Launch: Joining Forces to End Violence Against Children in Kenya

By Susan Otieno, World Vision Communications, Advocacy & Engagement Officer, Kenya

The Joining Forces Alliance for Children in Kenya (comprising of World Vision, ChildFund ,Plan International , Save the Children, SOS Children’s Villages and Terre des Hommes) has today launched a three-year child protection project funded by the European Union, which focuses on protecting children during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.

The launch was presided over by Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Kenya, Ambassador Katrin Hagemann.

This new project is part of a cumulative10 Million Euro Grant for the Joining Forces for Africa project being implemented in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mali and Senegal

In Kenya, the project will spend 2.3 Million Euro (approximately KSh.291 Million) in implementing specific activities to reduce levels of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect among children and adolescents in Nairobi, Bungoma and Busia Counties, as well as the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.

Promotion of child-led initiatives and participation is core to the project and a total of 78,210 children will be involved directly in project implementation. In addition, 13,125 parents and caregivers and 1,016 government officials will be involved directly in the project implementation.

Key focus areas of the project are to strengthen child protection and response systems, ensure improved protection in resilient families and increase capacity of children to prevent and respond to violence against them during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.

The project comes at an opportune moment, when the Government of Kenya has begun the implementation of its National Prevention and Response Plan to End Violence against Children. There is therefore a great opportunity to strengthen collaboration with the Government of Kenya in ending all forms of Violence against children.

The Joining Forces Alliance for Children in Kenya acknowledges the prevention and response measures that the Government of Kenya has taken to stop the spread of COVID-19. However, the Alliance also recognises, that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to evolve and has both social and economic impact to communities, families and directly affects the lives of children by increasingly exposing them to violence.

The Joining Forces Alliance for Children in Kenya appreciates the support from the European Union for the project funding that will contribute immensely towards ending all forms of Violence against Children.