By Rebecca Ekpe
“Through collaborating and advocating for the most vulnerable children, their families, and communities, it is crucial to listen to the voice of empowered girls during the Women Deliver Conference, in Kigali this week,” said Lilian Dodzo, World Vision Eastern Africa Regional Director.
Girls from Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, the DRC, and Niger shared their concerns and calls for action on the sidelines of the Women Deliver Conference in Kigali, Rwanda.
The girls shared their experiences, catalysed collective action, and held leaders accountable for ending violence against girls.
Issues discussed included harmful practices such as child marriage, sexual violence, and the challenge of teen pregnancy. Each of the young advocates is a champion for ending violence against children and a changemaker in their own country.
World Vision field and regional offices in Africa have been drawing attention to the need to end harmful practices such as child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual violence as part of the organisation’s It Takes A World to End Violence Against Children campaign.
“As an organisation, we are committed to collaborating and engaging with Member States, the private sector, UN agencies, donors, children, civil society organisations, and faith leaders to end violence against children. The time to listen, and to act is now.”, said Lilian Dodzo, World Vision Eastern Africa Regional Director.
Girls face negative social norms and harmful practices in some African countries. As a result, there is gender inequality in all spheres of life; social, political,and economic. Social norms and practices such as violence against children (VAC), gender-based violence, harmful practices and female infanticide prevent girls from fulfilling their full potential. Humanitarian challenges such as drought and conflict have exacerbated VAC, leading to more teen pregnancies.
At least 200 million girls and women have experienced FGM globally. In Africa, FGM is practiced in 29 countries. In Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia, FGM prevalence among girls and women aged 15–49 years stands at 65 per cent, 87 per cent and 99 per cent respectively.
The percentage of women between 20 and 24 who were first married before the age of 18 is 31 per cent for East and Southern Africa and 37 per cent for West and Central Africa. Niger has the highest, with 76 per cent. Other countries with high prevalence rates include Central African Republic and Chad 61 per cent, Mali 54 per cent, Mozambique 53 per cent and Burkina Faso and South Sudan, 52 per cent.
Child marriage, female genital mutilation, sexual and gender-based violence are all violations of international, regional and national child rights and human rights treaties. These include the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Countries in Africa currently prioritising the elimination of child marriage include Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Other countries, including Rwanda and Burundi, have prioritised addressing teen pregnancy, sexual violence, and physical violence.
World Vision is attending the Women Deliver conference in Kigali and calls on governments, donors, the private sector, faith-based organizations and stakeholders to:
Increase investments, especially by governments, in social protection, the provision of education and health services, and economic strengthening in order to end diverse forms of violence against children.
Strengthen partnerships amongst governments, donors and faith leaders for effective implementation of laws, policies, and plans to end child marriage, FGM, sexual violence, teen pregnancy and children associated with armed groups.
Keep governments accountable for the commitments made, such as legislation, policies, standards, and plans to protect children.
Include children and women in decision-making process of national, regional and international policies, declarations, and decisions
Address the conflict and climate change, which are now interacting to create new and worsening hunger hotspots and reversing the gains families had made to escape poverty, especially for the most vulnerable children.