CHILD SAFETY NET PROJECT

                                                                                                                                    Project Lifetime : May, 2011 to September, 2016

Background: Bangladesh is a source and transit country for trafficking of men, women, and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation, forced labor and abuse. Poverty, natural disasters, loss of traditional livelihoods, low status of women, lack of awareness and limited enforcement of laws contribute to the human trafficking problem. Trafficking, sexual exploitation, abuse, child marriage, dowry, and related violence occur frequently in the southern part of Bangladesh especially in Khulna, Jessore, and Satkhira districts. To reduce children’s vulnerability to trafficking, abuse and exploitation World Vision has initiated the Child Safety Net Project.

Project Goal: Reduce children’s vulnerability to trafficking, abuse and exploitation and increase rates of identification, rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration for survivors.

Project Management Structure:  Total 34 members’ project team runs the project with three area offices in each district of Jessore, Satkhira and Khulna. Area Coordinators lead the area offices and Project Director leads the entire project in support with Project Operation Coordinator. There are also other technical and monitoring staffs that support the project from technical end.

Target Population: Families and children at risk of trafficking, Families and children who are victims of trafficking, Children in current trafficking situations, Local non-governmental and community-based organizations, Law Enforcement Authorities.

Total Beneficiaries: Total beneficiaries -1659563 (Adult Male-269326, Adult Female- 505898, Boys-278687, Girls-605652)

Project Location: The project has been implemented in 25 Upazilas of 09 Districts under Khulna, Barisal and Dhaka Divisions. It also covered 15 ADP areas among these districts.

Donors: WV US, WV Canada and WV Hong Kong.

Project Approach:

Prevention:

Prevention of trafficking, early marriage, exploitation, abuse, neglect and other forms of violence against children through mass media AT campaign, use of IEC/BCC  materials,  establish child friendly spaces (CFS), provide  life skills (LS)  and parental skills training for children and their parents, workshop & advocacy meeting- with the key  stakeholders,  law  enforcement  agencies, GO/NGO officials and service providers, provide livelihood support for families of children that are vulnerable to trafficking.

Protection: Establish a protection mechanism for vulnerable children by activating Counter Trafficking Committee (CTC) at different level, promoting cross-border collaboration, advocacy workshop / meeting, strengthening network, collaboration and coordination among stakeholders, training for the LEAs and GO, NGO Key stakeholders and supporting the NGOs specialized in rescue.

Restoration: Restoration of children who have survived, been removed or escaped or  from trafficking, exploitation, abuse, neglect or other forms of violence through Psychosocial support and counseling, reintegration to the families  and the  communities,  livelihood support for the survivors, etc.

Advocacy:  Advocacy is the integral part of the project contributing to its every component.  Project organizes advocacy meetings with different project stakeholders like GO, NGO high officials, elected public representatives, Law Enforcement Agency members, media UN agencies to ensure their support to the project and pursue necessary changes in the relevant laws and policies.