About CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM

WHY CHILD AND YOUTH HELPLINE AS AN ADVOCACY PROJECT

INTERVENTION IN SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGE PROGRAMME IN UZBEKISTAN

Nigmadjanova Gulchekhra, Programme Development Advisor for Advocacy

for CHI Asia Pacific Regional meeting, Hanoi, 2013Presentation contains materials from INTRAC and

UNICEF

ABOUT CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM

Child Protection:General – Systems and Services

Child Protection

System

Laws and Policy

Framework

Prevention & Response Services

Capacities -human & financial

Advocacy & Awareness

Raising

Coordination

Knowledge and Data

There is WILL -

Laws andRegulations Programme

s, services to prevent

and respondChild Protection

System

Human resources

Public awareness \ Promotion\ Advocacy

Coordination

DATA

How SOS Children’s Village Programme works

SOS Children’s Villages is a practitioner organisation

Key differentiator • we provide direct services for children who lost

parental care and are at risk of losing parental care in a concrete location

Roots in practical work • enables us to engage in advocacy and capacity-

building for other organisations

Partner with other implementing organisations

SOS Children’s Villages Uzbekistan Association founded 1997

3 villages in Uzbekistan with about 240 children and youth in care of 32 SOS families and 3 Youth Facilities, more than 3000 children in families of origin

Crisis Centre in Samarkand (FBC) Integrated families in Urgench (FS) Mobile social centre in Urgench (FBC) Playbus in Tashkent (FS) Youth Resource Centre and helpline in Leaving

Care project (ADVOCACY)

So what is Advocacy in NGOs??

What is Advocacy?

“to recommend or support by argument a policy, cause etc…” Oxford English Dictionary

A systematic approach to influencing governmental and institutional policy and practice

change;

but effective advocacy is about individual people as decision-makers, not structures

NGO Advocacy …….

Attempts to form or reform the policy & practice of institutions

Influences attitudes, opinions and practice of individuals in positions of power

NGO Advocacy ….

Aims to improve the lives of significant numbers of children

Twin Track Strategies

Persuasion/insider strategies through Round tables, conferences, briefings, Forums, networks, coalitions, alliances

Pressure/outsider strategies through media, campaigns, marches etc

11SOS Strengthening National Advocacy November 2010 Chris Stalker

SOS Strengthening National Advocacy November 2010 Chris Stalker

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Providing services Advocacy

Meeting the direct needs of beneficiaries

Direct benefit to (relatively) few

“philanthropic” “political”

Calling for changes in policy and practice

Potential for indirect benefit to many

Based on experience on the ground

Based on macro policy & political analysis

Mutual reinforcement

Advocacy projects and other interventions in SOS Children’s Villages

I MATTER CAMPAIGN in 20 countries, Leaving Care project in Uzbekistan with Helpline for Young People of care experience and Resource Centre services

CARE FOR ME GLOBAL CAMPAIGN, Child Care System Assessment using instrument developed on the base of UN Aletrnative Care Guidelines and analysis the child care system and identify advocacy strategy

CAPACITY BUILDING for 258 Child Protection Frontline professionals in 6 regions

Child Protection Policy implementation UPR and CRC reporting

Why a campaign on leaving care

Integral part of the care system but often a low priority Young people leaving care are often more vulnerable than

other young people and they are expected to start their independent living at a very early age

Same issues in all the countries: Employment and financial stability Housing Education, and Emotional Stability

Knowledge-sharing and awareness-raising

Participation of 2 young people at International Leaving Care Youth Council meetings

Workshops and roundtables for dutybearers to rise issues that challenge young people after leaving care

Workshops with journalists to send messages to public Peer research done by a trained group of young people with

care experience through interviewing of young people Guidance for LC youth to serve as a source of all important

and required information Resource Centre with counselling services on trauma,

personal relations, professional orientation, child‘s or young people‘s personal development, training sessions on advocacy, child‘s and human rights, communication and life skills computers and internet access, helpline

Most favored features of the Project

Young people with care experience and those about to leave care facilities acknowledged their power, developed self – assurance and know how to protect themselves, and advocate on behalf of other young people leaving care

They are part of national and regional round tables and conferences to speak about issues they face to adults

Their network develops recommendations Resource centre as source for development and

learning HELPLINE !!!!!!

Helpline data

Helpline is a tool for LC young people available 5 days a week, with direct support as psycho-social consultancy and referral services

2010 – 2012 total number of calls - 598. 158 consultations provided as response. 36 cases referred and responses from relevant

government bodies monitored Data is analized with conclusions to be added to

further recommendations

Number of calls 2012 totalno/%

Content of calls:1 Qs on what is Resource centre, how it helps 48 23,82 Request for meeting in person 25 12,43 Error 21 10,44 Housing issues 17 8, 45 Personal issues 12 5,96 Social relations 11 5,47 To talk – communication need 11 5,48 Request for relevant information 9 4,49 Request for information on employment processes 7 3,410 Request on vocational education 6 2,911 Passport and registration issues 5 2,48

12 Education failures 5 2,48 13 HL as a source of information 5 2,48 14 Help on holding an event 5 2,48 15 Joke 4 1,99 16 Career questions 3 17 Financial issues 2 18 Conflict with the law 1 19 Request for self esteem raising technics 1 20 Conflict between generations 1 21 Request for admission to exams 1 22 Complaints on quality of housing 1

Recommendations related to housing, education, .. were developed and submitted to government

Public is aware about challenges LC young people face One state run agency of influence took the issue and

developing approaches together with SOS SOS Youth Facility model is under consideration to apply

nationally Youth participate at round tables of stakeholders Housing, financial support issue is under state body’s control Journalists know and write about challenges and stigma Young people feel own responsibility over achievements, are

proactive

ACHIEVEMENTS

Insufficient interest of caregivers and dutybearers Lack of special data Insufficient understanding in the govt and society Young people with whom we do advocacy may need

more resources to build their capacity for advocacy due to impacts of institutionalization – lack of trust, wrong expectations, pessimizm, over-individualizm, relying on others to do things for them

Lack or shortage of resources in the government to support changes

Shift of influencing power

CHALLENGES

10 Principles for Effective Advocacy as recommendation

1. Select the issue that’s right for you

2. Compile strong and compelling evidence; ensuring that there is a high quality research and policy analysis at the root of all advocacy effort

3. Understand power, politics, targets and audiences and track what’s going on


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4. Be clear about what you are trying to achieve; identify objectives

5. Use a range of complementary tactics according to the situation

6. participation, accountability, legitimacy - involve beneficiaries

7. maximising joint-partnership working opportunities with allies / considering how to minimise the influence of opponents


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8. Communicate well and persistently by being agile in the short-term and constant in the long-term

9. Stay with the issue through to resolution, including having viable exit strategies

10. Promote an advocacy, campaigning, change-oriented, culture


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Documents

About CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM