Association for Community Development (ACD), Bangladesh
ACD was founded in 1989 and works to establish the rights of women and children by promoting social justice and developing community-care support mechanisms. It focuses on issues of trafficking, sexual abuse and exploitation, violence against women and children, harmful gender norms, and toxic masculinity. The organisation also works to rehabilitate and integrate children living on the streets, or survivors of trafficking and violence, and support children living outside of adult care.
Centre for Services and Information on Disability (CSID), Bangladesh
CSID is a non-profit voluntary organisation, formed in 1997 to reduce discrimination against children and adults with disabilities. It implements ten projects in Dhaka, Barisal, Sylhet and Bhola divisions and domestic violence is a cross-cutting theme in all of them. With funding from UNICEF, CSID’s child protection project has focused on preventing all types of violence, including domestic violence, against children with disabilities. CSID works in dense and highly congested areas in both urban slums and rural settings.
ChildLink, Guyana
ChildLink was established in 2011 to protect children against violence and abuse. It aims to strengthen child protection systems and works with the National Child Protection system. It has played a leading role in giving Guyanese children and youth a voice on issues that concern them. ChildLinK’s expertise lies in providing child-friendly counselling and other psychosocial interventions to children, youth and their families, from a rights-based approach.
Children Assistance Program (CAP), Liberia
CAP is a rights-based advocacy organisation working for the well-being of women and children. It provides social services to children including emergency relief, education, health, food security, youth participation and promotes children’s and women’s rights.
Children in Distress Network (CINDI), South Africa
CINDI is a multi-sectoral network of over 200 South African civil society organisations championing the rights of vulnerable children and their families and is based in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. It carries out a wide range of evidence-based and sustainable programmes for children and young people. Its membership is made up of 80 per cent community-based organisations and 20 per cent non-governmental organisations.
Farm Orphan Support Trust (FOST), Zimbabwe
FOST began with a focus on orphans and vulnerable children in commercial farmworker communities and now works in farming communities with grandparent-headed households in particular. FOST believes that orphaned children have the best opportunity for development in a family setting, without sibling separation. It works through existing community-based protection and accountability mechanisms, such as Community Child Care Workers and Child Protection Committees, for example by training community leaders on child protection and the prevention of gender-based violence.
Foundation for Innovative Social Development (FISD), Sri Lanka
FISD is a national NGO focusing on the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, the protection and promotion of child rights and gender and development – in particular, the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence. FISD believes that for expectations about gender roles to change, men and boys must be included in the conversation. It engages men and boys in promoting gender equality and changing their perceptions about gender roles and stereotypes. FISD chairs the ‘Men Engage Alliance’ in South Asia and runs the campaign ‘Be the Change’, where men share positive stories about caring families.
Fundación JUCONI México AC (JUCONI), Mexico
JUCONI has been working in Mexico for 33 years to prevent family violence and support those affected. A therapeutic approach is central. Preventing and healing violence requires direct, structured support to the family, providing tools so that individuals and families have the necessary skills to transform their environments and relationships. JUCONI’s family strengthening work aims to prevent children from being unnecessarily separated from their families and institutionalised. The work is carried out in the homes of families who are visited each week by trained family therapists. They strengthen positive family relationships by using new strategies and tools to prevent violence. JUCONI also pioneers extended family foster care, underlining the importance of the family environment for children’s positive development and for the alternative care of children and adolescents who cannot be cared for by their own family.
National Association Against Child Abuse (CONACMI), Guatemala
CONACMI was established in 1994 with a focus on the prevention of violence – particularly sexual abuse – against children and young people. CONACMI works to keep future generations protected from abuse, while giving victims practical help to overcome their trauma. It places a large focus on working with communities and families who are in violent situations and on preventing teenage pregnancy.
New Alipore Praajak Development Society (Praajak), India
Praajak was established in 1997. Through direct implementation, capacity building, networking and advocacy it has worked on a range of child protection issues, including preventing early and forced child marriages, trafficking and abuse. Most of its work is carried out in West Bengal. It has consistently challenged gendered norms and stereotypes as well as traditional notions of masculinity and patriarchy, supporting boys and young men to play their part in creating a gender-equitable society while, in parallel, working with girls and young women.