SOS Children's Villages Sweden informed donors of a temporary freeze on funding to its branch in Syria after uncovering cases of unjustified separation of children from their families between 2013 and 2018, according to a copy of the letter obtained by Zaman al-Wasl.
The letter, dated July 14, 2025, confirmed that an internal review revealed that 139 children were detained without proper documentation or legal procedures in SOS Children's Villages facilities in Syria.
According to the data, 34 children were returned to their families, 104 were handed over to the authorities, and one child was transferred to a center for people with disabilities.
The organization indicated that these violations occurred within the context of practices linked to the Bashar al-Assad regime, which included the forced separation of children and their placement in alternative care without legal basis. It added that SOS International learned of the matter in 2018 and took immediate action to prevent its continuation.
The letter confirmed that the Syria branch has been under new management since 2020, working to reform procedures and enhance transparency in handling child protection cases. This is in parallel with an independent external review that has not yet been permitted to begin due to the security situation in the country.
Under the decision, donor contributions will continue to be deducted, but funds will not be transferred to Syria until the investigation is completed.
The organization emphasized that children in Syria will continue to receive support, and that ensuring their rights and interests remains the top priority. It pledged to provide an update on the progress of the investigation before the end of this year.
It is worth noting that the Swedish organization strongly condemned what it described as "the unnecessary separation of children," considering that what happened is inconsistent with the principles of protection and care on which the organization was founded.
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