The National Network for Children Marks 20 Years

Sofia, 26 June

More than 200 professionals, children and young people from nearly 80 organisations across the country took part in the 2026 Annual Meeting of the National Network for Children (NNC). The forum was held in Sofia and was particularly special this year, as it coincided with the 20th anniversary of NNC—the largest alliance of organisations working for the rights and well-being of children in Bulgaria.

Traditionally, the opening session was led by young people from the Megaphone programme, who welcomed the participants and presented the agenda of the three-day forum. We at BFPA are among the most active members of the Network.

During the meeting, a new Board of Directors was elected, with Alexandrina Dimitrova from the Cedar Foundation chosen as Chair.

“Over the past two decades, the Network has established itself as one of the most recognised and consistent voices advocating for children’s rights in Bulgaria. But our greatest achievement is the community we have built—a community of hundreds of organisations, thousands of professionals, children, young people, volunteers, partners and supporters who share the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to grow up safe, heard and supported,” said Georgi Bogdanov, Executive Director of the National Network for Children.

To mark its 20th anniversary, the National Network for Children also highlighted some of the most significant achievements made possible through the collective efforts of its member organisations over the years. These include contributing to the deinstitutionalisation process, helping more than 10,000 children move from institutional care into family-based environments, advancing adoption system reforms, improving access to healthcare services and securing specialised medical nutrition for children, advocating for better education policies, supporting the development of the Megaphone Youth Network, and launching the creation of the Children’s House—a long-standing dream shared by the NNC community.

Despite the challenging social and political environment, in 2025 the member organisations of the National Network for Children reached more than 150,000 children and 20,000 families across Bulgaria.

One of the wonderful things we are taking away from the National Network for Children’s anniversary Annual Meeting is our very own “Encyclopedia of Children’s Organisations in Bulgaria”, compiled with great care, dedication and attention to detail by Georgi Bogdanov. We are proud that BFPA has its well-deserved place in its pages. The book traces more than 150 years of history, featuring over 600 organisations, initiatives, individuals and civic activists who have contributed to the development of child policies and the protection of children’s rights in Bulgaria. Another special moment for BFPA was the recognition awarded to Dr. Radosveta Stamenkova, who received the “For Wisdom, Support and Growth” award—a potted ginseng plant that we will proudly care for in our office.Charity, philanthropy and caring for children did not begin with us. They are part of a 150-year tradition that deserves to be remembered, appreciated and carried forward by future generations. Our heartfelt thanks to the National Network for Children for bringing us together, inspiring us and reminding us of the strength of our shared mission. We wish the Network many more successful years ahead—another 20 times 20!

20 Achievements for 20 Years of the National Network for Children

1. We secured important additions to Bulgaria’s National Health Strategy 2030, affecting all mothers and children in the country. Over the coming years, the proportion of breastfed infants should increase, while the government is expected to introduce measures to address gambling and screen addiction, among other priorities.
2. The Ministry of Education adopted amendments increasing the number of excused absences for “family reasons” to 15 days. As a result, around 700,000 students and their parents will no longer need to wait for hours to obtain a medical certificate for short-term absences or minor illnesses.
3. We persuaded the National Health Insurance Fund to introduce two new reimbursement codes for life-saving enteral nutrition, ensuring that more than 550 children and adults will no longer have to rely on fundraising campaigns to access essential medical nutrition.
4. For six consecutive years, together with our supporters, we have donated dream books to children for Christmas. The campaign “A Child Is Waiting for Magic. Be the Magician—Give a Book!” has become one of NNC’s longest-running and most successful initiatives. Thanks to more than 8,000 donors and partners, nearly 20,000 children without access to age-appropriate books have received one.
5. We contributed to shaping Bulgaria’s deinstitutionalisation strategy. More than 10,000 children were moved from institutional care into family-based environments.
6. We successfully advocated for schools to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, when shopping malls and casinos remained open while children were kept out of classrooms.
7. We achieved reforms in Bulgaria’s adoption system, positively affecting the lives of approximately two million children, biological parents, relatives and adoptive families.
8. We secured amendments to the Civil Registration Act, giving more than 120,000 citizens over the age of 14 access to identity documents and public services, despite lacking a permanent address due to poverty.
9. In 2025, NNC’s Megaphone Youth Network was successfully adapted and introduced in Kosovo, becoming the first Bulgarian model of child participation implemented nationwide in another Balkan country.
10. In 2026, the “Child-Friendly Company” certificate was registered as a European trademark, paving the way for the model to be implemented beyond Bulgaria. The Kosovo Foundation for Children (KOMF) has already become its first international partner.
11. After nearly 20 years of vision, commitment and perseverance, construction began on the “Children’s House”—the future home of the National Network for Children, created by and for a community that believes every child deserves to be heard, supported and empowered to succeed.
12. In 2026, NNC assumed coordination of the “Networks in Action” project, bringing together seven leading civil society networks and organisations in Bulgaria and one in Switzerland to strengthen democracy, civic participation and a resilient civil society.
13. Following years of advocacy by civil society organisations, we helped restore the Public Council for the National Children’s Hospital, ensuring continued transparency, public participation and protection of the interests of more than one million children in Bulgaria.
14. More than 400 children and young people are now part of Megaphone, NNC’s youth network, where young people from across Bulgaria speak up about their rights and actively participate in issues that affect their lives.
15. Following years of advocacy by NNC and partner organisations, Bulgaria joined the UN’s global INSPIRE initiative, marking an important step towards more effective violence prevention and a stronger child protection system.
16. Education became a separate policy portfolio within Sofia Municipality, led by a dedicated Deputy Mayor. This important structural change places greater emphasis on policies for children and young people in the capital—a goal NNC actively advocated for over several years.
17. To mark the Network’s 20th anniversary, we collected and preserved the history of more than 600 organisations, initiatives and individuals in the Encyclopedia of Children’s Organisations in Bulgaria, recognising those who have shaped child rights and child policy in the country.
18. As a result of NNC’s long-term advocacy, parents now have the right to attend mediation information sessions during family disputes, encouraging solutions that are in the best interests of the child.
19. NNC has established lasting influence on child-related legislation, regardless of political changes or parliamentary majorities, through the Parliamentary Group for Children, which is re-established with every newly elected Parliament.
20. NNC’s Legal Aid Network has initiated and pursued dozens of strategic court cases, some already successfully concluded—such as the case securing access to medical nutrition for children—with the aim of improving judicial practice, legislation and public policies affecting children and families. Each year, more than 40 lawyers provide legal assistance on hundreds of cases involving Network member organisations, as well as children and families throughout Bulgaria.