Ninth Regional Consultation of Child Helplines in Africa
Report
Developing Progressive and Sustainable Child Helplines to Protect Children and Young People in Africa
18- 20 September 2017 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Supported by and
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
Contents Executive summary ...... 3 Introduction ...... 4 The importance of child helplines ...... 4 How can children contact a child helpline?...... 4 Page | 2 What do child helplines offer? ...... 4 Child Helpline International ...... 5 Childline Zimbabwe ...... 5 Importance of the Regional Consultation of African child helplines ...... 6 1. Day zero: Sunday 17th September, 2017 ...... 7 2. Day one: Monday 18th September, 2017 ...... 7 2.1. Market place and registration ...... 7 2.2. Opening Session ...... 7 2.3. Press Conference ...... 8 2.4. Updates from Child Helpline International ...... 8 2.5. Key note interventions ...... 10 2.6. Training: Online Safety for child helplines counsellors in Africa facilitated by Facebook ...... 11 2.7. Parallels sessions ...... 12 a) Regional meeting of child helplines in Africa ...... 12 b) Child Helpline International’s 2016-2020 strategy ...... 13 3. Day two: Tuesday 19th September, 2017 ...... 14 3.1. Panel discussion: Increasing the reach of the harmonized 116 number for child helplines in Africa and enhancing the work with telecoms and regulators ...... 14 3.2. Feedback and recommendation from the YOUth forum ...... 14 3.3. Round table: the importance of partnership for the sustainability of child helpline ...... 16 3.4. The work of Childline Zimbabwe ...... 18 a) Child helpline presentation ...... 18 b) Launch of 116 App ...... 19 3.5. Celebration of the 20th anniversary of Childline Zimbabwe ...... 20 4. Day 3: Wednesday 20th September, 2017 ...... 21 4.1. Panel discussion: The use of data for the improvement of the child protection systems in Africa 21 4.2. Round table: the role of child helpline on issues affecting children in Africa ...... 21 4.3. Training: the role of child helplines addressing FGM ...... 23 4.4. HIV and child protection from the perspective of child helplines ...... 24 5. Closing remarks ...... 24 ANNEX 1: Agenda ...... 26 Annex 2: List of participants ...... 30
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Executive summary
This report outlines the discussions and outcomes of the Ninth Regional Consultation of Child Helplines in Africa, which was held from 18th to 20th of September 2017 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. This important event was hosted by Childline Zimbabwe. Page | 3 The conference was attended by over one hundred and ten participants from 37 countries from Africa and beyond including representatives from organisations working on child protection, emergency, HIV/AIDS, CSEA, VAC; industries and telecoms such as Plan International RESA, UNICEF ESARO, Plan International countries offices, UNICEF Country offices, Word Education Incorporation- WEI, the Fund For Peace, FORWARD; and Child Helpline International and the members in the region as well.
Child Helpline International network in Africa is composed of 34 members in 31 countries. In 2016, 12 of the 34 abovementioned child helplines collectively received more than 2 million calls from children and young people with topics focused on; abuse and violence, school-related topics and education, basics needs, sexuality and sexual awareness.
Child helplines are an essential part of child protection systems and should have continuous access for children across all African regions. Although, in reality many child helplines are struggling to capture and share the voices of children and young people because of lack of staffing; inadequate management of calls, case management, and date collection software; insufficiency of financial resources, and limited use of ICTs to increase access to child helplines.
The Ninth Regional Consultation was a great opportunity for child helplines and partners working in Africa and beyond to meet and discuss on developing progressive and sustainable child helplines to protect children and young people in Africa and address topics such as:
• Child helplines contributions to the achievement of the SDGs and the AU Agenda 2040 for children in Africa, • Child Online Protection and safety, • Increasing the reach of the harmonised 116 number for child helplines in Africa, • Enhancing the work with telecoms and regulators, • The importance of partnership for the sustainability of child helplines, • The use of data for the improvement of the child protection systems in Africa • The role of child helplines in issues affecting children in Africa.
Child Helpline International would like to thank everyone involved in the organisation, participation and hosting of the Ninth Regional Consultation of child helplines in Africa. Worthy of special mention is the support received from UNICEF, Plan International Offices and CAPE in Senegal in sponsorship of members and for their participation in the meeting; the presenters and our host Childline Zimbabwe.
A special thanks to the team of Child Helpline International – Childline Zimbabwe organising team for the amazing job in execution of the regional consultation.
This report outlines the sessions, discussions and outcomes of the Ninth Regional Consultation of Child Helplines in Africa. The detailed programme is enclosed in Annex two. The presentations are available (in the language that they were presented) here. Pictures from the event are found here.
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
Introduction
The importance of child helplines
Child helplines help and support services for children and are run by civil society organisations, and in some cases, by government bodies. Page | 4
Child helplines base their work on the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UNCRC spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have; the right to survival, to develop to the fullest, to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life. The UNCRC also specifically gives children the right to be heard and to express their views without fear of harm or reprisal.
Child helplines help ensure all children have the opportunity to be heard. Child helplines also adhere to the four core principles of the UNCRC; non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child.
How can children contact a child helpline?
In order to be optimally accessible to all children, child helplines, use a variety of communication methods and technologies dependent on the needs of the children they serve. Some of the communication methods adopted by child helplines are:
• Telephone services; • Mobile phone SMS/text messaging; • Online services such as email, chat rooms and online bulletin boards; • Letter 'drop boxes' in schools, community centres and other public spaces; • Postal services; • Radio programmes; • Mobile outreach units.
To make access easier and simple for children, child helplines endeavour to obtain three- or four- digit easy to remember toll-free phone numbers. This ensures that all children can pick up a phone and call a child helpline at any time, without worrying about the costs.
Similarly, child helplines strive to constantly keep up with the changing needs and preferred communication methods of children. This can range from incorporating new online technologies to reach children accustomed too and well-versed in online communication and in other cases involves implementing creative outreach programmes to reach marginalised children; in remote communities or those living outside of existing formal systems.
What do child helplines offer?
Child helpline counsellors actively listen to children who wish to express their concerns and link children and young people to resources and emergency assistance as needed. When necessary, child helplines also directly intervene by providing shelter, education and legal support. Importantly, child helplines also reach out to those children who may not be able to access the services on their own. Finally, child helplines also raise awareness about their services and the issues faced by children.
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
Child Helpline International
Child Helpline International is a collective impact organisation working to defend the rights of children and youth worldwide. As of November 2016, the network consists of 181 independent member organisations in 147 countries, which together received over 19 million contacts a year from children and young people in need of care and protection. Children’s right to be heard, to Page | 5 express themselves and to be listened to with empathy is at the core of our work.
Child Helpline International has supported the creation and strengthening of national toll-free child helplines worldwide by facilitating knowledge transfer, capacity building and communication amongst its members. Child Helpline International collects, compiles and analyses information from its child helpline members and uses this data to highlight gaps in child protection systems and strengthen them. No other collective adds such evidence-based value to its members, partners and donors, governments and policy makers.
Child Helpline International also assists its members in the consolidation of services by enhancing the joint regional and national work of existing child helplines as well as assisting national led initiatives. For example, Uganda Child Helpline International assisted in the transformation of the child helpline operating as a social civil society service to one operated by the national government. In Benin, Child Helpline International is assisting the Government and UNICEF to set up a child helpline.
Childline Zimbabwe
Childline Zimbabwe is a child rights, not-for-profit, registered Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO 7/2001) that was established in 1997 by a group of women called the Soroptimists to champion child protection in Zimbabwe. The child helpline is recognised by the state and the state has complied with all of Child Helpline International’s recommendations to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights of Children3. Over the years the Childline has been progressing to open up more reporting platforms by embracing technology leading to the integration of online counselling platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook, twitter, email and text) that complement the voice calls. It currently has two branches; one in Harare and one in Bulawayo.
