost-effectiveness in a wide range of activities, and tobetter demonstrate accountability in its operations.
ISS will press on with all needed transformations.
We remain confident that ISS is and will continue to be, 100
years later, the preeminent international social workorganization, connecting people, networks, authorities, andexpertise in the service of individualized social solutions tocomplex cross border issues.
We hope that this publication will bring you closer to ISS and
the work of its dedicated women and men.
We look forward to working with you in the future.
JEAN AYOUBSUSAN JACOBS

SECRETARY GENERAL & CEO

CHAIR GOVERNING BOARD

CONTENTS
4 Vision, Mission & Working Values
5 ISS Operating Structure
6 ISS Global Network
1 0 Cross-border Social Services
1 2 Cases Distribution 2022
1 3 ISS at work
1 8 ISS Transformation Targets
2 0 ISS Financials
2 2 ISS GS Donors
2 5 ISS GS collaborates with
2 8 ISS Publications
2 9 100th Anniversary

VISION, MISSION & WORKING VALUES
ISS aims to ensure that respect for human rights is accorded to every
individual, especially to children.
ISS strives to support, protect, reunite, and mediate children, families, and individuals
separated as a consequence of cross border migration.
ISS is a network of interconnected NGOs and partners that works towards re-establishinglinks within a family separated by international borders.
The ISS network strives to find solutions that enhance the protection of children invulnerable situations. Our key priorities are to protect the best interest of the childabove all other considerations, and provide socio-legal counsel and psychologicalsupport. Advocacy, policy development, research, training, and capacity building areamong our main focus areas.
Our Working Values
ISS promotes and protects the rights of children, families and individuals according tohuman rights conventions, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of theChild (CRC). Inherent to this approach, ISS is prioritizing the best interests of the child by
notably using a participative approach.
Celebrating diversity, ISS continually strives for respecting and promoting theunderstanding and acceptance of all cultures worldwide.
The principles of neutrality, confidentiality, independence, transparency, andimpartiality are at the heart of ISS work.

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ISS OPERATING STRUCTURE
Geneva - ISS General Secretariat (ISS GS)
The ISS General Secretariat has been based in Geneva, Switzerland, since 1924. It is a legal
entity recognized under Swiss law. The Secretary General/CEO coordinates the
programs of the ISS GS and its activities. In order to fulfil his/her duties, the Secretary
General is supported by the staff and volunteers of the GS.
The ISS General Secretariat is in charge of the following collective tasks for the network:
Guaranteeing the coherence and coordination of network's activities
Developing and strengthening the operational capacity of network's members
Coordinating, sustaining, supervising and assessing the functioning of network's
activities
Organizing the communication and knowledge sharing of the organization
Representing the organization and advocating at an international level.

West Africa - Regional officeInternational Social Service - West Africa regional office (ISS-WA) was created in 2012
and is located in Dakar, Senegal, With a staff composed of professionals from all overWest Africa, ISS-WA handles all cross-border casework for the network internationallyand within its region.

Asia Pacific - Regional office
The Asia Pacific regional office was reintroduced in 2018 and is fully supported by ISS
Hong Kong. Its main activity is to identify, recruit and train ISS future members in the
Asia-Pacific region.
As we expand in Southeast Asia, North and South Africa as well as in Latin America,
regional roles and set up will be revisited to ensure maximum efficiency.

Consultative Committees
The Professional Advisory Committee
The Professional Advisory Committee (PAC) is composed of CEOs or Executive Directorsof all ISS Members. The PAC brings forward the collective expertise in the social work
area and shares good practice for the benefit of the ISS network.

The Casework Coordinators' GroupThe Casework Coordinators’ (CC) Group is composed of senior social workers . The
group provides expert knowledge and advice on casework and other matters relevant
to ISS core activities.

GovernanceISS operating structure is governed by the ISS Governing Board and ISS
International Council as well as thematic committees based on needs.
-05-ISS GLOBAL NETWORKThe ISS global network comprises members, including members ad interim, in more than
120 countries.
Members are either not-for-profit organizations, legally independent or governmental
entities, considered fully fledged members of ISS. They have signed a special agreementwith the General Secretariat aiming for the implementation of one or more activities ofthe organization. Members can participate in the Governing Board, International Council
and Consultative Committees.
Members ad interim are linked to ISS by a general agreement aiming for the
implementation of one or more activities of the organization. Members ad interim areinvited to become members following a certain period of activity. Once members, they
can participate fully in ISS network's processes.

