Efo now helps man his wife's porridge stand, a female dominated job, in the mornings

30th April 2013: Families in Ghana often abide by strict traditional roles. A man is the head of his family; the woman is both a housewife and mother. These stereotypical roles normally leave women without any help from their husbands. For this reason the Women And Their Children’s Health (WATCH) project in Ghana is trying to change attitudes towards gender roles in the community.

Supporting mothers & children

The WATCH project programmes aid communities by supporting mothers, newborns and children with their health care needs.  Carried out in 6 districts in the Volta and Eastern Regions of Ghana, the project is being supported with funds from the Canadian Development Agency (CIDA) and Plan Canada.

Changing attitudes for the better

Fodome Kodzeto, in the Volta region, is a traditional conservative community. Here men dominate the household, and in most cases, do not support their wives who are both caregivers and breadwinners. According to one resident, things are slowly starting to change.

A family coming home from a child welfare clinic in Kedjebi, Volta

“Since I heard the message that men can engage in the same business as women, I have changed my attitude,” says 40-year-old Efo, a farmer.  “My wife and I agreed that I take care of her porridge business in the morning, while she engages in other trading activities.  We are now able to earn more money to increase our household income so we can educate our children and see to their health needs.”

Daddy's Clubs

Through the formation of Daddy’s Clubs, men are educated on the importance of supporting their pregnant wives by providing financial resources, accompanying them to the clinic for antenatal care and sharing the responsibility of taking care of the new born baby.

The change in attitudes amazes Auntie Comfort, a nurse in the Akuapim North district.  ‘After several years in nursing, I realise that reaching men, husbands, is a key step in ensuring that maternal health is taken seriously,” she said.

Overcoming the social challenges

Even though the WATCH Project is making giant strides in changing mindsets through education, many still resist.  “What you people are saying is not right, very soon men will begin to lose respect in society,” said Nii, a community elder, who is totally against the change towards gender equality.

Generally however, women and men now understand that both can assist with household chores.  “I do not care what people say when my husband helps me with household chores. I respect him even more,” said a mother in a support group.

Read more about Plan's work in Ghana

Youth inspect a borehole budgeted for in Upper Manya Krobo district

27th March 2013: Government funds for development projects, such as boring holes to access safe drinking water or constructing latrines to improve sanitation, are routinely given to district assemblies across Ghana. However, this doesn’t always mean that these projects are carried out. It’s safe to say though that in the Upper Manya Krobo district of Eastern Ghana, there’s certainly more pressure to do so.

Y BAGUM

The Youth Budget Advocacy Group of Upper Manya, or, as the children call it, Y BAGUM, is a Plan supported programme that has been breathing down the necks of officials to make sure that promises to install development projects, as outlined in the 2010 budget, have been upheld.

Young people involved in Y BAGUM spent 4 days visiting Plan projects, inspecting toilets and wells, among other projects, and monitoring how the District Assembly’s budget had been spent. They were delighted to find that 70% of all projects had been carried out and that the remaining 30% were being redrafted into the new budget.

Erica, an 18 year old girl, proud to be part of Y BAGUM, was especially pleased to see that 2 wells had been successfully installed in the community of Mensah Dawa as she understood the hardship of children who don’t have close access to clean water.

“Children have to walk on dusty roads, for long distances to get to school and search for water. This affects their health as they often get very tired; unable to concentrate on their studies when they finally get to school. Our district assembly must ensure that the budgets address our needs.”

How it works

With support from Plan, youth are able to organise to effectively monitor and analyse budgets. Young people are selected from Rights of the Child clubs upon completing a questionnaire that tests their prior knowledge on budget and finance issues. Plan then helps to build on their knowledge with its zonal development coordinators and training sessions.

“Now I can analyse budgets, monitor projects and exercise my rights by insisting that the local government implements the projects that they have stated in their budgets.” Said 18 year old Joshua, another youth involved in Y BAGUM.

See more about Plan's work in Eastern Ghana

Ms Loj talks with youth at the Plan supported Akotoe irrigation project that uses water from the river to allow for all year round farming

18th January 2013: “Now the youth do not have to go to the cities in search of non existing jobs” John Kwesi Tetteh, is patron of a Plan supported 5 acre vegetable farm along the Volta River, Akotoe community, Eastern Ghana. This is what he told Plan Chair Ellen Loj on her recent visit to the area.

