Summary

A global partnership dedicated to ending violence against children, with a focus on sexual violence against girls.

Type of intervention

Public education

Target groups, level of prevention and subgroups

• Additional Resource | Public education | English

 

Target population

National governments and civil society, in collaboration with organisations working globally in development, public health and children and women’s rights.

Delivery organisation

Together for Girls organisation, in partnership with UNICEF and the World Health Organisation, among others.

https://www.togetherforgirls.org/

Mode and context of delivery

-

Level/nature of staff expertise required

-

Intensity/extent of engagement with target group(s)

-

Description of intervention

Together for Girls is a global public-private partnership dedicated to ending violence against children, with a focus on sexual violence against girls. It brings together the expertise and resources of many of the strongest organisations working globally in development, public health and children and women’s rights to collaborate with national governments and civil society.

Using its Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) as an entry point, Together for Girls provides comprehensive data on the magnitude and consequences of this issue, on a scale that never existed before. Launched as a Clinton Global Initiative commitment (www.clintonglobalinitiative.org) the partnership includes five UN agencies led by UNICEF, the US government and the private sector.

Together for Girls generates national data illuminating the problem of violence against children and mobilises support for country-driven efforts for change. Together for Girls enables three practical and effective steps:

• National surveys and data – to document the magnitude, nature and impact of physical, emotional and sexual violence against children to inform government leaders, civil society and donors.
• Evidenced-based, coordinated policy and programme actions in countries to address issues identified through the surveys, including legal and policy reform, improved services for children who have experienced violence and prevention programmes.
• Global advocacy and public awareness efforts to draw attention to the problem and promote evidence-based solutions.

 

Local engagement, including with government ministries (for example health, education and justice) and nongovernmental, private sector and development partners is a key element contributing to the Together for Girls partnership. Governments are the organisation’s most important partners because they lead and have responsibility for the process of addressing violence against children. Community action is also critical to raising awareness of violence against children with parents, community leaders and with children themselves, making them aware of their rights.

Together for Girls’ ‘Country Partners’ include Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, Cambodia and Indonesia and Haiti. Some of the projects with which the organisation has been involved include:

• Health – child abuse screening: post-rape care – Zimbabwe provides medical and psychosocial services for children who have experience physical and/or sexual abuse
• Education – training teachers: early childhood education – Tanzania revised the national code of conduct for the professional ethics of teachers and drafted child protection guidelines for schools
• Civil Society – safe spaces: advocacy in Kenya (Lwala Community Alliance – non-governmental organisation) is piloting a mentorship programme for girls to address issues such as early marriage and gender-based violence

 

Together for Girls promotes an environment of global learning, enabling countries to learn from each other. The organisation provides technical assistance and support, as well as opportunities for cross-country exchanges. Its website contains a number of resources related to public health, gender, violence and child protection (www.togetherforgirls.org).

Evaluations

UNICEF (2013) Guidance on preventing and responding to child sexual abuse and exploitation inlow to middle income countries and humanitarian emergency contexts.

Radford, L, Allcock, D. and Hynes, P. (2011) Preventing and responding to child sexual abuse and exploitation in low to middle income countries and humanitarian emergency contexts: Evidence Review.

References

https://www.togetherforgirls.org/how-we-work/

Contact details

Together for Girls c/o UNAIDS 1889,
F Street NW, Suite 350 Washington, DC 20006
Email: info@togetherforgirls.org  
Website :https://www.togetherforgirls.org/

INFORMATION CORRECT AT JANUARY 2021

RATING: Pioneering