Children (0-18 years), have access to services in Zimbabwe regardless of religious background, socio-economic circumstances or geographic location. Childline employs a rights-based approach throughout its activities addressing sexual and gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health issues given the nature of child abuse and its prevalence in Zimbabwe. It seeks to provide children, families and those involved with children, preventative, educational, therapeutic and rehabilitation services in addition to research and advocacy. Childline Zimbabwe is a member of the Child Helplines International and is the Regional Representative of Africa at the Child Helpline International’s Supervisory Board and the current Director.
Childline Zimbabwe aims to listen, comfort and protect all children. The mission is: • To counsel, comfort and protect all children in Zimbabwe through the provision of a free confidential 24hour child helpline, free post service and Drop-in Centres; • To respond to all children in distress and promote, foster and encourage the protection and care of children in Zimbabwe.
Childline provides free multilingual counselling. Children and adults can self-identify their need by accessing the child-friendly reporting mechanisms available:
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
• The 116 is a free service and it can be accessed on a 24 hour basis. Childline offers telephone counselling in Bulawayo and Harare Call Centres. • The Free Postal Service by writing a letter to Childline. • Walking into any of the 26 community-based Drop-in Centres in all the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe to access counselling from trained Social Worker/Counsellors. • Using web-based media technologies to contact Childline via email, website, Facebook, Page | 6 Whatsapp and twitter for online counselling.
Importance of the Regional Consultation of African child helplines
The Child Helpline International network in Africa has benefited from eight previous Regional Consultations and the 2017th conference will be the Ninth Regional Consultation to be held in Africa. The past Regional Consultations were held in Johannesburg, South Africa (2005); Durban, South Africa (2006); Entebbe, Uganda (2007); Windhoek, Namibia (2008); Blantyre, Malawi (2009); Nairobi, Kenya (2011); Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2013); and Dakar, Senegal (2015).
The Regional Consultations are jointly convened by Child Helpline International and the local host child helpline. Ms. Stella Motsi, the National Director of Childline Zimbabwe, is currently the Regional Representative for Africa serving on Child Helpline International’s Supervisory Board. Ms. Motsi was nominated by the African member child helplines during the 2016 International Consultation in Bangkok, Thailand. Childline Zimbabwe expressed interest to host the Ninth African Regional Consultation of Child Helplines in 2017. It is the first time that Childline Zimbabwe is hosting the Africa Regional Consultation, which demonstrates great advancement of the child helpline movement in Africa.
Thirty African child helplines and partners meet on September 18-20, 2017 in Victoria Falls, representing 47 countries and over 110 participants, for three days to discuss and exchange knowledge on how to further develop progressive and sustainable child helplines. The discussions were based on the foundation of the contribution of child helplines to achieve child rights and Sustainable Development Goal 16.2 in Africa and other issues affecting children and young people in the African region under main theme, ‘Developing progressive and sustainable child helplines to protect children and young people in Africa’.
Child Helpline International was represented by Sheila M. Donovan (Executive Director), Helen Mason (Chief Operating Officer), Magdalena Aguilar (Head of Programmes Development and Richard A. Ombono (Programme Manager for Africa)
The organising team
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1. Day zero: Sunday 17th September, 2017
Registration of participants occurred between 16.00 and 19.00 and the organising committee meet to finalise plans. A meeting between child helplines and UNICEFs also took place that evening.
Page | 7 2. Day one: Monday 18th September, 2017
2.1. Market place and registration
A Market place was sent up at the back of the Kalala conference room. There were displays on information over education and commutation material (IEC); and banners, posters, booklets, pens, rulers and T-shirts from the child helplines present at the conference. The market place was set up to allow child helplines to share information on their work and practice. A tour of the market places occurred on day one of the conference.
Registration for delegates started at 7:30 am together with the exhibitions and tour of the market place. The market place was an area set aside for stakeholders to present exhibits of their services and products. Delegates had time to tour the area till 9am when the official programme started.
2.2. Opening Session
After the introduction by Richard. A. Ombono, the Programme Manager for Africa at Child Helpline International, Michael from Childline Zimbabwe, appointed as the MC of the event introduced the opening remarks.
In her speech, Mrs. Constance Mutunhu from Childline Zimbabwe Board Chairperson, gave opening remarks and welcomed the delegates to Zimbabwe. She described how the Ninth Regional Conference had coincided with the 20th Anniversary celebrations for Childline Zimbabwe.
A welcome video from children and youth from Zimbabwe was played. The video is available here
In the introductory, Patuma Tonex the Youth Advisory Council member from Malawi, was present to give her opening remarks. She spoke on the importance of children’s and youth participation in the work of child helplines. In addition, she commended Childline Zimbabwe for being the first hosts to organise a youth specific forum.
Sheila M. Donovan, the Executive Director for Child Helpline International, gave her opening remarks expressing her gratitude to all the participant members of child helplines, Youth and partners who attended the event. She wished that the Ninth Regional Consultation of child helplines of Victoria Falls be a great opportunity for members to meet with partners and collaborate for the best interest of children in the region.
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
Mr Sanyangowe, the Director for Child Protection Services and representative of the Ministry of Labour Public Service and Social Welfare of the Zimbabwean government, officially opened the conference. In his speech, Mr Sanyangowe, discussed the partnership between Childline Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwean government under the National Action Plan for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (NAP for OVC) project, Page | 8 and presented the efforts made by the government to meet the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Child Protection. He highlighted the theme for the conference: “Developing Progressive and Sustainable Child Helplines to Protect Children and Young People in Africa”, as an opportunity to ensure that all Child Helplines continue to meet the needs of all children and improve on operating standards for all countries. He emphasised the need for child helplines to learn from one another.
2.3. Press Conference
Mr Sanyangowe, the Director for Child Protection Services and representative of the Ministry of Labour Public Service and Social Welfare of the Zimbabwean government; Sheila Donovan, the Executive Director of Child Helpline International; Stella Motsi, Regional Representative for Africa on the supervisory Board at Child Helpline International and Childline Zimbabwe Director; Mrs Constance Mutunhu, Chairperson of Childline Zimbabwe and Patuma Tonex, and Child Helpline International Youth Advocacy Council member; attended a press conference by local print and broadcast media journalists. Below is a link of one of the reports published in the press.
The five representatives spoke on how the conference aimed to give delegates an opportunity to develop sustainable plans of growing helplines in Africa. Find an article on the press conference here.
2.4. Updates from Child Helpline International
Helen Mason, Magdalena Aguilar and Richard Ombono presented the progress made to date in the African region.
WeListen Campaign is the Child Helpline International data campaign featured on social media channels and dedicated to the incredible work our members do every single day. The first campaign took place around the 2015’s data (child helplines listened to more than 20 million children and young people around the globe with over 2 million in Africa) and reached over 40K views on Facebook alone.
In 2016, child helplines listened to more than 24 million children and young people in the world with over 2 million in Africa. The 2016’s data WeListen Campaign will launch during the week of the Anniversary on children rights in November 2017.
The creation of the Quality Assessment for Child Helpline Advisory Council (QACHAC), discussed by Helen Mason, will be the successor of the PSP taskforce and aims to establish minimum quality standards for child helplines and to develop strategies to support child helplines members to meet these standards.
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The council will be composed of child helplines representatives, key stakeholders, partners NGO, experts and research institutions. Their activities will mainly focus on reviewing the quality assessment tools and the membership criteria, develop minimum quality standards and develop a quality assurance model. The CHIAAC chairperson, Erik Ott from the Kindertelefon, and the rest of the committee; Trine Sindahl from Borns Vilkar, Demmark; Sherif Shady, NCCM, Page | 9 Egypt; Irene Nyamu, Independent consultant; Kenya and Willemjin van Dolen from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands will potentially merge with the QACHAC.
Child Helpline International’s Youth Advisory Council created in 2014 is comprised of 13 international members working as a taskforce in thematic groups around child online protection, ending violence against children, gender equality and youth participation. #Youth has become more prominent in the brand, website and all projects of Child Helpline International whose ambition is to increase youth inclusion, participation and diversity in all areas by 2020.