Ms Loj saw for herself how Plan had helped the Akotoe community; having built a 6 classroom school complete with libraries and staff room and making it possible to use the Volta river to irrigate the farm, so that the youth can farm all year round, giving a source of livelihood for many youths in the community who have completed school and are unemployed.

Children in Papaase show they understand education

But this was not the only community that Ellen Loj had the pleasure of visiting. She visited the community of Papaase, in Plan’s Central Programme Unit, where she received a rousing welcome from the community. The Papaase Rights of the Child club performed a sketch on teenage pregnancy, demonstrating how a lack of education could lead children into anti-social activities. Ms Loj then urged parents not to let their sons interfere with girls at a young age and to really understand the importance of education.

Health, jobs and education

Joseph Tetteh Angmor is the District Chief Executive of the Upper Manya Krobo District, in eastern Ghana. On Ms Loj’s visit, he took the opportunity to praise Plan for their work in the area saying “Without the help of Plan, we would not have come this far in the development of our district.” Plan’s areas of intervention in eastern Ghana concentrate heavily on health and education which, most recently includes the opening of the Dream Centre that gives youth employable skills.

Standing up for girls' rights

Ellen Loj met with girls from projects in Assesewa high school to see just how the clubs and associations were helping them

The final activity on Ms Loj’s agenda with Plan was a visit to the Assesewa Senior High School, also in Plan Ghana’s Eastern Programme Unit, to talk with youth involved in Plan’s Girls Football team and Girls Making Media club; 2 programmes which encourage youth to stay in school as well as to train girls in journalism so that they can contribute to the elimination of gender discrimination and improve the quality of media reporting on adolescent girls’ issues in West Africa.

Social clubs bring goal focus

The Girls Making Media club staged a talk show in which they discussed the importance of education for both girls and boys. After the debate, the host of the programme showed off even more talent, interviewing both Ellen Loj and Plan Ghana’s Country Director, Prem Shukla, about their career and the need to educate girls.

Some of the girls spoke about how the clubs had led them to become more focused on their goals. “Since I started playing football, I have now become confident and focused on completing my education.  I want to pursue a career as a professional footballer after I graduate from school,” said 17-year-old Mary.

Read more about Plan's involvement of children in media

See what Plan gets up to in Ghana

Representatives from Plan, the government of Ghana, the Republic of South Korea, and the Hyundai Motor Company presided over the inauguration of the Centre

Plan seeks to create employment opportunities for young men and women in Ghana, with an emphasis on self-employment, thereby improving the lives of families and communities. It is under this agenda that Plan has teamed up with the Hyundai motor company and other partners to open the Dream Centre.

The Dream Centre trains young people in auto mechanics and was officially opened on the 29th January 2013 in Koforidua, eastern Ghana. At the inauguration ceremony, Plan Ghana’s director, Prem Shukla, explained why the centre was important to Plan’s mission to improve the lives of young people and develop the community by saying that “Training, development and empowerment of the youth are key determinants of society’s progress”.

About the course

The Youth Auto-mechanics Skills Training Centre will take on a maximum of 80 students each year who will study for a length of three years. Using the state of the art equipment and library will ensure they receive the best education and have the best facilities available to practise their skills. At the Dream Centre, apprentices learn skills that will allow them to go on to open up their own garages and workshops, work for auto companies or, thanks to the theory side of the course, continue into higher education at universities and colleges.

Although the auto-mechanic field is typically dominated by men, the course is also open to women, dispelling gender stereotypes and empowering all youths regardless of gender as intended in Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign. 19 year old Zara is one of about 10 girls enrolled in the first ever class, of 70 students. She said “I want to be an auto engineer and graduate to start my own business. Attending the Dream Centre could be an opportunity for all school leavers to acquire skills to curb the unemployment.”

Read more about Plan's work in economic security

Support the Because I am a Girl global campaign

Anchorman and Plan sponsor Ulrich Wickert presenting Eunice (left) and Harriet (right), from Ghana, with the Special Prize

11th October 2012: Eunice Terkper (20 years old) and Harriet Bless Ndanu (17 years old), participants in Plan Ghana’s Girls Making Media project, have accepted the Special Prize for the Ulrich Wickert Award for Children’s Rights 2012 on behalf of the project.  The award includes €6000 prize money.

