Plan’s I Have a Voice! campaign on Harmful Traditional Practices

Plan Europe’s ‘I have a voice!’ campaign is charged primarily with connecting more of the ideas, opinions and ‘voices’ of children with policy makers. We at Plan believe that children can provide a valuable insight on the issues that affect them and the world around them, and have the right to participate in the policy making processes that determine these issues.

Putting the HTPs and the treatment of girls in context

Every 20th of the Month, the ‘I have a voice!’ Campaign focuses on an issue of critical importance to children and on which we think children’s voices need to be heard. To coincide with the 54th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (Beijing + 15), we decided to create what we think may be the only ‘child friendly’ content on the difficult issue of harmful traditional practices (HTPs) and, in particular, the way that they impact on girls all around the world. The situation of girls in the developing world is dire and in urgent need of attention if any meaningful progress can be made on the MDGs – especially MDGs 4, 5 and 6. 

Plan believes that : “Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs) are culturally driven breaches of girls’ right to life, survival and development, their right to health and to equal treatment, their right to protection against all forms of physical and psychological violence or abuse and the right to participate in the decision making processes which affect their life.”

The challenges and dangers of being a girl in many developing countries

With this in mind, the content we created begins by pointing out to children that girls face discrimination all around the world, but that in developing countries life can be especially dangerous. We mention issues addressed by Plan’s programming initiatives, such as forced marriage of children and Female Genital cutting. While being careful not to be too specific and ‘shocking’ potential readers of this material, we made sure that the readers were made aware of the dangers of HTPs as well as the many reasons why they are still so important to the cultural groups that practice them.

Sensitive but honest discussion on the difficulties of addressing cultural practices

We also felt it was particularly important to discuss the role of culture on these issues and to make it clear that addressing HTPs requires respect for culture, but that it should never provide an excuse for violence and the endangering of children. Lastly, we talked about the benefits to the whole of society when young girls are given equal chance to participate and learn. We added that boys and men need to be involved by thinking about the treatment and status of girls in their societies, and to add their support and ‘voices’ to this issue and to our campaign as well!
We also linked this material and our campaign to the ‘Because I am a girl’ campaign and Plan’s report ‘No more excuses – Ending all Harmful traditional practices against girls and young women’. The content is available in English, French, German and Spanish and will be a valuable tool for children, educators and other interested parties for discussing these issues and encouraging children and young people to express their opinions and make their voices heard.

Take a look at our website I have a voice! and make sure to spread the word! We need our 20,000 voices!