In 2016, the council launched two fundamental documents the manual “Making It Work! Our story on active youth participation” and the “Nothing about us without us!” Youth Advisory Council Manifesto. The #Youth had many intersecting interventions during national and international events, importantly the International Consultation of Child Helplines in November 2016. Together with the #Youth, we developed or initiated new partnerships and collaborations in the telecommunications sector, government bodies and INGOs. The #Youth has a permanent space on our new website and social media; where articles, videos and blogs can be found promoting #Youth and the child helplines work.
Child Helpline International, Free our Voices campaign was launched in 2014, with the belief that no child should be left unheard. The Campaign goals were to improve access to child helplines everywhere, make all calls to child helplines toll-free, inform children and young people about their right to be heard and foster partnerships between child helplines, telecom operators and the ICT sector. In (add month here (etc. June) of 2017, marked the end of this successful journey with the launch of the Free Our Voices Multimedia Toolkit. During the campaign, our website had 42,000 visits and was given the Brand Republic digital award. Our membership grew by five new child helplines and 10 child helplines became toll-free, with 13 child helplines in ongoing negotiations to become toll-free. Our partners produced three key documents and 16 videos, and the #Youth were involved in the successful achievement of our goals: Launched the campaign internationally in 2014; Organised the local launches in four countries, created one children’s book and Managed two social media events.
The Multimedia Toolkit is our way to celebrate everyone’s amazing efforts in making the campaign a success. It summarizes child helplines’ stories and includes information to help to start new partnerships or strengthen existing one. The goals, achievements, partnerships and commitments that the Free Our Voices campaign brought along can be found here!
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
Child Helplines International has implemented/or implementing several projects: • Development of a counsellor’s training module on supporting forcibly displaced children including asylum-seeking children, stateless children and internally-displaced children in collaboration with the UNHCR. 22 child helplines are involved in Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia and MENA. The timeline for the implementation of the project is August to Page | 10 November 2017;
• E-.learning course on child online protection in collaboration with Telenor aims to develop a child online protection e-learning module for child helplines with a special focus on victim reporting and support, referrals to services for ongoing assistance, prevention by helping children and young people to build digital life skills and resilience. The training topic is cyberbullying, inappropriate/illicit content and child online sexual abuse. The project is goal due date is by December 2017;
• Aim to start up a child helpline in El Salvador, by which children and adolescent can have access to support, guidance and protection services. The project is conducted by the Government with the support from UNICE;
• Aim to start up a child helpline in Benin with the assist from the Government in Benin and the support of UNICEF.
2.5. Key note interventions
The key note intervention was under the theme: Child helplines contribution to the achievement of the SDGs and the AU Agenda 2040 for children in Africa
The following individuals identified as experts in their field were invited to speak during the sessions aimed for child helplines, especially in development countries, to be strengthened by having an foundational understanding of international and regional frameworks (SDGs, AU Agenda 2040 for children in Africa, Child Helpline International strategy for 2016-2020), by adjusting their activities and data collection accordingly and working with partners and governments by focusing on implementation learning from past examples.
Mr. Roland Angerer, Plan International Eastern and Southern Regional Office Director, focused on the importance of partnerships and the role that child helplines have in preventing issues affecting children, especially child marriage and also providing help to those who are victims of abuse and violence. He emphasized the partnerships that Plan International Offices in the region had with various helplines and organisations.
The presentation focused on contributing factors to child marriages and other violations towards children. Plan International’s interventions, especially on child marriages on the African continent, was presented along with recommendations on how to continue the fight for gender equality among children and young people.
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
Mrs. Stella Motsi, the Regional Representative for Africa, Supervisory Board, Child Helpline International, acknowledged all delegates present and started off by speaking on how Child Helpline International is able to meet targets of the SDG’s through all helplines.
Through Child Helpline International motto, ‘Every child has a Page | 11 voice’, she encouraged all child helplines to respect every child’s right to be heard. She emphasized that all children calling through helplines are heard and assisted accordingly.
Honourable Justice E. Chitakunye, judge for the High Court in Zimbabwe for the past 15 years and former member of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), spoke mainly on the African Union Agenda 2040, which he helped draft. Through his work, one of his key observations has been that young people and children in Africa have been victims of violence yet they have very limited channels through which they can report this violence.
This lack of options for reporting, was highlighted as the main cause for the continued perpetuation of violence against children. Honourable Justice E. Chitakunye, discussed the importance of the relevance for the conference theme in fostering a way to create reporting mechanisms that can continue to serve African children and young people for as long as there is need. Below are the key points to his presentation.
A question and answer session followed the presentation during which participants contributed by presenting their own experience and requested information on how to contribute on the improvement of children rights, implementation of the SDGs and the AU agenda 2040 in their respective countries.
2.6. Training: Online Safety for child helplines counsellors in Africa facilitated by Facebook
The training was facilitated by Akua Gyekye, Public Policy Manager, Africa and Julie de Bailliencourt, Safety Policy Manager, Europe, Middle East and Africa and Facebook
Online training was provided for counsellors on one of the thematic areas, ‘ICT to increase efficiency of reporting platforms’. This theme is important due to the increasing amount of children and young people who are going online for educational and social purposes and will need to be protected against cyber- threats.
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
2.7. Parallels sessions
a) Regional meeting of child helplines in Africa
Child helplines from the different regions were provided time to discuss and share their Page | 12 experiences.
The meeting was presided by Stella Motsi, the Regional Representative for Africa at the Supervisory Board, and assisted by Helen Mason and Richard Ombono.
Discussions held were focused on child helplines internal issues such as:
• Child Helpline International policy when contacted by an organisation/structure to set up a new child helpline in a country where there is already a member child helpline; • The joint work of child helplines across borders; • Strengthening the collaboration and experience sharing between child helplines in the regions; • Etc.
After presenting WHO and the Child Helpline International work in Africa, the moderators presented the main achievements of the regions during the last two years and the world. The following were mentioned regarding Child Helpline International:
• Supported the creation of child helplines in Burundi, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia, DRC; • Strengthen the work of child helplines (training, tools, …); • Continuation of working towards the creation of child helplines in Benin (in partnership with UNICEF Benin), Gabon (with UNICEF Gabon), Cameroon (Plan International Cameroon) and Angola (UNICEF Angola); • Capacity building on gender, child online protection and other themes; • Establishment of relationship with the African Committee of Experts for the Rights and Welfare of Children (ACERWC); • Working with key Child Protection actors in the region; • YOUth: African youth members of Child Helpline International’s Youth Advisory Council.
In the meantime, the organisation would like to: • Build partnerships in the following countries to establish child helplines in Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Chad, Comoros, Eritrea; • Strengthen child helplines in the regions (case management, data collection, etc.); • Regional and country advocacy for the harmonised 116 toll free number for child helplines in Africa; • Improve the work with Telecoms (ITU, the GSMA, telecoms, Internet providers); • Development of formal partnership with industries for the sustainability of child helplines;
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• Partner with key child protection stakeholders in Africa for joint advocacy at country and sub-regional level.
At the end of the discussions held, the participants agreed on the following:
• Institution of WhatsApp groups for our members child helplines in the region to discuss on Page | 13 issues they are facing and share their experiences and good practices; • Setting up a working group to explore SOPs on referrals across border;
• The International consultation of Child Helplines will be held in Toronto, Canada in 2018 (probably during Q4). The International Consultation is a great opportunity for members from all over the globe to meet, deliberate, share experiences about good practices and learn from each other. In the coming weeks/months, more information about the event will be provided to child helplines;
• The 15th Anniversary of Child Helpline International will be celebrated in 2018: Child Helpline International were created in 2003 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In 2018, the organisation will celebrated its 15th anniversary. Activities to commemorate the event are in construction and suggestions from members are welcome to [email protected];
• Next Regional Consultation for Child helplines 2019: the host of the Tenth regional consultation of Child helplines in Africa is C-Sema, Tanzania 2019.
b) Child Helpline International’s 2016-2020 strategy
This parallel session was open to partners only and co-moderate by Sheila Donovan and Magdalena Aguilar, respectively Executive Director and Head of Programme Development at Child Helpline International. The meetings objectives were to present the strategy 2016-2020 of the organization, Child Helpline International work in the region, the joint effort of Child Helpline International-partners in the region, and request the support from partners present. After presenting the WHO and the Child Helpline International work in Africa, the moderators presented the 2016-2020 Child Helpline International strategy and what the organization would like to see achieved in the activation, amplifying and advocating areas. An open discussion followed on how the partners could support child helplines in the region. The two-parallel sessions marked the end of the activities for day one.
