Empowering Africa’s Children: World Vision Presents Child‑Friendly AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls

This article highlights how 2,400 children in Bukanga Lonzo, Kwango Province, have officially received birth certificates thanks to advocacy efforts led by World Vision. Through its Citizen Voice and Action (CVA) approach, the organisation worked alongside local authorities, the civil registry and community partners to regularise the status of children who had never been registered at birth. The piece underscores the importance of legal identity as a gateway to fundamental rights, including access to education, healthcare and public services. It features testimonies from local leaders, judicial authorities and parents, illustrating both the legal significance and the emotional impact of receiving a birth certificate. Beyond celebrating the milestone, the article also raises awareness about the legal requirement to register children within 90 days of birth and calls for continued collaboration to ensure that every child is recognised, protected and given a fair start in life.

In Ouallam, 39 community health workers support families daily despite insecurity and scarce resources. According to Souleymane Idrissa, head of the Ouallam health center, trainings provided through the “Strengthening access to care and epidemic control” project funded by World Health Organization and implemented by World Vision Niger and ISCV marked a major turning point. Health workers gained critical skills in managing gender-based violence, encouraging referrals, and supporting survivors, including access to psychological care. The project also strengthened disease surveillance through training on the minimum emergency activity package, enabling faster detection and reporting of measles, malaria, cholera, meningitis, and other serious illnesses, even in displaced persons sites. Long-serving relays like Seyni Seydou and Maimouna Birgui describe a deepened sense of purpose, improved knowledge, and stronger community trust. Beyond technical skills, the trainings enhanced awareness-raising, early care-seeking, and social cohesion. Today, community health workers in Ouallam act as true health sentinels, better equipped to prevent disease, respond to epidemics, and protect their communities.

Four years into the war in Ukraine, children remain at the centre of a deepening protection crisis. Today, one in three children in Ukraine requires humanitarian assistance, as sustained exposure to violence, displacement, family separation and the erosion of essential services continue to shape their daily lives.

In Ramu, Cox’s Bazar, a mother improves her children’s health through safe water, hygiene awareness, and access to a sanitary toilet.

Despite escalating conflict, climate shocks, economic instability and widespread displacement, we reached over 26 million people, including 16.4 million children

World Vision’s integrated programs transformed a primary school in Pitseng, providing clean water, safe toilets, new classrooms, school gardens, and poultry projects, improving learning, hygiene, and student wellbeing

World Vision Ghana joined the Ghana Health Service and partners at Social Welfare Park to mark World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day 2026, reaffirming national commitment to eliminating neglected tropical diseases through collaboration, stronger financing, and community-focused health interventions.

WVS’s child well-being priorities are closely aligned with Pillar 3: Social Development of the Somalia National Transformation Plan (NTP) and contribute directly to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Efforts to improve child nutrition and reduce wasting and stunting advance SDG 2: Zero Hunger and respond to the NTP priority of improving access to and quality of nutrition and food security services. Expanding equitable, quality maternal and child healthcare supports SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, addressing the NTP’s goal of strengthening accessible healthcare systems. Finally, strengthening child protection systems and family support contributes to SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, reinforcing the NTP commitment to protect children and promote social cohesion.

A society that allows children to go to bed hungry violates not only economic logic, but basic human rights.