Ulrich Wickert is a well known and popular German anchorman and journalist. He has been a Plan sponsor since 1995 and is a voluntary member of the Plan Germany advisory board. He created the Ulrich Wickert Award for Children’s Rights to honour journalists who shed light on the violence and discrimination that exists in the developing world. This year is the ceremony’s first.

The award

The Ulrich Wickert Award for Child Rights held in Berlin presents awards in three categories: National, International and Special Prize. Of the 116 proposals submitted, the winners were Carolin Emcke in the national category for her report on violence against girls in a village in Kenya, Patience Chiyangwa (international) for her case study on a 13 year old girl who was physically abused in her forced marriage and Eunice and Harriet from Plan Ghana’s Girls Making Media who have been awarded the Special Prize. The ceremony appropriately takes place on 11^th October, the first observance of the UN declared International Day of the Girl.

Editors of all departments as well as freelance journalists the world over were able to submit reports from print and online media, radio and television that were published between 1^st January and 31^st December 2011 to the foundation. The jury this year awarded the Girls Making Media project the special prize because they believed that the young people involved in the programme took a close look at the rights of and discrimination against girls. Through their media reports, they raise the awareness of their peers and the families in their areas – an important step to promote gender equity in Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and Togo.

Ulrich Wickert explained his motivation. “Journalists who commit themselves for child rights take their mission regarding the formation of opinion seriously and demonstrate courage of their convictions. In many regions of the world, girls suffer from violence, abuse and discrimination. It is not easy, but important to reveal and to make such injustice known. In many cases, media reports are a catalyst to promote positive development and they help to improve the living situation of girls and boys. The aim of the Ulrich Wickert Award for Child Rights is to express gratefulness and appreciation for these efforts.”

Read more about Plan's child and youth media work

Read more about the International Day of the Girl

The start up kits are designed to give people the things they need to begin their new business

In Ghana, many young people from rural areas migrate to cities daily in search of employment.  While some of them are illiterate, others have only a basic education level, and most do not have any employable skills.  Finding a job is difficult, and often the move does not help to improve their financial situation very much.

“Now, I can improve my finances here at home, in addition to my petty trading, I am ready to start a soap making business,” says 22-year-old Efua Kyewah.

Learning a trade

Plan Ghana sponsored a training attended by Efua and 49 other youth in baking, soap production and tie-dye making, all practical based trades that are very popular in Ghana. Participants also received start-up kits to help their own businesses in these trades grow and develop.

As part of the Promoting African Grassroots Economic Security through Education and Skills (PAGES) Project, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Plan, and partner Rural Enterprise Programme (REP), have been able to provide students in Ghana with the skills they need to be employed or to set up their own businesses.

Savings and Loans Associations for young adults
In addition to the skills training, the Youth Village Savings and Loans (YVSL) project is one of Plan Ghana’s interventions to curb the high rate of unemployment in the district. By providing youth access to safe financial tools, they can save their income and take out loans to expand their businesses, these young adults learn new skills in money management and can now afford to help their businesses grow.

“This savings programme is good.  I was able to obtain a loan to train as a dressmaker and now, with the skills I acquired, I will add value to the fabrics I produce by making clothes for the local market,” explains Comfort, who learned how to make batik and tie-dye fabrics.

Start up kits

For the participants who were also entrepreneurs, Plan handed out start up kits that boosted participants ability to start their own businesses. Designed to give these young adults the necessary things they needed for their trade, they could now begin to make and sustain a living.

“Our vision for the programme it to help everyone who can get the skills and assistance they need to find a job and make a living,” explained Mr. Joseph Appiah, Plan Ghana’s Programme Unit Manager.

The award

The Excellent Schools and Teachers’ Awards is an annual event organised by the Ghana Education Service (GES) as part of Plan Ghana’s Transition and Persistence (TAP) Project with funding from USAID.

Rewarding the community

Building latrines

More work to be done

Plan in action

14 June, 2012: Following poor weather, the Sahel region is under threat of a food crisis. Millions of people will go hungry this year, and with little food available to go around, many communities are struggling to make a living and feed their families more than once a day.

Malian refugees forced to leave their homes and flee to safety are struggling even more. With no shelter, cooking equipment and protection against Malaria, these families are living with no belongings at all.

Joe Costello, Irish Minister for Trade and Development met with Plan in Ghana where he witnessed the dispatch of an Irish Aid consignment of non-food items to assist in Plan’s emergency response work in the region. This relief consisted of vital supplies including tents, blankets, mosquito nets and water storage equipment, forming part of the Irish government’s recent commitment of €4.25m to fight the food crisis in the region.