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
3. Day two: Tuesday 19th September, 2017
3.1. Panel discussion: Increasing the reach of the harmonized 116 number for child helplines in Africa and enhancing the work with telecoms and regulators
Page | 14 The harmonised number used by child helplines in Africa is ‘116’ number. This number has been adopted by child helplines to allow children and young people to access care and protection though a short easy to remember number that is accessible to everyone from anywhere in the country. Only 20 child helplines operating in Africa can actually be reached by children and young people using the 116 number and the number has yet to be endorsed by the African Union and/or sub-regional bodies. At times, even when the 116 number has been granted to a child helpline, they are still required to pay for toll- free usage. The session was moderated by Shola Shanni, the Senior Policy Manager Africa at the GSMA, gave the opportunity to Martha Sunda, Senior Management Team Leader at Childline Kenya and Dumisile Nala, National Director at Childline South Africa, to share their respective country’s experience. If the ‘116’ number is in use and toll free for incomings call in Kenya, children and young people in South Africa have not yet benefiting of the 116 even if the discussion are ongoing with both the Ministry of Postal services and telecommunications for the number to be granted. The questions and answers session gave the opportunity for the participants, especially child helplines, to share their country’s experiences and look for action to be implemented for the number to be granted all over the region and for the advocacy to the African Union for a resolution be made to reserve the ‘116’ as the harmonised number for child helplines in the region.
3.2. Feedback and recommendation from the YOUth forum
Child Helpline International and Child Helplines centre children and young people at the core of their work. Creating the space for children and young people to discuss the services of the child helplines and share their experiences is an important additional layer to the regional consultation of child helplines. For us, young people are not only the main beneficiaries of the child helpline services but also equal partners and knowledgeable discussants. The first ever Youth Forum organised at a regional consultation brought together 12 children and youth from the region led by Patuma Tonex, a member of the Youth Advisory Council supported by two staff from Childline Zimbabwe; Ygainnia Hamanadawana and Mandla Zikali. The objectives of the forum was to:
• Embody meaningful youth participation and activation through engagement of children and youth in the main topics of the Ninth Regional Consultation of Child Helplines in Africa;
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
• Listen to the voices of children and young people with regards to increased protection of children’s rights in Africa and the role of child helplines therein; • Identify specific action points for the inclusion and engagement of youth in the child helplines in Africa, leading to a more sustainable and inclusive services; • Encourage youth participation at a local and regional level. Page | 15 At the end of the meeting, the YOUth presented the outcomes of their discussion in a plenary meeting. Patuma Tonex from the Youth Advisory Council and Tanyaradwa Maramura from Childline Zimbabwe, were nominated by the youth attending the forum as their delegates to report the outcomes of the forum at the plenary. On the question about how to build a sustainable child helplines in Africa with the support of youth participation, Patuma and Tanyaradwa, on behalf of children and youth stated that child helplines, youth and others partners should:
• Establish learning placements/Internship programmes for the youth facilitating their support at relatively low or no costs; • Train youth to equip them with the right skills required to run a Helpline. And, unqualified youth that are recruited and trained can be better retained with little incentives than the qualified youth; • Ongoing capacity development of the youth e.g. refresher trainings, monthly supervision meetings; • Income Generating Projects spearheaded by the youth in order to raise funds for the Helpline; • Mobile Helpline – taking the Helpline to the community and raising awareness on the Helpline. Youth and other community members can actively contribute towards the Helplines once they are aware of it; • Fundraising - engagement of local artists to conduct shows on behalf of the Helpline such that part of proceeds benefit the Helpline; • Outreach programmes/information dissemination targeted at schools to increase uptake of the helpline service so that Helpline remains relevant. Awareness of the Helpline service is key before venturing into issues of sustainability; • Recruitment of youth who are survivors of childhood violence and abuse. Real life examples from Zambia show survivors of child abuse are increasingly motivated to be part of the change and thus actively contribute towards helping child survivors of abuse or those at risk of abuse; • Linkages between the Helpline and various youth groups within the community. Various youth groups exist but the youth are however not contributing towards the Helpline initiative as a result of various reasons including the fact that they are not aware of the Helpline.
Youth discussed the telecoms sectors by:
• Advocacy targeted at telecoms in order for them to expand services to rural and remote areas thereby facilitating access to the Helpline; • Lobby telecoms to ensure that the Helpline service are accessible with no-cost associated to data, voice, text or USSD; • Incorporate telecoms in all Helpline forums/conference/etc so that they appreciate their contribution more. Focus will be on “success stories” so that the regulators are motivated to partner more with the Helplines; • Engage telecoms for various services such as bulk messaging that is age specific, targeting child abuse and protection.
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
We want to express gratitude to the Regional Representative for Africa at the Supervisory Board of Child Helpline International of Child Helpline International and Childline Zimbabwe Director, Ms. Stella Motsi, for her commitment to the organisation for the YOUth forum and the Page | 16 interest she has for youth participation.
A Special mention to all the youth who attended this first ever YOUth forum and to Ygainnia and Mandla for their kinds support.
3.3. Round table: the importance of partnership for the sustainability of child helpline
Child helplines in Africa face the difficulties of listening to children and amplifying their voices because of the lack/insufficiency of staff, inadequate/inappropriate calls and data management software management; lack/insufficiency of financial resources and limited use of ICTs to increase access to the child helplines as well. Strong partnerships in the African region are vital and key for Child Helpline International and for the sustainability of child helplines in the region as well. Child Helpline International and regional child helplines have signed Memoranda of Understanding with several regional and international organisation such as African Child Policy Forum, African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
Such partnerships are of utmost importance because they seek collective alternatives and answers in the process of the restitution of a child’s rights.
The round table discussions goals were to open the floor for both child helplines and their regional partners to discuss what they have been able to achieve and for the regional child helplines brainstorm for practices they can implement in their various country to create strong and durable child helplines.
The session was co-moderated by Stella Motsi, Regional Representative for Africa and Dumisile Nala, National Director, Childline South Africa, and the following case studies were presented; CAPE and Centre GINDDI in Senegal; Ministry of Women Empowerment, and the Family and Plan International in Cameroon, Childline Zimbabwe and SPAR Zimbabwe, UNICEF Mozambique and Linha Falha Crianca in Mozambique, and the experience of Internet Watch Foundation.
From the presentations, Ms Shamiso from Spar Zimbabwe and Ratidzai Moyo from Childline Zimbabwe highlighted the relationship existing between SPAR and Childline Zimbabwe for the past 13 years, which led to the development of several projects sponsored by SPAR such as; the inscription of the 116 number on all the SPAR bags and water bottles, donation of toys to the drop in centres, funding for the security fence, sponsorship for a child-friendly space for children at the
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org childline National office and a donate-a-coin campaign in the majority of Spar outlets encouraging customers to donate their change towards Childline.
Ms. Ramatoulaye Ndao Diouf, the Special Advisor of the President of the Republic and Director of CAPE, a child protection government organisation, and Ms. Maimouna Balde, the Director of Centre GINDDI, presented on the collaboration existing between the two organisations and the Page | 17 finalisation of projects in the future such as; strengthening the call centre of the Centre GINDDI and supporting counsellors at the child helplines.
In Cameroon, Plan International Cameroon is supporting the Government and the Ministry of Women Empowerment and the Family to set up a child helpline in the country. This had led to Plan International Cameroon sponsoring the feasibility for the development of a child helpline and the development of an action plan. In the near future, a meeting engaging telecoms and government structures will be organised to raise awareness on the project and engage with keys stakeholders stated, Ms. Somo Jaire, the Communication Officer at Plan International Cameroon and Mr. Nyebel Jean Baptiste, the representative of the Ministry of Women Empowerment and the family.
