10 years of Family

Changing lives through local leadership

Family for Every Child is a global alliance of 47 local organisations working in 38 countries to improve the lives of children and families in need. As organisations rooted in our local communities, we have a rich and unique understanding of the contexts in which we work. This means that the projects we deliver are truly tailored to each country and culture in which we operate.

Since we hosted our first board meeting in 2014, we've had many achievements to celebrate. We asked our Members about the strengths of our Alliance and what makes them proud of being part of it. Watch the video below to hear some of their responses.

Scroll down to learn more about our achievements and discover opportunities to further engage with Family.

Policy changes

39 policy changes in 20+ member countries

Strengthening families

In Egypt, Hope Village Society developed an alternative care strategy & child safeguarding policy that was adopted into law. In India, Butterflies contributed significantly to the national foster care policy. FOST in Zimbabwe influenced the review of the Orphan care Policy to the new Alternative Care Policy for Children, which places kinship care as the second best option for placement of children needing alternative care.

Protecting children from violence and abuse

In Mexico, JUCONI contributed to the new law against corporal and humiliating punishment of children. Voice of Children in Nepal contributed to revising the sexual abuse policy in the country, indicating the sexual abuse of boys also as a crime and punishable activity. In Sri Lanka, The Foundation for Innovative Social Development (FISD) contributed to establishing a committee to investigate the necessary legislative amendments to end corporal punishment.

Challenging Heights has participated in the consultation in Ghana to design the National Plan of Action (NAP) against Human Trafficking. In the Phillippines, the Department of Social Welfare uses the Manual on Handling Sexually Abused Children in Foster Homes in the Philippines, developed by the Center for Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse (CPTCSA). In Guatemala, the Secretariat of the Social Welfare Department signed a cooperation agreement with CONACMI.

Supporting children with disabilities

The Children Assistance Program (CAP) contributed to the inclusive education policy supporting children with disabilities in Liberia. In Jamaica, Community Based Rehabilitation Jamaica (CBRJ) contributed to the approval of the country's Special Education Policy.

Advocacy

15 advocacy accomplishments in 9 countries

In Jordan, Government and CSO partners have adopted the awareness tools developed by Jordan River Foundation (JRF) in their campaigns to abolish child marriage. in the United States, Legal Services for Children (LSC) plays an important role in shaping the discussion and the outline of the practitioner guidance for supporting integration of children on the move for the Middle East and European Union corridor.

Our member CBRJ in Jamaica was invited to the 39th Human Rights Council. In Brazil, Associação Brasileira Terra dos Homens (ABTH) held a global Foster Care Colloquium in 2023 with foreign Ministers in attendance.

International achievements

Local CSOs advocating at the global level

Family for Every Child supported the active participation of children and young people in the UN CRC Day of General Discussion (DGD) on Alternative Care, and contributed to the UN Resolution on children without parental care.

We presented at UN side events in Geneva for the UNCRC 30th anniversary, and participated in UN side events in New York on alternative care and children with a disability.

Last year, Family for Every Child gained NGO Consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Looking at the future

Building a global movement of local CSOs

We continue to build an Alliance that reflects true local leadership and the change we want to achieve for children and families, and you have a fundamental role in it.

We believe local knowledge should be at the forefront of global change. Through Changemakers for Children, we are building an open, collaborative global movement for local practitioners to improve the lives of children and families worldwide, and enabling a space for practitioners to share their knowledge and collaborate to scale impact beyond our membership.