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WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS
Our network development officers would love to have a conversation withyou about possible future cooperation.
Please email and express your interest at
cooperation@iss-ssi.org”Individually, we are one drop. Together, we
are an ocean.”— Ryunosuke Satoro-06-

ISS MEMBERS
EuropeBelgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
FranceGermany (Berlin)
Germany (Frankfurt)
GreeceHungary
IrelandItaly
LatviaMalta
Moldova
Netherlands
Portugal
Romania
SerbiaSwitzerland
United Kingdom

AfricaCameroon
Cape Verde
Kenya
MauritiusSouth Africa-07-

Americas
CanadaUnited States of America
Venezuela

Asia and Oceania
Australia
Bangladesh
Hong-Kong
IsraelJapan
Lebanon
Nepal
New-ZealandPakistan
Philippines
Turkey-08-

Our working partners
ISS MEMBERS A.I.

Americas

EuropeArgentina
BermudaBrazilCayman Islands
Chile
Colombia
Dominican Republic
EcuadorEl Salvador
GuyanaHaiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Uruguay

Albania
Croatia
CyprusEstonia
FinlandLithuania
Luxembourg
MonacoNorth Macedonia
NorwayPolandSlovenia
Spain
UkraineAfricaAsia & Oceania

Algeria
AngolaBenin
Burkina Faso
BurundiCentral African Republic
Congo - BrazzavilleCongo - Kinshasa
Egypt
Ethiopia
Gabon
GambiaGhana
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Conakry
Ivory Coast
Liberia
Madagascar
MalawiMali

Mauritania
MoroccoNamibia
Niger
Nigeria
RwandaSenegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
SomaliaSouth Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
UgandaZambiaZimbabwe-09-

Afghanistan
Cambodia
China
Georgia
India
Indonesia
Iraq
JordanLaos
Mongolia
Palestine
Sri Lanka
Singapore
South Korea
Syria
TaiwanThailand
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
VietnamYemen

CROSS-BORDER SOCIAL SERVICES
The core activity of the ISS Global Network members is
to provide cross-border social services.
Child Protection
Child abuse alert / notification
Child welfare assessment / report (for placement)
Birth-parent assessment / report (for placement)
Kinship assessment / report for placement
Foster placement assessment/report
Residential care assessment/report
Assessment / report for visitation and / or access (child incare)
Post-placement child welfare assessment / report
Obtain documents (birth certificate, school records, etc.)
Prior involvement record check (foster care / kinship, childprotection)
Child trafficking

Child Abduction
Child abduction alert / notification
Child welfare assessment / report
Pre-mediation
Mediation
Prevention & Counselling (including legal)
Obtain documents

Family Welfare / Custody & Access
Cross-cultural counselling
Pre-mediation
Mediation
Advise and support to (re-) establish access / contact &custody
Tracing
Family Reunification
Assessment / report for custody/access/maintenanceObtain documents-10-Adult Protection
Adult abuse alert
Adult placement assessment/report
Migrant, asylum seeker, refugee support
Identify/notify curator for adult/legal guardian
Transfer of social benefits
Obtain documents

Children on the Move
TracingReunification
Obtain documents (ex: birth certificate, passport)
Repatriation / Reintegration
Legal support and counselling
Psychological support and counselling
Assessment / report for planning (on child or for possible
placement)

Surrogacy / Donor Conceived Person (DCP)
Counselling family
Assessment / report of prospective parents
Tracing
Family reunification

Pre & Post-Adoption Care
Suitability assessment / report of prospective adoptive
parents (PAPs)
Counselling and preparation of PAPs
Post-adoption follow up and/or support
Post-adoption tracing and family reunification
Relative adoption (In-family)
Obtain documents-11-

CASES AND ENQUIRIES DISTRIBUTION 2022

ADULT
PROTECTION
5%CHILDREN ON
THE MOVE
8%FAMILYWELFARECUSTODY &ACCESS
25%

PRE & POSTADOPTION
12%ISS CASESCHILDABDUCTION
14%

CHILD
PROTECTION36%

ISS handles an average of 75'000 cases andenquiries every year** Each year a number of cases are closed, a number opened, and a
non negligible number carried forward.

