The organization (ISS)

International Social Service is a Non-Governmental Organisation with a General Secretariat in Geneva. The General Secretary is Mr. Jean Ayoub. The General Secretariat comprises a Casework Division as well as the “International Reference Center for the Rights of Children deprived of their Family”, whose principle goal is the best possible protection for children who cannot grow up with their own family.

ISS was founded after the end of World War I for the purpose of helping migrants. As time passed, its work has been focussing increasingly on the following fields of activity: international family conflict, child and youth welfare, migration, intercountry adoption.

ISS is composed of a worldwide network of about 150 cooperation partners. Apart from the independent national branches of ISS, there are state agencies (departments, ministries, etc.) as well as NGOs (e.g. the Red Cross, Save the Children) who have kindly undertaken to fulfill tasks of ISS.

Although the focus of activity of those organisations may be differing, they all have a common methodology and endeavour to give priority to the interests of the persons concerned  - above all, the children concerned.

 eint doch alle eine gemeinsame Methodik und das Bestreben, den Interessen der Betroffenen, vor allem der betroffenen Kinder, Vorrang einzuräumen.