Blog: Child Protection

Friday, March 9, 2018 - 00:04 by Allan Wekesa

For the Price of a Goat

By Cynthia Doresi

From a-far one can tell that she is very young not even twenty five yet. “I have never been to school…I was married off at a young age, I don’t know my age,” says Nyota. Child marriage is a common thing in Kilifi County. When you visit the homesteads, it doesn’t take that long before you notice the age difference between a husband and a wife. I recently visited about seven homesteads, and in five of the homesteads the...

Struggling for peace in Dibaya | Kasais Crisis in DRC

Mado lives in a small village in the Dibaya district of the Democratic Republic of Congo with her husband and four children. They’re 85km from the regional capital of Kananga, in the Kasai region, and until a few months ago their village was quiet, with just the bustle of people selling things in container shops and tending small farms.

This quiet life was suddenly interrupted four months ago, when the Kamunia Nsapu militias arrived in their town. Mid-afternoon on the...

In celebration of humanitarian workers’ gallant service in conflict

Every day, millions of civilians are subjected to crimes of war. Tomorrow, Saturday 19th August, marks the World Humanitarian Day themed: You’re not a target! This year humanitarian partners are reaffirming that civilians, who are also humanitarian workers caught in conflict are #NotATarget. Their efforts, willingness to save life and care in

Tomorrow, Saturday 19th August, marks the World Humanitarian Day themed: Not a target! This year humanitarian partners are...

Addressing the Massacre of the Innocents

The greatness of a people is not seen in our monuments, our accomplishments, or our prosperity. It’s most honestly visible in how we treat the vulnerable, the powerless, and especially children. Tragically, children are the first to suffer under the abuse of power, the distrust of warring factions, the ambition of people, and the greed of human hearts. It’s common at Christmas time to reflect on the massacre of the innocents...

Protecting children during emergencies in Haiti

Haiti has a multitude of emergency situations caused by disasters: earthquake, floods, cyclones, cholera etc. These situations worsen the already difficult socioeconomic conditions of the population.

Emergencies expose children to risks that make them even more vulnerable than usual. In emergency situations, the family and social structures that protect children are dismantled as families move to shelters, some are separated from their children and others even send...

Reaching the ‘hardest-to-reach’ children

Six months after her parents were murdered by sadistic rebels, 16-year-old Gloria tells the story as unemotionally as she can – but still ends in tears.

She had been sent to fetch water while her family worked on their palm oil plantation in verdant, tropical Erengeti, in the “Grand Nord” of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). On her way back, she saw “men...

Changing the narrative of violence

Whenever I think about the seemingly impossible task of social change, especially around almost intractable issues, I recall champions who have changed the world. There was (the aptly named!) William Wilberforce, an English politician who challenged the entrenched 18th and 19th century institution of slavery. But Wilberforce saw another reality- one where everyone deserved freedom, dignity and other basic human rights. It was a lonely years-long undertaking, but he turned a...

Partnership key to ending violence against children

One billion children. Every year, one billion children experience violence. They are physically and sexually abused, made to work or marry when they should be in school. Some are forced to take up arms and fight in adult wars. How can we expect them to grow up unaffected? To unleash their potential and realise a better future for themselves, their families and communities?

The sheer scale of this problem can be overwhelming. It’s important to remind ourselves of...

Understanding a high

It's 10am and Kapil* has just woken up. The streets in Central Delhi buzz with activity.

I see men and women leave homes for their day of rag picking while the children left about; some working in shops, some lying down, and very few going to school. I smell the dirt and notice dust fill the environment.

I greet Kapil, 12, as I walk further down the extremely narrow lanes, which resemble a complicated maze. It's easy for anyone to get lost here, especially a...

Finding a true identity: Solace from an incredible tragedy

Most middle class girls from my community growing up had a typical vision of life- dreaming of finding a good husband and then leading a happy married life.

Once upon a time my imagination didn’t drift beyond this same dream. But now I find it funny, considering what I am doing with my life now. Working with World Vision Bangladesh has opened my eyes to so many things that were beyond my imagination.

I can...