The Drum Beat 198 - Child Protection

This issue of The Drum Beat focusses on just some of the global, regional, and country-specific communication initiatives, evaluations, and resources addressing the protection of children. Issues of relevance include, but are not limited to: drug trafficking, child soldiers, AIDS orphans, domestic abuse, refuge seekers, and child marriage.

Please send information on other initiatives, evaluations, events and resources related to child protection to Deborah Heimann, dheimann@comminit.com

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PROGRAMMES

1. FONEYO - Nigeria

Fountain Neighborhood Youths [FONEYO], is a group of young volunteers working in various neighborhoods in Nigeria to help their peers lead "good" lives rather than fall into unhealthy, illegal, or dangerous behaviour patterns. Young volunteers assist with projects in their own neighborhoods that are focussed on fostering good moral conduct by keeping young people busy and engaged - through meetings and social events, some of which have charitable aims. FONEYO offers workshops, seminars, and events that are designed to encourage youth to see themselves as "the leaders of tomorrow". Workshops have focussed on themes like taking up a hobby and acquiring a skill, health, youth leadership, and bolstering self-confidence.

Contact Rovieno Dickson-Amagada foneyo@yahoo.com OR foneyo1@yahoo.com

2. National Youth Dialogue on Peace and Violence - United States

Facilitates an internet-based conversation between youth of all ages on the role of peace and violence in their lives. The dialogue is conducted by youth Peace Teams based in US schools, community organisations, religious groups, organisations working with incarcerated youth, and other youth-oriented spaces. The Peace Teams are composed of between 3 and 25 young people aged 5-18 and one adult. Dialogue Managers pose several discussion topics to the Teams via a private website. The Teams discuss the issues that interest them, posting highlights of their conversation on the website along with stories, poems, or pictures. They can then respond to the material that other Teams have posted. Several productsare planned from this Dialogue: The Peace Book for Teens (by teens, with an accompanying adult guide), The Peace Book for Kids (by kids, with an accompanying adult guide), a report on peace and violence in youth society.

Contact Ina Thorner ina.thorner@peace-tech.com

3. Friends of Orphans - Kampala, Uganda

A non-profit humanitarian organisation that was initiated in Pader Town, Kampala in 1999 by people who had been orphaned or abducted as children. Volunteers work to support children who have been victimised in various ways (for example, through abandonment or abject poverty). This work includes providing financial support for education; advocating for rights; meeting basic needs; and protecting children from war, murder, abduction, rape, and HIV/AIDS.

Contact Anywar Ricky Richard fropug@yahoo.co.uk

4. Don't Say a Word - Canada

An anti-bullying project from Headlines Theatre that included workshops for young people in grades 8-12 and a series of live performances involving local high school students. 40 young people participated in the workshops; a play was developed based on these students' experiences of bullying, harassment, intimidation, and violence. The title reflects the code of silence that prevents youth from stopping violence or seeking support. A cast and crew were selected from among those who attended the workshops. "Don't Say a Word" uses forum theatre, an interactive style of theatre.

Contact David Diamond david@headlinestheatre.com

5. The Take Control Campaign - Namibia

A large-scale communication campaign using radio, television, print media, and events to address HIV/AIDS prevention. Using the slogan "take control" and focussing on the rights of young people, the campaign uses posters, leaflets, information bulletins, metal red ribbons, stickers, coasters, T-shirts, and television and radio adverts. These activities, in addition to television discussions and documentaries about HIV/AIDS, are designed to prepare Namibians for the yearly World AIDS Day. The campaign's aims are also reflected in the specific aims of projects that are part of the Programme of Cooperation, including increasing community-level capacity development for interpersonal communication, developing life skills materials for 10- to 14-year-olds, expanding peer education activities, and fostering more effective government capacity and ownership of key project interventions.

Contact Rianne Selle rainseek@mweb.com.na

6. The Project for Social Communication - Peru

Addresses the issue of children's, adolescents', and women's rights by bolstering interpersonal communication skills among public services workers, teachers, community leaders, and families and individuals. The programme draws on the use of culturally relevant and non-threatening messages to increase the participation of communities and families so they can demand that their rights be respected. The project's activities will focus on such rights as safe motherhood, early childhood development, and basic education. These activities are also structured to promote the development of communications that give priority to the issues of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and child labour among institutions, communities, and families.

Contact Marilu Wiegold mwiegold@unicef.org OR Sandra Arzubiaga sarzubiaga@unicef.org

7. Leave No Child Out - Central and Eastern Europe

An effort to put children's rights at the forefront of policy and practice in 18 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States. Research, training, advocacy, network-building, and policy dialogue will all be part of this 2-year initiative. The project aims to strengthen the technical capacities and advocacy skills of governments and civil societies to promote rights-based development and child-focused policy. The advocacy portion of the campaign highlights issues of social exclusion and discrimination of children. 1-minute videos produced by young people will be a focal point at the official campaign launch in Istanbul (June 2003).

