At a glance
The Voice of Children (VOC) is an initiative taken by the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) with a view to create a mass of child activists/ advocates and establish a solid mechanism and a coordinated network to report and redress instances of child abuse, for the protection of child rights and to provide advisory services to children, with a special focus on disadvantaged children.
This is a pilot project which attempts primarily at building a mass of child advocates/ activists working towards promoting the rights of the child and addressing children's issues at the community level.
Objectives:
- Create a space where children are able to freely express themselves and build children's capacity in advocacy, enabling them to lobby for their rights and participate more actively in the country's decision making process, thus creating a mass of child advocates/activists who promote the rights of the child and work towards their protection.
- Bridge the gap between the needs of children in distress or disadvantaged children and the services provided by various institutions/ organizations/ entities working towards children's upliftment and ensure timely redression to children's issues through the development of a mechanism owned and operated by children to report incidents of child abuse or child right violation, seek assistance during emergencies and receive advisory services.
- Develop a three-tier network for child protection comprising of eminent persons at the policy level (first tier), child rights activists, media personnel, humanitarian workers (second tier) and community members at the grassroots level (third tier).
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Target Group :
6 children from a disadvantaged community and 6 children from Girl Guiding/ Scouting
Mechanism
Methodology/ Activities
• Capacity building, sensitizing, awareness raising & educating
- Workshops/trainings; discussions; promotional material; press briefings; articles in the press; VOC Website/blog site; e-newsletter
• Advocacy & lobbying
- Identifying and addressing child protection issues in the community
- Monthly team activities on child rights/ child protection
• Gathering and sharing information
- Library; ICT; discussions
• Forming partnerships and networks
- Organizations/ institutes/ individuals working on child protection
- North/East-South collaboration
• Developing a database of referrals
• Educational trips (including to the East)
• Children's Festival at the end of the project
• M & E
- Report Cards for the VOC Members
- Monthly assessment & evaluation sessions
- Quarterly M & E - active participation of children
• Education & Advocacy through ICT
- • Collaboration with Leo Club of Colombo (Host) 306 A1
• Children's Entrepreneurship Programme
• Income generation for the children and the project
• Sustainability
• Grievance Mechanism
- Advisory services to children in need
- Monthly Child Protection Forum
• Coordinate the activities of child protection agencies
• Share information and discuss issues
• Monthly e-Newsletter on Child Protection
• VOC activities; CHA work on children; articles by VOC children; highlights & news
• Chile Protection Policy & Code of Conduct
• A policy for all stakeholders involved
• A code of ethics by the children |
Outputs and Outcomes
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Output |
Outcome |
1 |
A group of child advocates/activists addressing issues concerning children and acting as a pressure group lobbying for their rights and as Ambassadors of Peace and Development. |
• Children learning to be leaders and communicators, participating more actively in decision making and having a better say in matters affecting their wellbeing, i.e. consultation of children when formulating policies and implementing new programmes for children.
• Children with different backgrounds interacting and sharing their experience with each other, enhancing their understanding and acceptance of diversity.
• Children assisting other children in need without discrimination and finding solutions to each others problems, through the use of their own talents, skills and abilities.
• Respect and recognition for children, both privileged and disadvantaged, among their communities and in the wider society.
• Children having a better understanding of their rights, the different issues faced by children in Sri Lanka as well as children worldwide, the manner in which to overcome these issues or seek redress.
• Healthy, independent children with self-esteem and confidence, who would become assets and champions of the national development process. |
2 |
An ICT Mechanism through which education, communication /interaction and child advocacy/ activism will be facilitated and promoted |
• Early training and education for children on ICT
• Enhanced communication and interaction among different child groups locally and internationally
• Capacity building/ empowerment through knowledge-sharing |
3 |
An environment and community friendly income generating activity for children |
• Promotion of entrepreneurship among children and ensure a sustainable income for the programme and for the children
• Development of life skills |
4 |
A grievance mechanism to report and redress instances of child abuse and violence against children, initially focussing on issues concerning disadvantaged children living in shanty dwellings. |
Enhanced reporting on child right violations and raised awareness on issues concerning children and on the responsibility of the adults, authorities and the public towards protecting the child. |
5 |
A well-coordinated network of public institutions, humanitarian organizations and other groups, individuals or entities working towards child protection to respond to the needs of children, specially those living in the streets and shanty dwellings, in a timely manner. |
Children having better access to information, resources, social services and care and improved quality of life for disadvantaged children. |
6 |
A comprehensive database of the public and private institutions, organizations and other entities working on children's issues. |
Better coordination among organizations, timely redress of issues and easy access to information and services |
7 |
Child Protection Forum |
Better coordination among organizations, timely redress of issues |
8 |
Website and e–newsletter |
Raised awareness on children's issues |
9 |
Child Protection Policy and COC |
Enhanced protection for children in humanitarian assisteance |
Funded by : CHA counterpart contribution (first 3 months), private donors, searching for donors
Project Duration : 1 year (20 th Oct 2007 – 19 th Oct 2008)
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