“These supplies which Ireland is sending today will help thousands of Malian refugees who have been forced to flee their homes due to the conflict,” explains Joe Costello.

Helping Malian refugees

As Malian refugees fled violence and unrest into other countries such as Burkina Faso and Niger, already severely affected by a food crisis, food is scarce and malnutrition rates particularly in children are increasing.

“Young children are at the greatest risk of acute malnutrition, which can make them more vulnerable to infections and disease. Failure to act now will have devastating consequences for a whole generation of children in West Africa,” explains Plan’s West Africa Regional Director, Adama Coulibaly.

Working with the Irish Government

Plan is working with the Irish government and other partners in the region to provide aid and relief to those countries worst affected by the current food crisis. With this relief, Plan is hoping to reduce the malnutrition rates in children and mothers.

“Plan is working with our partners to develop a coordinated response to the food and refugees crisis in the region. We are central to the response across the entire area and the Irish government’s continued commitment to Plan as an organisation, and to the people of West Africa, is greatly appreciated,” commented Adama Coulibaly.

Plan’s emergency response

Plan’s emergency response will continue throughout the region. Through emergency nutrition, school feeding and food distribution programmes Plan hope’s to alleviate the current food crisis and lessen the number of cases of acute malnutrition.

With a strong focus on sustainable gardening projects, drought resistant crop cultivation programmes, replenishment of community food stores and microfinance initiatives, Plan aims to promote economic development and growth through financial support by empowering communities to cultivate their own harvests to help make a living and feed their families, too.

Visit our West Africa Food Crisis Appeal page

The original school had very little space and the roof was irreparable

23 May, 2012: Although schools are available in Ghana, the building structures are often unstable and unsafe to be inside. In times of severe rainfall and storms, unstable buildings often collapse leaving lots of children unable to go to school.

A safe classroom is the key step in providing children with education. This month, Plan Ghana and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) handed over the keys to a new, fully-furnished classroom block to the Kwabea Asashene District Authority Basic School.

“The days of running to seek shelter when it rains, the fear of walls collapsing and snakes invading our classrooms are gone,”   the head teacher of the school sighed with relief.

Building new schools

This new school comes as part of a project on which Plan Ghana, funded by KOICA, are working. The Project seeks to increase school enrolment and to improve upon the quality of education in the Kwabea Asasehene area.  Located in the Eastern Region of Ghana, Kwabea Asasehene is one of the poorest parts of the region. Child labour is a common practice in this community; some children drop out of school to help their parents in their farming or fishing activities to help increase the family income.

Now the children have a safe new school with plenty of room for new children to enrol

Helping families

As well as increasing the number of children enrolling in school, the project has also helped 543 families form Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). The project has trained these families in business management skills to improve their livelihoods so that they can make extra income to support their children’s education and raise awareness of the dangers of child labour.

The children and the teachers cannot be more grateful for their new school. Providing a safe environment for children, this new school building has also allowed more children to enrol in school due to the enormous space available.

“The new classroom block marks an era of new beginnings for this school, it will not only enhance learning, but will help the pupils strive for academic excellence and ‘live to be the light in their community’ as their school motto says,” Stephen Narh, the headmaster  of the school said.

Read more about Plan's work in Ghana

Children with hearing difficulties used sign language to thank Plan and USAID

30 April, 2012: Growing up in Ghana as an adolescent girl can be full of challenges. In communities where poverty is rife, girls are often victims of early marriage and are not likely to have access to education when preference is given to boys.  Although the girls have dreams, not understanding their rights can make it difficult to fulfil them.

Having a disability or impairment makes fulfilling their dreams doubly difficult. Portia, like many of the girls who recently attended a national Girls’ Camp supported by Plan and funded by USAID, has a disability that prevents her from reaching her goals.

Gifty, 15, is visually impaired and her friend Mavis has hearing difficulties but their disability did not present any barriers during the camp.  “We were able to perform our tasks and participate in all the activities just like our colleagues who can see,” said Gifty.

With motivational talks from role models, the girls realised that they can aim high regardless of whether they have a disability. “Now I know I can even aspire to be the President of Ghana!”  explains Mavis.

The 10-day camp, held each year and funded by USAID, aimed to expose the girls to better opportunities and prospects in life. From improving reading skills and self-esteem building exercises, to discussions and awareness raising about early marriage and teenage pregnancies, the girls learnt about their rights and how they can reach for the stars.

