Belgium

Belgium is located in Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and France. The capital is Brussels. In 2004 its population was estimated at 10.3 million with a growth rate of 0.16 percent. The country is legally bilingual with 60 percent speaking Dutch and 40 percent speaking French. German is also an official language, however, it is spoken in less than 1 percent of the country. Seventy-five percent of the country is Roman Catholic, while the remaining 25 percent is primarily Protestant.

Belgium has few natural resources, and so it imports large quantities of raw materials and exports a large number of manufactured goods, making it unusually reliant on the world market. Belgium has a debt of £15 million, but also gives £500 million to international economic aid. Belgium also has organisations working to improve the lives of street children abroad.

Members

Action International Ministries

SOS Children's Villages

Publications

Life without Basic Service ''Street Children Say''
This study builds on the learning of Street Diary (Save the Children UK, 2001), giving theopportunity for a group of children to represent their own analysis of their situation. Itexamines the human and emotional dimension of life on the street. This is not astatistical or quantitative research but is representative of the feelings of children livingon the street about their lives and organisations working with them.

Networking for Policy Change: An Advocacy Training Manual

Organizational Diagnosis for Advocacy
When groups are considering advocacy, it is helpful for them to assess what advocacy actually can offer their organization, what some of the benefits and risks might be and what organizational barriers might influence their success.

Resources