-12-

ISS AT WORKNETWORK DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING
From its presence in 120+ countries today,
ISS ambitions to grow further to reach 175
members by its 100th anniversary in 2024.
A dedicated Network Development andTraining (NDT) team is at the helm of thissubstantial effort to develop the network,with the support of ISS Directors andCasework Coordinators.
ISS expects its members to provide topnotch cross-border case management
in a timely and structured manner,
following the ISS Casework Manual
directives.
For this purpose, all new members haveto follow ISS basic training courses
completed with thematic workshops.
Furthermore, while training on the job,
members are continuously in touch with
ISS professionals and other actors to build
and adapt their skills as needed.
A Code of Conduct and several policies
andguidelines
governISS
workrequirements.
2022 NDT ACHIEVEMENTS

Reorganization of the NDT team tobetter serve the ISS Network.
Use of internal databases andplatforms allowing the NDT team toprovide support and maintenanceto ISS members.
Improved daily communication
between the Network and theGeneral Secretariat of ISS.
Start of revision of ISS Service Fees
System and Membership
Procedures.

Search for potential members innearly 20 countries.
Recruitment of 13 new members.

Review of NDT Strategy to define ISS
key NDT objectives.

Review of contractual cooperation
with 52 existing members.
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ISS AT WORK
INTERNATIONAL REFERENCE CENTER
The International Reference Centre for the Rights of Children Deprived of their
Family (ISS/IRC) is a programme of the ISS General Secretariat established in Geneva in
1993. As ISS is preparing its 100th anniversary in 2024, ISS/IRC will also celebrate animportant milestone since its creation in 1993; 30 years of actively developing andimplementing international standards for children deprived of their family, or at risk ofbeing so.
The promotion of children’s rights in alternative care and adoption, and the exchange ofknowledge and experience in these realms would not have been possible thanks to thefaithful and invaluable support of many government entities funding the ISS/IRC services
as well as other partners, including non-governmental agencies and experts around theworld. To date, there are now 22 countries supporting the ISS/IRC, in addition tofinancial support for specific projects and missions.
The core activities of ISS/IRC include drafting of country situation analyses, responding to
specific enquiries, publication of a bimonthly newsletter and maintenance of an online
documentation center. Besides these core services, ISS/IRC also provides training andtechnical assistance and participates in multi stakeholder initiatives and meetings .
2022 ISS/IRC HIGHLIGHTS
18 country situation analyses were prepared and published.
Special inquiries on at least 60 countries and over 40 different topics were treated.
Technical assistance and training
An online training on domestic and intercountry adoption in Burkina Faso for
100 key state actors.
Phase 3 follow-up project, throughout the summer 2022, providing training
modules and technical assistance to the Dirección de Niñez, Adolescencia yFamilia in Honduras
Morocco; Development of Standard Operating Procedures for the assessment
and determination of the best interests of children on the move. In September
2022, a first workshop was held in Tangier for more than 40 participants,
composed of national experts from the Présidence du Ministère Public,
representatives of public authorities, civil society, and internationalorganizations such as IOM, directly or indirectly involved in situations of children
in migration, working in the contexts of Oujda, Tangier or the central level
actively participated in the workshop.
Special mandate by Flemish Central adoption authority to conduct assessments on
the alternative care and adoption situation in 21 countries based on an assessment
framework with pre-identified questions.

