Creating a better and enabling environment where Children feel protected and cared for within their families
CHILDREN’S RIGHTS AND PROTECTION PROGRAM (CRP)
Despite their rights, children still suffer from homelessness, abuse, exploitation, preventable diseases, unequal access to education and some communities that do not recognize their special needs and care. To such extent, ACROSSAID has, since its establishment, engaged in advocating for and promoting the rights of children at all levels and strives to create a protective and enabling environment for children whereby they enjoy life in its fullness within their families.
AcrossAid gives much attention to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in need with their families from underserved communities and strives to tackle all forms of exclusion, school enrollment disparities, disabilities, and economically disadvantaged children to assist them enjoy the benefits of a successful life.
We have invested our resources and will continue to do so in Child Rights and Protection to ensure all children regardless their disabilities, family background are protected and free from all forms of abuse, neglect and violence.
Children At The Heart of Our Work
Children like other human beings, are subject to their own rights and must be protected from all forms of abuse, violence, neglect and exploitation. They must be given chance to develop and unlock their full potential to help them serve as a gateway to reaching greater success in human life and development. Therefore, AcrossAid seeks to provide supportive interventions meant to empower children, their families and communities to help respond and prevent all forms of violence, child abuse and exploitation and other harmful social behaviors affecting their lives. The most vulnerable children from impoverished families remain at the core of our Child Rights and Protection Strategy and Priorities to ensure no one is left behind.
CHILD AHEAD PROJECT
From 2020, competitions took place in all various districts of Rwanda. As one of the project activities, the target children actively participated in competitions which aimed at not only improving their language skills but also expressing their advocacy perspectives.
Out of the seven hundred and forty (740) children from all four districts, six hundred and ninety-seven (697) children, i.e. 94.1% were registered and actively participated in these competitions. Participants were between eight and eighteen years old, and they were selected from upper primary and lower secondary school students. The reasons underlying this choice were due to the fact that children of this age are the most affected by domestic violence considered the root causes of dropping out of school and thereby become street children.
The number of children who participated in the competitions were 697 children form all respective districts. This means that 146 children were from Gasabo district, 176 children from Rwamagana, 194 children from Bugesera and 181 children from Rulindo district. The 135 best winners from four districts have been awarded with school materials in order to encourage them to develop their talents. Children awarded were from poor families who do not have means to buy school materials for their children.
In collaboration with local authorities, we have conducted family visits (couples in conflicts) from whom their children were at risk and were victims of child rights violation. At district level, exemplary families were selected to accompany those families in conflicts and served as family mentors to ensure families are aware of child rights and they participated in activities aiming at child protection. This has resulted into social integration and children got committed to go back to their families.
sensitizing
campaigning
creating awareness
AcrossAid has encouraged Parents for fruifful of parental care in protecting children from street life and sensitized to young people on the effect of drug abuse and its negative impact on not only their lives but also on the country’s development.
AcrossAid mobilizing parents and other community members to ensure children are cared for, raised within their families and protected from all forms of violence, harms and exploitation.
AcrossAid has successfully conducted a four-day campaign aiming at “Protecting Children from Street Life, Drug Abuse among Young People as well as Early Unwanted Pregnancies among Young Adolescent Girls”.