In Mozambique, there is a strong partnership between Linha fala crianca and UNICEF Mozambique who is funding most of the initiative of the child helpline. Since the expansion of the child helpline is underway, many networks are helping, including UNICEF, in the development of platforms to help children. Ms. Anathalie from Linha fala crianca expressed the wish to see the partnership grow in the coming years.
Jennifer Thornton from Internet Watch Foundation discussed how the organisation offers secure reporting of CSAM content and removal of online criminal content. Jenny explained the differences and similarities between IWF, help lines and hotlines.
She explained how IWF has reporting portals in 17 European countries and in three sub-Saharan countries. The organisation collects and assesses data on gender, numbers etc. A short video over the reporting portals that highlighted the work being done was shown;
• Collaboration with international law enforcing agents; • Technology agents; • Fighting online child sexual abuse; • Currently helping 30 countries develop reporting portals in Africa; • Launching a portal in Tanzani.
The questions and answers time gave allowed for other child helplines and partners to report on their country’s experiences including Plan International Zambia and Lifeline/Childline Zambia experience, National child helpline Tanzania and UNICEF Tanzania. At the end, all agreed that the partnership is a key point for the sustainability of child helplines in the region.
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3.4. The work of Childline Zimbabwe
The hosting child helpline usually organizes a field visit to the call centre and to their office. Given that Childline Zimbabwe does not have a call center in Victoria Falls, three main points had been planned to show how the organisation worked. Page | 18
a) Child helpline presentation
Chengetayi Nyamukapa, Childline Zimbabwe Programmes Manager, Maureen Kambarami, Helpline Officer Harare simulatd a real-time screening of Childline Zimbabwe calls centres followed by a presentation of the drop-in centre (DICs). A video illustrating the structure of the drop-in centre model was shown with social workers explaining the different functions of the different offices as well as the nature of work and activities carried out at the drop-in centers. The video showcased therapeutic tools and models used in counselling sessions. The Youth Information Centre (YIC) was presented with a comprehensive explanation on how the youths can benefit from accessing information, and type of information available.
Childline Zimbabwe has 26 DICs scattered across Zimbabwe having a presence in all ten provinces of the country. Within the DIC’s Childline implements child protection programs depending on the nature of funding and context of specific issues. DICs are an extension of the 116 helpline. Cases reported through the national helpline are followed up through home visits by social workers working from the respective DICs.
Operations include: • Case follow up, • Home visits using buddy system with the Department of Social Welfare, joint follow up home visits to assess the needs of the child, • Specialized therapeutic services - Individual counseling for survivors of abuse and their families, • Therapeutic support groups with survivors of abuse where clients benefit from group counseling, • Positive parenting for parents and caregivers of survivors and non-survivors as a preventative mechanism – targets 0-6 age group- since it is third on the hierarchy of abuse cases, • Awareness raising on child protection issues using a multi-sectoral approach – what is abuse, signs and symptoms referral protocols, etc, • Mobile DIC facility – taking services to community, seeking mode strategy (pointed to sample in conference room, raising awareness at various platforms and help desk provided, • Child protection trainings for stakeholders who recognise Childline’s strength as child protection specialists, • Child protection/safeguarding policy development, • Debriefing services for social workers to address burnout and vicarious trauma.
Facilities and resources available at the DICs are: toys, dolls, anatomically corrected dolls, outdoor play area, etc. Youth Friendly Centre that has computers preloaded with information for children and youths to navigate. Child protection information on HIV/AIDS, resilience building and a direct link to the helpline.
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A video was showcased illustrating the Helpline and the activities that happen therein. Follow up presentation was done by Maureen Kambarami on development and progress over the years from paper based to electronic system. Statistics were showcased with sexual abuse being the highest form of reported abuse. Page | 19
b) Launch of 116 App
Childline Zimbabwe Regional Helpline Manger for Mashonaland, Richard Savo, together with a representative of Hazel Chitare from CBZ Holdings, presented on the partnership between the two organisations and officially launched the 116 App. Childline Zimbabwe created the 116 App to complement its other reporting mechanisms with financial support from CBZ Holdings.
Childline Zimbabwe has adopted an approach growing with ICT developments, considering that children and young people have also become tech savvy. The 116 app has various articles, videos, and information packs tailor made to address the various topical issues affecting Image:116 App thumbnail children.
In line with the theme of the conference, the launch of the app also aimed to give pointers on how to create progressive and sustainable reporting mechanisms for children. Richard Savo explained the motivation behind the creation of this application. Below are some of the pointers:
• The need to embrace ICTs in child providing sustainable child reporting mechanisms, • The mobile app and the new education curriculum which has a strong bias towards ICT issues, • The 116 App is vital source of information for young people as they navigate the new curriculum, • It enhances youth participation through virtual peer support as well as face-to-face support groups using issues raised through the mobile app, • To support the referral system within Childline Zimbabwe and for external partners. The App has a directory of Childline Zimbabwe facilities offices across the country as well as a list of other partners e.g. health services, victim friendly unit, • Improved youth participation in the development process – content, not text heavy as young people do not like to read long articles, • Mobile App linked to the 116 Helpline – serves a dual purpose, informative but also serves as a child-friendly reporting mechanism. Has a direct call to 116 and a chat with a counselor.
Mr Savo highlighted that one of the limitations of the application the use is limited to smart phones, which means that it will not target children in hard to reach areas. However, it does meet one of the strategies in the organisation’s strategic document that promoted the incorporation of ICTs in child protection work.
CBZ Holdings is a financial services group whose tagline is ‘Partnerships for Success’. One of the main pillars in the CSR strategy of the company is child welfare, which is why the partnership with Childline Zimbabwe is strategic. CBZ has supported Childline Zimbabwe for five years. CBZ is providing pre-financial literacy that is provided to children through the 116 app for free. The aim of this information is to help children to access financial literacy at an early age, particularly girls whose financial illiteracy and desperation is exploited by perpetrators resulting in abuse.
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In her presentation, Hazel commended Childline Zimbabwe for being technically savvy and keeping up with the demands of the global market. She also highlighted that CBZ is looking forward to a sustained partnership.
3.5. Celebration of the 20th anniversary of Childline Zimbabwe Page | 20 Childline Zimbabwe was created in 1997 and celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. As hosts of the Ninth Regional Consultation, they took the opportunity to celebrate it with their delegates and colleagues from regional child helplines. Guests were also treated to a red-carpet treatment starting with a photoshoot where they were encouraged to flaunt their ball gowns and tuxedos. Each guest was treated to a Zimbabwean themed gift courtesy of the hosts, Childline Zimbabwe.
Image: Mrs Constance Mutunhu Childline Image: Right: Stella Motsi Left. CBZ Holdings Group Zimbabwe Board Chairperson Marketing Manager.
Image: Guests posing for a photoshoot Image: Childline Zimbabwe Board Chairperson Passion Musa, handing presents to guests.
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4. Day 3: Wednesday 20th September, 2017
4.1. Panel discussion: The use of data for the improvement of the child protection systems in Africa
Page | 21 Child helplines are crucial drivers of system transformation: more than any other child protection service, child helplines have direct access to invaluable insights on children’s lives expressed by children themselves. Child helplines identify the most important issues in children’s lives and respond immediately through psycho social support, referrals and interventions.
The information gathered from the contacts made by children and young people to child helpline services can support governments and child protection agencies in the improvement of their national child protection systems through the adoption of measures such as policy and legislation reforms and in the development of better monitoring tools.
The panel discussion aims to improve child helplines data collection and to show case how child helplines data can be helpful in the improvement of the child protection systems both in country and at the regional level.
The panel was moderated by Jonna Karlsson from UNICEF ESARO and brought together the following participants; Mr. Buumba from Plan International Zambia, Antoinette Angwech from Uganda child helpline Sauti 116, Dr. Prisca Andriantseheno and Huguette Ravelomananony from Ligne verte 146 supported by Michaella Nirina Ranaivo from UNICEF Madagascar, Landry Cisse from ligne verte 116 of Burkina Faso and Jeremiah Chinoyah from UNICEF Zimbabwe.