Contact Robert Cohen rcohen@unicef.org OR Camelia Gheorghe promeso@fx.ro

8. The Right to Refuge - Global

A radio project that targets audiences in key geographical regions where refugees have become a priority issue. Each programme has different stories, experiences and concerns but the main aim of this education project is to give voice to refugees themselves - the often unheard voices of women, children and the elderly. Radio programmes have been produced in 9 languages - English, Russian, Spanish for Americas, Albanian, Serbian, Croatian, Indonesian, French for Africa, Urdu and Persian.

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The Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the UN (CONGO) is forming a Youth
Advisory Committee.

Main activities will include:

• compiling and disseminating information to youth NGOs, in a youth-friendly manner, to facilitate their access to the UN
• presenting proposals for changes in criteria for NGO access, where these current criteria are barriers for youth and/or youth NGOs
• collecting and disseminating information on training, fundraising and support for youth participation in UN meetings
• collecting and disseminating information on existing youth caucuses and assisting in the establishment of new youth caucuses where relevant

Click here for more information and to apply.
Deadline June 15 2003.
Contact congony@ngocongo.org OR yac@ngocongo.org

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EVALUATIONS

9. Impact Data - Community Radio Programmes - India

2 radio programmes were designed to teach the customs and practices of the tribal community (Soligas) to provide information, to instill an understanding of rural life, and to eliminate erroneous beliefs among rural people. 46% of respondents to a survey described their newly acquired knowledge as related to the customs and practices of Soligas, and 15% said they learned about gender equality and problems arising from child marriage. 21% said they learned about several diseases and remedies; 11% had gained awareness about false beliefs and realised the importance of education.

10. Soul Buddyz Evaluation - Illustrative Results - Impact on sexual abuse

"Soul Buddyz teaches me that if I am raped...I should talk and I should not be shy."
"People who have been raped...should talk so that they can receive help." [Peri-urban children]

11. Impact Data - STOP IT NOW! Campaign - Vermont, United States

This is a campaign designed to encourage adults to take responsibility to end the sexual abuse of children. Television feature stories, radio PSAs, bus ads, and articles and opinion pieces were produced in collaboration with the media and various statewide and local organisations. A toll-free helpline was established. Workshops featuring face-to-face encounters with recovering abusers were designed to educate the public. Between 1995 and 1999, there was a 40% increase in the number of people who could define sexual abuse, a 10% increase in respondents who could identify at least one warning sign, and a 6% increase in the number who conceded that abusers were likely to live in their neighborhoods. In 1999, 80.2% of Vermonters said that they would take direct action if they definitely knew about a case of sexual abuse. This represents a 10% increase over the number so willing in 1997.

MATERIALS

12. Child Rights and the Media: Putting Children in the Right

Explores the need for journalistic training for all levels of reporting in regard to the importance of children's rights. This includes examining how media works, how existing principles of accountability apply and how media must be free from political and economical pressures that can limit professionalism and undermine ethical standards.

13. Earning a Life: Working Children in Zimbabwe - edited By Michael Bourdillon

In Zimbabwe, formalised child labour is not common. Nevertheless, children in a variety of situations have to work for their livelihood. In many cases families, and the children themselves, depend partly on it. Often the schooling of the children depends on the income they earn...

14. Adult Wars, Child Soldiers: Voices of Children Involved in Armed Conflict in the East Asia & Pacific Region

This report aims to draw attention to the reality of child soldiers in the Asia Pacific region. 69 current and former child soldiers (boys and girls) were interviewed and expressed their ideas, thoughts, feelings and fears.

15. Fight Against the Fist

A Series of Radio Shows from ABC Ulwazi

Six 10-minute mini dramas about domestic violence.

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PULSE POLL

Does this Kofi Annan observation about communication patterns in African society resonate with your culture?: "...because in traditional African society people discussed issues. They talked and talked - you know, the tradition of palaver, you go under the tree and you talk. If you can’t solve the problem, you meet the next day and you keep talking till you find a solution..."

Click here for context.

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LINKS

16. Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)

An association of more than 1,100 public and private nonprofit agencies that assist over 3.5 million abused and neglected children and their families each year with a wide range of services.

17. Godfrey's Children

A youth-run organisation that develops culturally appropriate community-based programmes to assist orphans and vulnerable children in Africa infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

18. Voices of Youth

A forum for young people. The trilingual site offers learning activities/materials and chat discussions on issues including child labour, armed conflict, urbanisation, girls' rights, HIV/AIDS and discrimination.

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The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.


Please send material for The Drum Beat to the Editor - Deborah Heimann dheimann@comminit.com


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