Thhe 39th annual Conference of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Spouses and Families Association AISBL (EUFASA) brought together 58 representatives of 21 countries, among which representatives of family & spouse associations as well as family officers from Ministries of Foreign Affairs. Slovenia was welcomed as a new member of EUFASA.
Children Mental Health
The EUFASA Working Group on Children, which is chaired by the AFDP – Portugal, conducted a survey among EUFASA associations to analyse the type of support that is provided by MFAS to children of diplomats that suffer from mental health issues related to their mobile life (depression, anxiety, etc). The findings of the survey can be consulted here.
The main finding is that although several Ministries of Foreign Affairs (MFAs) have an in-house psychologist or a contact person in case of mental health issues, the majority do not have any support available to children.
A best practice case was presented by the Family Association of Lithuania, which organised recently with a child psychologist a preventive two-hour session for children who will be soon moving abroad. The children were divided into two groups (7-10 year old and 11-14 year old). The children were given the opportunity to express their feelings about moving abroad and the psychologist gave them tips on how to build resilience in difficult times. The psychologist also had a session with the parents to give them advice on how to address some of the anxieties of the children. The group format was considered to add value, as the children realised that they were not alone and that other children were confronted to the same issues.
Furthermore, a member of the EUFASA research department and specialist on third culture kids made a presentation on “Family mobility, third culture kids and mental health” were she outlined the importance of predictability, family, relationships and attitude to create stability and ensure the mental wellbeing for children that embark in a mobile life with their parents. The AFDP plans to organise a webinar on this topic later this year.
Employment and Remote Working
The EUFASA Working Group on Employment is preparing a guidance document for spouses who choose to work remotely. The implications of working remotely vary depending on the country of residence. At the moment very little information is provided to spouses on the implications of working remotely.
The guidance document aims to outline:
- What to be aware of when choosing to work remotely
- Where to obtain relevant information
- What are the implications in terms of social security, health care, tax, allowances, pension and residency.
The AFDP also plans to organise a webinar on the topic of teleworking in the near future.
Divorce and separation
Divorce and separation are painful moments of life in any circumstance, yet the stress is exacerbated for families of diplomats due to the financial dependence of many spouses, the geographic separation of families, visa issues and the diplomatic immunity of diplomats (which keep them immune even in the case of severe domestic violence, for example). Spouses of diplomats can find themselves in situation of economic, legal and social vulnerability, due to their lack of financial income, the difficulties in finding legal help abroad and language barriers and the geographic distance from friends and family for moral support.
Ministries of Foreign Affairs are reluctant to deal with the private matters if staff members and the spouses often do not have a status, therefore the MFAs have no obligation to provide any type of support or advice. Only few MFAs finance the repatriation of the spouse independently from the diplomat and/or provide legal advice and psychological support. Some associations fill the gap by providing legal support or putting spouses in contact with a social worker. In general, there is no written policy on divorce/separation available in MFAs.
The EUFASA Research Department conducted a series of interviews with spouses of diplomats that had undergone a separation and/or a divorce. This helped identify the problems faced by the spouses and the type of support – or lack thereof – from MFAs. The interviews were complemented by a comprehensive survey sent to al EUFASA associations. The Research Department is preparing a policy paper on this topic, which will be shared by the end of the year.
Diplomats, sustainability and the UN Agenda 2030
Families of diplomats have a role to play in addressing the issues of sustainability. The Working Group on the Agenda 2030 researched which type of sustainable initiatives had been put into place by Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Family associations as well as inspired individuals, both at the home base and on postings abroad. The findings provide an interesting catalogue of initiatives, from sustainable architecture to zero-paper events, solar panels on Embassy roof-tops and beach cleaning projects. To get inspired please click here!
The next EUFASA Conference will take place in May 2024 in Brussels, Belgium.
AFDP 