Speakers showcased how data collected by child helplines is crucial for improvement of child care and protection services but also for planning, advocacy, projects and programmes.
The speakers called on child helplines and Child Helpline International to work to improve data collection and their capacities on the analysis and use of data for advocacy purpose.
4.2. Round table: the role of child helpline on issues affecting children in Africa
Child helplines in Africa received more than 2,000,000 contacts from children and youth. Most contacts were made by phone (61%), followed by text message services (34%), and a majority accessed child helplines for issues concerning girls and young women. The main reasons for contact were as follows; psycho-social and mental health related issues, request of information, school related matters, abuse and violence, sexuality and sexual awareness and child online issues.
In addition to the work being done to address the above issues, Mr. Samuel Norgah, the Interim Director of Plan International African Union Liaison& Pan Africa Programme Office, detailed how Plan International is working to address child marriage in the region. Out of the 700 million women and girls worldwide married before their eighteenth birthday, 125 million occurred in Africa. Child marriage violates girls’ rights to health, education and other opportunities. It exposes girls to violence and consequently trauma throughout their lives and traps them in a cycle of poverty.
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Gender inequality and the low value placed on girls underline the practice fuelled by poverty, safety concerns and retrogressive tradition/culture.
Plan International at all levels, has taken a concrete and bold step through our global strategy code- named ‘100 million Reasons’ and through our girls’ campaign – ‘Because I am A Girl’ to work with other like-minded organisations to advocate ‘for’ and ‘with’ girls to address all forms of gender based violence against girls among which are child marriage. At the AU level, Plan is a core member of Page | 22 the Technical working Group for the AU ECM campaign and has actively been involved in the campaign against child marriage, below are a few areas of engagement by Plan at the AU level:
• Technically supported the AUC Ending Child Marriage Campaign Evaluation Workshop in Zambia. The report was adopted by the Ministerial meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) and the recommendations were subsequently presented by H.E President Lungu, of Zambia at the July 2017 Heads of States Summit for adoption; • Facilitated regional capacity building workshop on ‘Increased Advocacy to Ending Child Marriage’ through Engagement of the Media practitioners from East, Western and Southern Africa in collaboration with AUC for about 150 journalists and stakeholders; • Collaborated with the AU Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the African and the Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) to adopted Joint General Comment on Child Marriage.
There are opportunities open for development stakeholders to push for the ending of child marriage including continually working with institutions like the (AU, ACERWC, ACHPR, AU ECM campaign) and international mechanisms (CRC, CEDAW, UNGA, Human Rights Council, ECOSOC, HLPF) to support national countries to launch the AUC campaign and the national campaigns to end child marriage. So far, 29 Member States have launched the campaign. Member States need to move beyond the launch to implementation, monitoring and reporting. There has been the opportunity to collaborate with Child Helplines to provide platforms for children to report incidences of violence. In 2010, child helplines worldwide received more than 13.4 million calls from children and youth around the world with more than 55% from girls1. This is a demonstration of the potential that exist through working with child helplines.
Our call and campaign against child marriage will not be complete until the practice has been completely eradicated and girls can make decisions about who and when to marry. National level mechanisms need to be resourced to ably fight against and respond to the menace of child marriage.
Asked by Michael Kehongoh, the moderator of the session how ECPAT International address the issue of sexual exploitation of children in tourism, Willy Buluso, the ECPAT Regional Coordinator for Africa said, "Despite 20 years of efforts, the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT) has expanded across the globe and out-paced every attempt to respond at the international and national level. The results of the first comprehensive global study on SECTT confirm that no region is untouched by this crime and no country is ‘immune’. In an increasingly interconnected world, more people are on the move and even the most remote parts of the planet are now within reach, thanks to cheaper travel and the spread of the Internet. As a result, the risks of child sexual exploitation are increasing. My presentation on the ‘’Global Study on SECTT’’ will be conducted in French. Focus on the African continent; it will aim at bringing this gross violation of children’s right into the light.”
1 Child Helpline International Briefing Paper: Girls’ Voices Heard http://orgchi-tukhnakal.savviihq.com/wp- content/uploads/2017/05/briefing_paper_-_17_may_voice_of_girls_final.pdf
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It should be noted that the ‘’Global Study on SECTT’’ is the first research initiative on SECTT to explore emerging trends and possible solutions.
Professor Pius Tanga, lecturer at the University of Fort Hare, spoke on how to address violence against children, firstly gave the definition on the nature and the extension of violence against Page | 23 children in Africa, he stated that more than 84 % girls in Ethiopia are victim of violence, 94 % in Uganda, 99 % in Kenya, 42 % in Uganda, 40 % in Burkina Faso and Nigeria, 30 % in Cameroon and Ethiopia, 27 % in DRC, 17 % in Senegal and over 38 million children in Sub-Sharan Africa are estimated to have experienced and witnessed family violence, abusers in many instances may not consider violent acts as violence, they may view it as an essential discipline or may explain it culturally. This violence can occur at home, school, street, community, workplace, residential care homes, penal institution and even in police stations. Most of the time these violence are undetected and under reported in many African countries. For him, there is a urgent need to review the child protection environment with a view to improve responses, bring in innovative approaches to address the issue, review the partnership and cooperation with donor community, intergovernmental organization, central government and CSO and others community level structures, take advantage of improvements in IT to enhance protection by reviewing the role of helplines vis a vis the changing in IT and build the capacities of both child helplines and stakeholders in taking advantage of the IT to improve their services and how the children and youth contact them.
4.3. Training: the role of child helplines addressing FGM
Yvette Robbin-Cooker, the training Coordinator at the Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development (FORWARD) focuses her presentation on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Ms. Robbin-Cooker demonstrated through a video that FGM is a violation of children’s rights. There are both short term and long term implications on the child in terms of health. The practice also has cultural, religious, gender implications where issues of religious obligations, marriage purity and chastity are often the drivers. It is therefore important to tackle the challenge from the grassroots level, providing safe spaces for survivors and engaging gatekeepers who can lead in the process of sensitizing the communities. Thus, child helplines are of importance since adolescent girls and young women can reach them to denounce the practice and request support.
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4.4. HIV and child protection from the perspective of child helplines
Mr. Godwin Kudzotsa, from World Education Incorporation (WEI) emphasised on peers education as a key component to address the issue.
The Helpline has a role in HIV sensitive case management and programming. HIV prevalence among adolescent girls and young women is a cause for concern. Page | 24 The Helpline can be used to control the epidemic as a strategic partner for information dissemination. Lawrence a peer counselor based at Childline Zimbabwe Helpline explained how the Helpline is used to disseminate information, empower young people and appropriately refer children and young people for services. Childline Zimbabwe refers clients to its partners who offer specialized services such as HIV testing. Childline Zimbabwe uses its referral system to refer clients where is help, depending with their case.
Tanyaradzwa Maramura, another peer counselor based at the Childline Zimbabwe Helpline emphasised on the role of the Helpline in improving accessibility to essential information on HIV and AIDS. In her contribution, Tanyaradzwa encouraged parents to pay attention and buiold a relationship with their children in order to be able to notice any unusual changes in behavior especially as a result of abuse.
5. Closing remarks
Ms. Stella Motsi, on behalf of Childline Zimbabwe expressed gratitude to all the delegates for their active participation in the discussions. She highlighted that as hosts they had made efforts to come up with relevant topics for all the invited guests and they were hopeful that everyone managed to learn something new on how to improve their work and contribute to the creation of sustainable reporting mechanisms for children.
Motsi shared that the hosts were grateful to the donors who had supported the conference and enabled the organisation of the first ever youth forum, which she emphasised was very important in fostering youth participation in child protection work. She wished the hosts of the next conference Tanzania well and offered to share lessons learnt in hosting the Ninth Regional Conference on Child Helplines in Africa.