-14-ISS AT WORKRESEARCH & ADVOCACY
Promoting the rights of children and families continues to be the main focus of ISS
and is part of our daily work. ISS conducts advocacy at multiple levels. It primarily aims
to impact key stakeholders and decision makers through targeted projects. Advocacy
partners include government authorities, UN agencies, NGOs, internationalorganizations and professionals.
2022 RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY HIGHLIGHTS
ISS/IRC has continued sharing regular updates on
the Ukraine-Russia war via its Newsletter. In March
2022, IRC developed a multilingual Fact sheet on
legal questions and topics that arose from themassive displacement of many children andfamilies. Further, IRC actively participated inmeetings, as well as in the development of a jointstatement on a moratorium on intercountry
adoption, and technical documents in the context
of the Subgroup on children’s care during the
Ukraine crisis,
During the ISS International Council of November 2022, a motion on search fororigins and family reunification processes in the context of adoption was adopted.
This motion recalls that search for origins and family reunification processes are
traditionally at the heart of ISS network actions. This confirmation vote by the ISS
International Council enables the ISS General Secretariat and ISS members to jointly
develop programmes and training, educational material as well as partnerships toconsolidate ISS knowledge, expertise and skills providing timely and professional services
to adopted persons as well as their families. ISS has planned to conduct a network wide
mapping, providing further insight into ISS member's concrete work in relation to searchfor origins and family reunification.
ISS also participated in following Conferences
11th reunion of the Experts’ Group on Parentage / Surrogacy of the Hague Conference
on Private International Law (HCCH)
2022 HCCH Special Commission on the practical operation of the 1993 Hague
Convention
14th international conference of Euradopt with as main topic ”Sustainability inintercountry adoption”
Online consultation organised by the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinatorfor Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (OSR/CTHB),
Event organised by the Italian Central Authority on adoption breakdowns-15-ISS AT WORKALTERNATIVE CARE PROGRAM
The ISS global program, established in 2012, “A
better future is possible” is designed topromote safe and nurturing family care forchildren out of parental care. While in somecountries, we have a special focus on children
with disabilities (CWD), we target all children inline with national strategies and priorities fordeinstitutionalization
andprotectionofchildren. This includes supporting national carereforms for children, in particular, efforts
towards family reunification, alternative familybased care, and influencing main stakeholders
toward family care.
2022 ALTERNATIVE CARE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTSVIETNAM ISS has started a pilot program on Family Reintegration for children withdisabilities (CWD) empowering families to strengthen their parenting skills andmaking sure family reintegration is safe, successful, and sustainable. Three pilot
provinces were selected by the Ministry Of Labour Invalids and Social Affairs. (HàNội,Kontum, Bình Dương).
A first training workshop on family reintegration procedures, addressed to the social
workforce of these 3 pilot provinces, is scheduled in March 2023. ISS envisions drafting
reintegration procedures adapted to the needs of CWD, and conducting 20
reintegration plans in each pilot province with a small number of CWD and theirfamilies.
IVORY COAST Following a need’s assessment on the alternative care system forchildren with disabilities conducted in 2021 in direct collaboration with the Child
Welfare Authorities (DPE), ONG Vie Saine, ISS France and ISS West Africa Office, ISS
has turned some of the recommendations into concrete and unique technicalassistance. ISS technical assistance has two main components; 1) prevent family
separation at the community level and 2) pave the way to promote family
reintegration and foster care through dedicated strategic tools, adapted procedures,and training of the social workforce. A field assignment took place end of November
2022 strengthening the capacity of 350 community volunteers in targeted areas forearly detection/intervention of children with disabilities in vulnerable families toprevent unnecessary separation-16-

CAMBODIA In 2022, ISS Australia took part in the national training effort of theCambodian social workforce led by the National Institute of Social Affairs, Specificmodules on Disability have been included in the national training curriculum. In August
2022, ISS Australia, in collaboration with the ISS General Secretariat trained a cohort ofnational trainers on disability-related issues and adapted social work with UNICEF
Cambodia support.
HAITI ISS has been addressing the needs of allchildren in residential care in collaboration with
Institut du Bien Etre Social et de Recherches,
Rapha International, and the US-based nonprofit SPOON, generously supported by the
Embassy of France in Haiti. ISS focuses its
activities on the public Transit Center based in
Port au Prince as a crucial and good starting
point for this project. Despite the increased
insecurity and current political crisis in the
country, ISS managed to start working on
reintegration plans for 10 children.
Currently, ISS is drafting standardized operatingprocedures for family reintegration. The SOPs
recall basic principles applicable to family
reintegration processes and propose a 9-stepprocedure for a successful family reintegration
adapted to the Haitian realities.
BURKINA FASO ISS has implemented a foster care program for children with disabilities
in collaboration with child protection authorities, ISS West Africa, the National Union of the
Residential Care Institutions with support of generous donors. As a result, a small pilotgroup of children has successfully transited from residential care to family care (family oforigin, kinship and foster care). ISS still provides follow-up and support services to a pilotgroup of children and their families, and is planning to scale up.

"The true measure of any society can befound in how it treats its mostvulnerable members.".Mahatma Ghandi-17-ISS TRANSFORMATION TARGETS
2020-2024
As we draw nearer to our 100th anniversary, we want toconsolidate our capacity to face unprecedented complex
social challenges causing migration and families andchildren being separated across borders. ISS is working
towards five transformation targets;

CONTINUE
Network Development & Training
ISS aims to recruit new members to expand andconsolidate our global outreach, with currently 120
members and 2 regional offices. From 2022 onwards, ISS’global online training system will become the standard;
ISS members will be asked to participate in periodic andrefresher training workshops and in new training programs
covering specialized topics.