Attending the camp has empowered the participants to make positive choices in their lives.  “The challenges that I face will not deter me from reaching my goal in life.  All I want is to be a nurse in future and I will remain focused until I attain my goal,” said a very determined Portia.

Some of the members of the VSLA group in the village of Frafraha

18 April, 2012: In Ghana, children with special needs usually stay at home and are hardly ever taken out because their parents feel ashamed of them. This is because in most communities, children with special needs are thought to have been cursed and are therefore stigmatised.

Even if parents are able to overcome the stigma, another challenge is often the lack of adequate funds to be able to send their children to a special school.  Usually if funds are available they would be used to educate their children without any special needs first.

Joining the Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) in Frafraha, a suburb in Accra, has brought about a real difference in the life of 39-year-old Patricia Graham, who until recently could only afford to send Elizabeth, her nine-year-old daughter to school. With the savings she has been able to make through a loan scheme supported by Plan, she can now afford to send Gerald, her 12-year-old has son who has Down Syndrome. to a special school in Accra. “Now my son can have an education like his sister,” Patricia said.

Patricia has also invested some of her savings into in her dressmaking business.  “Indeed joining the VSLA two years ago has enabled me to support my family as my husband is presently unemployed,” said Patricia.

Growing businesses

Most of the members of the Frafraha VSLA testify to the fact that the savings and loan scheme has helped them to grow their businesses which include selling food, dressmaking, photography and hair dressing. “We are now able to feed our families and educate our children,” according to Auntie Baby.

Even though life has become much better for members of the Frafraha VSLA, they still have ambitions to benefit from bigger loans in order to expand their businesses.

Plan Ghana is in partnership with CARE International and Barclays Bank to implement the Banking on Change Project, a three-year £10m commitment to support financial inclusion through the development of savings-led community finance projects which are effective in meeting the needs of the poor – providing a way to manage their money and increase their ability to deal with hard times.

Gender discrimination is also decreasing within these communities

26 March, 2012: For nomadic families in countries in West Africa, life can be tough. Often forced to move to other neighbouring countries because of food shortages, they are not always accepted by the communities to which they move.

In Ghana, Fulani pastoralists have moved from countries like Niger and Mali, as bad weather has made harvesting crops and providing fields for their livestock to graze almost impossible.

Often these itinerant communities are not able to benefit from any social and economic assistance which means that the children are not accepted into local schools and denied an opportunity for education.

Plan Ghana is supporting nomadic families living in the Sissala East District in the upper West region of Ghana by encouraging them to save for their future. Made up of 14 men and 16 women, their Village Savings and Loans Association now is helping members to build up their businesses and put their children through school.

After just six months the community could see the huge difference that saving even a little income each month can make. Besides the financial gains, the system also brings men and women together and allows them to work as equals, thereby helping to reduce gender discrimination against women and allowing more women to get involved with the finances of their households.

“I have saved a lot of money already, and I hope that soon I can increase my savings and buy my own cow,” explains Hamadu.

The members have also been putting money towards a solidarity fund for emergency health care, and to buy presents when a new baby is born.

Read more about Plan's work in Ghana

Giving out bicycles to children provides exercise, extra curricular activities and a way to get to and from school

21 February, 2012: In small villages in Ghana, many children often have to walk long distances to get to school, making them less inclined to actually go. Those who do go to school are often taught in rundown buildings that are not safe to be inside or where classes cannot be held during bad weather.

Building and repairing schools

In partnership with USAID, Plan Ghana has been building new extensions to old schools and building new schools in other villages in order to attend school.
The Transition and Persistence Project (TAP), also known as the USAID Plan Junior High School Education Project, is an initiative to motivate students at Junior High School level to complete their three-year-period of study once they have enrolled in school.

Attendance rates in junior school level have dropped dramatically from 75% in 2006, to just 48% in 2009*, with children choosing to stay at home and help their parents earn a living instead. This is why USAID and Plan Ghana are working in 156 villages in the country to provide a safe and fun learning environment.

Providing equipment for school children

As well as renovating and improving school facilities, the project has also provided schools with uniforms and equipment such as bicycles and footballs so that students can engage in extra-curricular activities. Scholarship schemes, vocational skills training and participation in holiday camps have also been developed as a means of promoting performance within schools.