Patuma Tonex expressed the gratitude of children and youth for the organisation of the first ever YOUth forum at the Regional Consultation of Child Helplines in Africa. She emphasised on the fact that children and youth are the beneficiaries of the child helplines services and would be happy to participate as counsellor when possible or by any others means so that nothing should be done without them. She expressed the wish to see the YOUth forum be institutionalise as a component of the Regional Consultation as well as the International Consultation of Child Helplines. Finishing, she called all the child helplines to establish a youth group.
The Child Helpline International team, Helen Mason, Magdalena Aguilar and Richard Ombono presented some findings of the regional meeting and updates to the participants on the upcoming events such as; the International Consultation of Toronto, Canada in 2018, the fifteen anniversary of the organisation.
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The Team expressed their thanks to the participants, the speakers, the partners and the organising team as well. Lastly, they congratulate Tanzania for being nominated as the host of the Tenth Regional Consultation of Child Helplines in Africa in 2019.
The representative of the Zimbabwean Government, Mr Sanyangowe, the Director for Child Protection Services and representative of the Ministry of Labour Public Service and Social Welfare, reiterate his gratitude to Child Helpline International to have chosen Childline Zimbabwe Page | 25 and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for the Ninth Regional Consultation of Child Helplines in Africa. He wishes all the best to those who attended and closed the meeting.
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ANNEX 1: Agenda Sunday 17th of September, 2017
Arrival of participants at The Elephant Hills Hotel, Victoria Falls.
16:00- 19.00: Registration will take place in the Secretariat - Glass room Page | 26 Dinner is planned 19:00-21:00
Monday 18th of September, 2017
7:30-9:00 Registration and child helplines market place
Kalala room
9:00-10:00 Opening Session
Opening remarks by: • Mrs. Constance Mutunhu, Chairperson, Childline Zimbabwe • Welcome video from Childline Zimbabwe • Patuma Tonex, Youth Advisory Council Representative, Child Helpline International • Sheila M. Donovan, Executive Director, Child Helpline International • Opening remarks from the Representative of the Zimbabwean Government
10:00- 10:30 Break / Group Photo and press conference
Press conference: • Mrs. Constance Mutunhu, Chairperson, Childline Zimbabwe • Stella Motsi, Regional Representative for Africa, Supervisory Board, Child Helpline International • Patuma Tonex, Youth Advisory Council Representative, Child Helpline International • Sheila M. Donovan, Executive Director, Child Helpline International
10:30-11:30 Updates from Child Helpline International
Updates on: • WeListen Campaign • Quality Assessment for Child Helpline Advisory Council • Youth Advisory Council • Free our Voices • New projects
11:30-12:30 Key note interventions Child helplines contribution to the achievement of the SDGs and the AU Agenda 2040 for children in Africa
Speakers: • Honourable Justice E. Chitakunye, ACERWC Member • Roland Angerer, Director, Plan International RESA • Stella Motsi, Regional Representative for Africa, Supervisory Board, Child Helpline International
Questions and Answers 12:30-14:00 Lunch
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14:00-15:30 Training Online Safety for child helplines counsellors in Africa facilitated by Facebook Akua Gyekye, Public Policy Manager, Africa and Julie de Bailliencourt, Safety Policy Manager, EMEA
15:30-16:00 Coffee break Page | 27 16:00-18:00 Parallel sessions Regional meeting of child helplines in Africa (for child helplines only)
Moderators: Stella Motsi, Regional Representative for Africa, Child Helpline International and Aissatou Barry, Deputy Regional Representative for Africa, Child Helpline International
Updates on: • Updates from Child Helpline International • Updates from the region • Africa perspectives for 2018-2020: How to achieve Child Helpline International’s 2016-2020 strategy in the region • Implementation of the MoU between Child Helpline International and Plan International • 15th Anniversary of Child Helpline International • Sub-regional issues
16:00-17:30 Child Helpline International’s 2016-2020 strategy (for partners only)
Moderator: Sheila M. Donovan, Executive Director, Child Helpline International
• Child Helpline International 2016-2020 Strategy • Child Helpline International’s work in Africa • Joint efforts in Africa
19:00-21:00 Welcome Dinner – African theme
Tuesday 19th of September, 2017
7:30-9:00 Membership and partnership breakfast – Side meetings
9:00-10:30 Panel discussion Increasing the reach of the harmonised 116 number for child helplines in Africa and enhancing the work with telecoms and regulators Moderator: Shola Sanni, Senior Policy Manager Africa, the GSMA
Themes: • The importance of a harmonised number for child helplines in Africa Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) • How to obtain the harmonised 116 number for child helplines in Africa: the Kenyan experience Martha Sunda, Senior Management Team Leader, Childline Kenya • How to obtain the harmonised number for child helplines in Africa: the South African experience Dumisile Nala, National Director, Childline South Africa
Questions and answers
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10:30-11:00 Coffee Break
11:00-12:00 Feedback and recommendations from the YOUth Forum
12:00-13:30 Lunch
13:30-15:30 Round table Page | 28 The importance of partnerships for the sustainability of child helplines Moderators: Stella Motsi, Regional Representative for Africa and Dumisile Nala, National Director, Childline South Africa
Speakers: • Ramatoulaye Ndao Diouf, Special Advisor of the President of the Republic of Senegal and Director Cellule d’Appui a la Protection de l’Enfance and Maimanou Balde (Centre GINDDI) • Childline Zimbabwe and SPAR Zimbabwe • Ministry of Woman Empowerment and Family Cameroon and Plan International Cameroon • UNICEF Mozambique and Linha Falha Crianca • Jennifer Thornton, International Development Manager, Internet Watch Foundation
Questions and answers
15:30-16:00 Coffee Break
16:00-17:30 The work of Childline Zimbabwe • Real time screening of Childline Zimbabwe Call Centres • Video recording of drop in centre • Launch of the Mobile application ‘116 App’ - 19:00-21:00 20th Anniversary of Childline Zimbabwe - Ball gown and black tie dinner
Wednesday 20th of September, 2017
7:30-9:00 Networking breakfast
9:00-10:00 Panel discussion The use of data for the improvement of the child protection systems in Africa
Moderator: Jonna Karlsson, Child Protection Specialist VAC/Child Marriage, UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office
Speakers: • Lifeline/Childline Zambia and Plan International Zambia • Angella Rubarema, Coordinator, Sauti 116 • Ligne Verte 147 and UNICEF Madagascar • Ministere De LA Femme, De La Solidarite Nationale et de la famille, Burkina Faso • UNICEF Zimbabwe 10:00-11:00 Round table discussion The role of child helplines on issues affecting children in Africa
Moderator: Michael Kehongoh, Child helpline Director, C-Sema Tanzania
Themes:
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• Sexual exploitation of children in tourism Willy Buloso, Regional Coordinator for Africa, ECPAT International • Child marriage Samuel Norgah, Interim Director Plan International African Union Liaison & Pan Africa Program Office Plan International • Violence Against Children Professor Pius Tanga, University of Fort – Hare, South Africa Children Page | 29 • Youth participation Patience Makambwa, Save the Children Zimbabwe
Questions and answers
11:00-11:30 Coffee Break
11:30-12:00 Training The role of child helplines addressing FGM facilitated by Yvette Robbin-Coker, Training Coordinator, Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development (FORWARD)
12:00-12:30 HIV and child protection from the perspective of child helplines facilitated by Precious Muwoni, World Education Incorporation (WEI), Zimbabwe
