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AHO Child Protection Policy

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AHO Child Protection Policy 2020-2030 Africa Health Organisation (AHO) Prepared by: Annu Quaggiotto 2 Table of contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………… page 4 The importance of child protection………………………………………… page 5 Child protection in countries across the African continent……… page 8 Child protection strategy………………………………………………………… page 11 Funding …………………………………………………………………………………… page 14 Monitoring, evaluation and review…………………………………………. page 15 Summary………………………………………………………………………………… page 15 References……………………………………………………………………………… page 15 3 Introduction Herbert Hoover, former President of the United States, famously referred to children as “our most valuable natural resource 1”. This viewpoint is also reflected in international society's recognition of children’s human rights and the need to address their specific circumstances when looking at strategies on international concerns and sustainable development. Today, the World Health Organisation is amongst international bodies making reference to “children and young people—our most precious resource 2 ” and recognising the importance of incorporating child wellbeing and protection in health goals. Nonetheless, there remains a gap between international commitments and national practices impacting child abuse (including neglect) and exploitation. Research in East Asia and the Pacific 3 and the United States 4 shows links between economic, educational, cognitive and behavioural problems and child abuse and neglect. The future society to which we aspire is dependent on the children of today - and how we promote and safeguard their welfare. Policies, strategies and action plans that assist this goal underpin every other objective we seek to implement around health, sustainable development and human rights. Consequently, Africa Health Organisation’s (AHO's) strategies include child protection. This document outlines a strategic approach to child protection in general for AHO. It is based firmly on the goals and principles that determine the focus of AHO’s work. It places child protection in a health and development context, with related information on international legal protection, the nature of child protection issues identified in African countries and challenges to be addressed, ranging from stakeholder engagement to data availability and consistency. The suggested strategy in this document recognises the interrelated nature of child protection issues and the multi-sectoral approach required to address challenges. The goals suggested in the related action plan are overarching. Separate action plans relevant to specific areas of child protection are being developed currently, to address immediate and unique contextual considerations. As an area in which there is constant motion and development, particularly in the light of political and economic issues – and most recently, issues arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic - it is expected that the suggested goals in this strategic policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure a flexible, adaptable approach rather than a fixed response 5. There is nothing we can say to the world’s children that can convince them the world needs to be the way it is. That means we must do everything we can to close the gap between the world as it is, and the world as it should be. Former UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon 4 I The importance of child protection 1.1 Child protection meaning: Available reports and research indicate varying definitions of child protection and “child” is not uniformly accepted as an individual below eighteen years old 6. Child protection For the purposes of this strategy document (Strategy): the definition of a child is taken from Article 2 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child child protection refers to the protection of individuals under eighteen years old, from abuse and exploitation The World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of abuse includes physical and emotional abuse, exploitation, ill treatment and neglect. Its strategies to reduce violence against children (INSPIRE) indicates that violence against children can vary at different ages 7 (see table below 8). Child abuse by age 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 Age Age years in 4 2 0 Chlid Bullying Youth violence Intimate partner Sexual violence Emotional maltreatment violence violence Abuse type Abuse can arise in different forms, such as physical violence (including sexual assault and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, breast ironing), mental abuse (emotional and psychological) and neglect (in areas such as physical care, emotional care, education). Exploitation can occur through child labour, armed conflict or bonded labour contexts and sexual exploitation for some type of gain (for example, sexual trafficking and sexual slavery). 5 This Strategy considers child protection issues generally. It should be read in conjunction with AHO’s other, existing strategies that include children and which focus on specific, individual areas of child protection. 1.2 Child protection and health issues: Child abuse and exploitation raise concerns that cut across many sectors - including the health sector, with the health effects of abuse and the health sector’s ability to respond to survivors and assist with preventative measures. WHO has recognised the importance of the health sector’s role in its health sector guidelines on child mistreatment 9, aimed at health sector responders with whom abused children come into contact. The behavioural and psychological effects of child abuse and exploitation are long-term and can lead to physical ailments. When survivors of abuse and exploitation become adults, there is the risk that those with ongoing Specific sustainable development goals arising behavioural or psychological issues might from Agenda 2030 that incorporate child adversely affect the children in their care, protection and empowerment goals are: perpetuating the negative effects of the survivors’ experiences. Goal 1 (reducing poverty) Goal 3 (ensuring healthy lives and Sustainable development goals, which aim promoting well-being for all at all ages) to improve the world economically, Goal 4 (inclusive and equitable quality environmentally and socially 10 , recognise education, including free primary and the importance of children and of health secondary education in Goal 4.1, quality in achieving development, with the childcare and pre-primary education in inclusion of Goal 3 on promoting health Goal 4.2 and the equal access to education and wellbeing. AHO’s focus is on in Goal 4.5) promoting a high quality, equitable health Goal 5 (gender equality, including service and collaboration among countries references in Goals 5.2 and 5.3 to in Africa to improve the quality of life. eliminating trafficking, exploitation and Child protection is an area of key harmful practices such as early/ forced relevance in achieving these aims, marriage and female genital mutilation) relevant to AHO Strategic Plan 2020/2025 Goal 8 (sustained and inclusive economic categories 2 (non-communicable growth, full and productive employment diseases), 3 (determinants of health and and decent work, with Goal 8.7 referring to promoting health throughout the life elimination of slavery, child labour, forced course) and 4 (achieving people-centred labour, child soldiers, slavery and health services). trafficking) Goal 11 (making cities and settlements safe 1.3 Child protection and development: and sustainable, with references to safe transport for children in Goal 11.2 and safe The sustainable development goals aim to public spaces in Goal 11.7) eradicate poverty, foster peaceful, just Goal 16 on promoting peaceful and societies and achieve development in a inclusive societies is particularly relevant sustainable way 11 . Agenda 2030 (United to child protection and Goal 16.2 Nations General Assembly Resolution specifically refers to ending abuse, 70/1), which establishes the sustainable exploitation, trafficking and all forms of development goals, specifically recognises violence against and torture of children. the importance of children and young 6 adults as agents for future change (paragraphs 51 and 53). Agenda 2030 incorporates child protection and empowerment in its Vision (paragraph 8), its Agenda (paragraph 23, 25, 26, 27) and the goals mentioned in the text box above (page 6 of this Strategy) which are specific to children. The sustainable development goals are interrelated. Thus, progress in one area can impact positively on another area. Without the protection and empowerment of children, the overall aim of Agenda 2030 in eradicating poverty and achieving peace and justice together with sustainable development will be difficult to achieve. This is because the welfare of children is affected by issues that the sustainable development goals seek to address and some goals are specific to child protection concerns. Thus, the sustainable development goals are underpinned by the need to ensure child protection and achieve child empowerment. 1.4 International legal provisions relevant to the rights of the child: Laws around child protection issues are important from both a preventative and protective perspective. They indicate a state’s official stance on its duties to protect children, which can lend support to efforts to strengthen and improve child protection. International instruments that focus solely on Key international legal instruments on children’s rights date back almost 100 years. As child protection in Africa early as 1924, the Geneva Declaration on the Rights of
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