“Riding my bicycle makes me feel cool and I enjoy going to school. Now walking for long distances to school is a thing of the past,” explains Derek who has benefited from the scheme.

Helping teachers

Teachers have not been overlooked either and the partnership supports scholarships for teachers to advance their own learning, teacher excellence awards and training in information and communications technology.

“The new school block and the provision of school uniforms have already increased enrolment in the school. We hope that our other school block will also be replaced with a new one,” Ellen, a teacher in Suhyem,  a small village in Eastern Ghana, tells us.

*2010 Education Strategy Plan (ESP), Ministry of Education in Ghana

Read more about Plan's work in Ghana

Plan encourages families to work as equals, where men and women share jobs

21 November, 2011: Gender inequality, particularly among children, is a huge issue in West Africa and Plan has been working hard to promote the need for gender equality, and raise awareness of women’s and girl’s rights.

Plan has now teamed up with leading skincare company NIVEA to work towards transforming the lives of girls with no access to education. A top presenter from one of the UK’s most popular radio stations, Kiss FM Radio, recently took a trip to Ghana to experience firsthand what Plan is doing to help girls in West Africa as part of the ‘Because I am a Girl’ campaign.

Clara Amfo, Kiss FM’s Saturday morning show presenter, travelled to Ghana with NIVEA as part of their 'Feel Closer' campaign. Clara went to explore the barriers to education for girls in the country. “My parents are from Ghana, so having the chance to go there in this capacity meant a lot to me,” Clara said. “It was great to see the difference this campaign is making to the lives of so many girls out there. I was thrilled to be able to get involved.”

Plan has been encouraging children to use local radio stations to raise awareness of the discrimination against girls, and to draw attention to the challenges that affect both girls and boys. This allows the children to get involved in making a difference in their communities, and gives them a place where they can talk to one another about their own experiences, or ideas on how to put an end to gender inequality.
“It was inspiring to get a sense of the role the radio is playing in their lives, and how it’s being used to help with a range of issues,” Clara said.

Plan is also working hard to put an end to child marriage, sexual violence against children and female genital mutilation as part of the campaign. All these issues affect the lives of children across West Africa and addressing them can help children to realise their rights and have the confidence to speak up when something happens to them or to someone in their communities.

Plan continues to work across the world as part of the ‘Because I am a Girl’ campaign, working towards universal education, children’s rights and helping to put an end to gender inequality.

Take a look at Kiss FM's time in Ghana with Plan

Read more about Plan's Because I am a Girl Campaign

Children taking part in the workshop for violence against children

October 17, 2011: As part of the Violence Against Children project in West Africa, a 5 day workshop was organised by Plan Ghana and partners for children and youth group members from 7 regions across Ghana. It was aimed at training the participants in how to lead youth groups, forming the Children and Youth Advisory Board and introducing three important concepts:

• Group organisation
• Life skills
• Human and child rights

The participants discussed the need to form a network with one another to help put an end to violence against children. They arrived at the conclusion that child related policies were necessary and that these policies needed to be put into action to end violence against children.

Although any form of violence against children is wrong, the workshop took a strong focus on gender based violence. The participants looked at the definition of gender based abuse, its root causes and the different forms of violence affecting girls and women in their communities. The group decided that a need existed to reinforce women’s common rights, putting them into action across West Africa.

What’s next

After the great success of this workshop, the newly-formed Children and Youth Advisory Board has been asked to help the UN’s Violence Against Children project in tackling the issues of violence within their societies and being able to participate fully in the decision-making on issues concerning children in their communities. Group meetings are underway between various board members across West Africa, sharing ideas and effective solutions on how to deal with cases of violence.

Role plays and theatre club productions are being created to raise awareness about the issue and the need to stop violence against children. Social media is also being used to show communities through images and videos that violence against children is wrong. Children are now willing to share their thoughts, and feel confident to affect change in their own lives. Local television and radio stations are also creating programmes where young people can share their experiences and opinions.

Getting children involved

Getting the youth of today involved in putting an end to violence against children is important on both a personal and public level for the participants.  Encouraging children to share their own experiences and support other children who are too scared to speak up, to realise that violence against them is wrong is a critical step in the overall success. Fatima, 18, a participant of the workshop says, “Children should also be allowed to take up major roles in fighting violence against children. For instance, child related documents should be presented into a more child friendly versions for better understanding of children; and child friendly atmosphere should be created for victims of abuse to be able to report violent cases”.