12:30-13:30 Closing Plenary
Closing remarks: • Stella Motsi, Director, Childline Zimbabwe • Patuma Tonex, Youth Advisory Council, Child Helpline International • Child Helpline International • Closing remarks from the Representative of the Zimbabwean Government
13:30-14:30 Lunch
15:00 -17:30 Participants departure / optional sightseeing visit
• Tour of the Victoria Falls
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
Annex 2: List of participants
LAST NAME FIRST NAME ORGANISATION POSITION COUNTRY(OF ORG.) Diallo Moussa Hama Plan International Mali Mali Nyanhete Taylor Zimbabwe National Council for Zimbabwe the Welfare of Children Phiri Timeo Lifeline/ Childline Zambia Zambia Kouakou Epse Amenan Ngoh Ministère de la Femme, de la Côte d'Ivoire Kablan Florentine protection de l'Enfant et de la solidarité Ndao Diouf Ramoutoulaye Cellule d'appui à la protection de Coordinator Senegal l'enfance (CAPE) de la présidence de la république Balde Maimouna Centre GINDDI Allo 116 Directrice Senegal Anathalie Musabye Linha Fala Criança -"LFC-116" Mozambica Mariya Matavele Carolina Linha Fala Criança -"LFC-116" Mozambica Macuacua Jéssica Rede da Criança Mozambica Chauca Luis Fernando Linha Fala Criança “ LFC – 116 ” Mozambica Makodjou Jaire Plan International Cameroon Publics Relations Cameroon Somo EPSE and Moutcheu Communication Officer Jean Baptiste NYEBEL Ministere de la Promotion de la Sous-Directeur de Cameroon Femme et de la Famille la Promotion et de la Protection des Droits de l'Enfant Chidhakwa Zvidzai Plan International Zimbabwe Program Support Zimbabwe Manager Mavheza Grace Plan International Zimbabwe Communications Zimbabwe Coordinator Ndhlovu Tholakele Plan International Zimbabwe Child Rights and Zimbabwe Protection Advisor TBA TBA Spar Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Murungweni Maxim Zimbabwe National Council for Programmes Zimbabwe the Welfare of Children Manager Sunda Martha Keya Childline Kenya Helpline Kenya Coordinator Ayana Hamba Plan International Ethiopia Program Ethiopia Coordinator GEDA Zemzem Plan International Ethiopia Girls Alliance Ethiopia country office Coodinator Wassie Yisrak Enhancing Child Focused Executive Director Ethiopia Kedebe Activities (ECFA) Mesfin Tigist Enhancing Child Focused Finance and Ethiopia Activities (ECFA) Admin Directore Traore Salifou Ministere De LA Femme, De La Attache Burkina Faso Solidarite Nationale et de la D'Education famille Specialisee/ Responsible de la Ligne telephonque D'Assistance Au Enfants
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
Cisse P. Landry Ministere De LA Femme, De La Adminisrateur Des Burkina Faso Solidarite Nationale et de la Afairs Sociales famille Rubarema Angela Ministry of Gender, Labour and Coordinator Uganda Social Development Uganda Helpline Maleni Courage Ministry of Gender, Labour and Call Centre Uganda Doreen Social Development Supervisor Mwale Lisa Lifeline/ Childline Zambia Monitoring and Zambia Evaluation Manager Miyanda Don Lifeline/ Childline Zambia Programs Zambia Manager Nkhuwa Florence Lifeline/ Childline Zambia Chief Executive Zambia Mwila Officer Chileshe Kawanga Poniso Save the Children International - Coordinator - Sida Zambia Zambia CSO Project Chizhyuka- Mpande Save the Children International - Manager - Sida Zambia Mumba Zambia CSO Project Kapembwa Kennedy Zambia Information and Consumer Zambia Communications Technology Protectuion Officer Authority (ZICTA) Mushi Christopher Ministry of Health, Community Principal Tanzania Sylvester Development, Gender, Elderly Community and Children Development Officer Kehongoh Michael C-SEMA/ National Child Helpline Childhelpline Tanzania Marwa - Tanzania Director Hassan Khatib Ministry of Labour, Deputy Principal Tanzania Hassan Empowerment, Elder's, Youth, Secretary Women and Children Mlauzi Edgar Zambia Information and Manager Zambia Communications Technology Consumer Authority (ZICTA) Protection Compliance Kabengele Bertha Save the Children International - Child Rights Zambia Zambia Program Manager Huguette Ministere De La Securite Chef du Service Madagascar Ravelomanano Publique/ Direction De La Police Central de La ny Judiciaire Police des Moeurs et da la Protection des Minuers/ Responsible de la Ligne 147qui est le Chef de Service Central de la Police des Mœurs et Protection des Mineurs Sibanda Simelukulung Lifeline/Childline Namibia Social Worker Namibia a Mushonga Blessing Ministry o Defence Administrator Zimbabwe Barry Aissatou ONG AGUIAS Presidente Guinea Filloi Marie ONG AGUIAS Point focal du 116 Guinea Antoinette au Lycée Sainte Marie Renes Cassandra Google Child Safety Netherlands/Irel Analyst and
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
Akua Gyekye Facebook Public Policy UK Manager, Africa Julie de Bilaincourt Facebook Safety Policy Ireland Manager EMEA Emilar Ghandi Facebook Public Policy South Africa Manager Carollin Millin Facebook UK Robbin-Coker Yvette Foundation for Women's Health Training UK Research and Development - Coordinator FORWARD Umroyan Lilit UNICEF Mozambique Child Protection Armenian Specialist HOUNVI BRUNO E.S.Y Ministere du Travail, de la Directeur de la Benin GBEHINTO Fonction Publique et des Affaires Famille, de Sociales(MTFPAS) l'Enfance et de l'Adolescence(DF EA) Buluso Willy ECPAT International Coordinator for DRC Africa Ndlovu Patience WEI Country Director Muwoni Precious WEI Child Protection Manager Garofalo Marianna UNICEF Uganda Child Protection Uganda Specialist Karlsson Jonna UNICEF ESARO Child Protection Kenya Specialist Nirina Ranaivo UNICEF Madagascar Administrateur de Madagascar Micheala Programme en Protection de l’Enfant E. Chitakunye Justice African Committee of Expert fro Member Zimbabwe the rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) member Lindsey Evans Gils Effect Gender Specialist UK Thornton Jennifer Ruth International Development Internet Watch Mackay(Jenny Manager Foundation-IWF ) Tanga Pius University of Fort Hare, South Professor South Africa Africa Shola Sanny The GMSA Senior Policy Kenya Manager Kusemwa Tapfumanei UNICEF Zimbabwe Child Protection Zimbabwe Specialist Feris Celeste Ingrid UNICEF Namibia CPSP Specialist Namibia Roland Angerer Plan International RESA RESA Director Moyo Ratidzai Childline Zimbabwe National Zimbabwe Programme Manager Motsi Stella Childline Zimbabwe National Director Zimbabwe Nyamukapa Chengetayi Childline Zimbabwe National Zimbabwe Programme Manager Richard Savo Childline Zimbabwe Regional Manager Zimbabwe Connie Mutunhu Childline Zimbabwe Childline Board Zimbabwe Chairperson
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org
Chenge Nyamkapa Chilline Zimbabwe Programmes Zimbabwe Manager Clemence Wega Childline Zimbabwe Finance Zimbabwe Manager Hamandawana Ygainnia Childline Zimbabwe MER coordinator Zimbabwe Munyokoveni Tendai Volontary Service Overseas Project Officer Zimbabwe Mukome Berthe FACT Shumba Gertrude FACT Chikoka David FACT Tonex Patuma YAC Child Helpline International Ombono Richard Child Helpline International Programme Manager for Africa Aguilar Magdalena Child Helpline International Head of Programmes Development Mason Helen Child Helpline International Chief Operating Officer Donovan M. Shiela Child Helpline International Executive Director Chisala Mofya ZICTA Director Zambia Consumer Protection & Information Management Andriatseheno Onimiandra Commune Urbaine Directeur de Madagascar Helitompo d'Antananarivo l'Action Sociale Prisca (DAS) Norgah Samuel Plan International AU Director Kenya Buumba Chityaba Plan International Zambia Zambia Chabu Mercy Plan International Zambia. Program and Zambia Strategy Manager Messner J.J. The Fund For Peace Director USA Hounvi Donatien Ministere du Travail, de la Chef d'Unite a la Benin Fonction Publique et des Affaires (DFEA) Sociales(MTFPAS) Mtonga Wezzie YONECO Program Manager Malawi Kamphale Chikondi Government of Malawi Malawi Nala Dumisile Childline South Africa National Director South Africa Bukhosi Mpofu SOS Children Village
Every child has a voice. We believe that no child should be left unheard. childhelplineinternational.org