CREATE
Knowledge & Research Platform
Anchored in Geneva, the knowledge and research platform
will include 9 decades of experience from tens of thousands
ISS conducted cross-border cases. 200 linear meters of ISS
archives will be digitalized and integrated into the
database. Research and publication capacity, in support ofISS advocacy in child protection and children's rights, will
expand exponentially.
The ISS knowledge and research platform will be an opensource and multi-linguistic system.

-18-

IMPROVE
Social Work thanks to Artificial
Intelligence (AI)AI technology will be used by ISS to bring
improvements to our current social work service
delivery methodology, leveraging the organisational
history of casework to eliminate repetitive work, cut
costs, free up time for caseworkers and allow themto remain focused on ISS beneficiaries.

INSTIGATE AND MEASURE
Social Impact
ISS seeks to better quantify and qualify its social impact
worldwide. Through the years, ISS has collected substantial
data on the number of cases and beneficiaries of its
interventions.
Introducing standard Key Performance Indicators across the
network and using existing data on successes andchallenges, will enhance ISS capacity to measure its impact.
This in turn will improve our accountability in service
delivery and strengthen ISS' competitive edge in crossborder social work, leading to better services for the people
we assist.

ENHANCE
External Communication &Fundraising
ISS strives to reach a larger public worldwide and engage
potential donors and sponsors. For that, we will use various
channels of communication, including social media, local
and international press and podcasts.
ISS also aims to strengthen internal communications within
the network, which will help to streamline branding acrossmembers.
Communicating ISS' activities, vision and mission, is criticalto reach different audiences, including donors and partners,
and to understand the value and impact of the organization.

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2022 FINANCIALSNETWORKOVERSIGHT

TRANSFORMING
ISS

HUMAN
CAPITAL&
OVERHEAD
COSTS

PROJECTSIMPLEMENTATIONADVOCACY&
PUBLICATIONSCOMMUNICATION& FUNDRAISING

90% of the ISS General Secretariat resources are invested for
direct impact on
CHILD AND FAMILY PROTECTION OBJECTIVES-20-

2022 FINANCIALS
Profit and loss statement for the financial year ended December 31, 2022(with comparative figures for the financial year 2021)
2022
CHF

2021
CHF

Membership and contributions for General Secretariat
Donations
Consultancy and other income
Loss on ISS and IRC contributions

730'096
95'40547'810(35'023)744'883
100'407
20'102(3'648)TOTAL OPERATING INCOME

838'288861'744TOTAL OPERATING COSTS:(846'773) (766'981)

Salaries, social charges, rent, utilities, representation, travel,
IT, office supplies and governance support

Recognition of funds used for projects
Recognition of funds allocated to projects

419'575(361'395)

298'238(256'136)

ALLOCATED FUNDS RESULT

58'18142'102

DEPRECIATIONS AND IMPAIRMENTS(17'021)(12'577)

Bank fees and exchange loss

(9'826)(1'191)FINANCIAL RESULT(9'826)(1'191)

Charges on previous years0(45'000)

EXCEPTIONAL PROFITS AND LOSSES

0(45'000)

NET RESULT FOR THE YEAR

22'849-21-

78'098

ISS GS DONORS

Fondation ABOUZEIDKNOTT Family New York

Many private
donors whowish to remain
anonymous-22-

ISS GS DONOR GOVERNMENTS-23-

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR DONORS!
Donor support, both private and institutional, is crucial to allow us
to fulfil our mission and ambition. Your support will accompany ISS
Transformation Targets 2020-2024, and help ISS design its next 100 yearsof dedicated services to children and families.

EVERY DONATION COUNTS
IBAN: CH5800279279C01457310
BIC: UBSWCHZH80A“Be certain that you do not die without having done something
wonderful for humanity.”— Maya Angelou-24-ISS GS COLLABORATES WITH
International Organizations-25-

International Organizations-26-

Academic Partners-37-27-

ISS PUBLICATIONS-28-

100TH ANNIVERSARY
In 2024, the ISS Global Network will be celebrating its centennial
anniversary with a wide range of activities and events worldwide
including a communications campaign, a travelling exhibition, aseries of videos and testimonials, and a fundraising gala.

Interested to Join the ISS Centennial Events Team?
The ISS has established a Centennial events and communicationteam to coordinate centennial activities and events.
ISS members need your help with marketing and external
communications and organization of fun activities all over theworld.
CONTACTISS CEO and Secretary General
Mr Jean Ayoub
jean.ayoub@iss-ssi.org-29-

International Social Service - General Secretariat
32, Quai du Seujet
1201 Geneva, Switzerland+41 22 906 77 00
info@iss-ssi.org
www.iss-ssi.org