Member countries
Program countries
Working through local partners- by Cory Webb
The Principles of Working Together as One
Members of ChildFund Alliance operate according to eight principles that inspire us, keep us aligned, and guide our collective decision making so we can increase our impact by working together as one. As members of ChildFund Alliance:
- We focus on the rights and safety of children first – we partner with children, and prioritize their protection from all forms of violence, while elevating their voices and promoting their development, well-being and participation; as evidenced by our collective missions that emphasize inclusivity of all children, their families and their communities.
- We commit to transparency and responsiveness in our work with each other, and with others; as evidenced by all members conforming with independently audited shared standards, policies and codes of conduct, and accountability to those we serve, our donors, and stakeholders.
- We leverage our global network to tackle the challenges facing children today; as evidenced by advocating for and with children at family, local, national, and global levels, and we work towards building a world that is safe for children.
- We respect and listen to our staff and implementing partners, embracing the knowledge gained through diversity; as evidenced by empowering people to make and own decisions so they can more effectively and efficiently deliver impact to children.
- We grow through experimentation and learning, as evidenced by sharing our best practices, lessons learned, and insights from evidenced-based programs through inter-member working groups.
- We respect individual identity, and over and above this, we see our combined greater strength when working together as one, as evidenced by honoring consistent messaging and brand guidelines for ChildFund.
- We care deeply for the earth and how its health impacts children and future generations, as evidenced by programs and shared standards that care for the environment and mitigate against harm.
- We drive collaboration over purely independent operating models, as evidenced by increasing bilateral and multilateral initiatives amongst members.
- by Cory Webb
Vision
A world in which all children enjoy their rights and achieve their full potential.
Mission
Together with children, we create sustainable solutions that protect and advance
their rights and well-being.
- by Cory Webb
Children throughout the world continue to grapple with unprecedented hardships resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic that turned the worldupside down in 2020. The global health crisis prompted lockdown efforts that raised the risk of violence, hunger, child labor, child marriage, and school dropouts—particularly among girls. It also curtailed opportunities for children to engage in activities aimed at promoting their right to be heard.
What the virus did not destroy, however, was children’s resolve to find and use their voices, to mobilize peers as a force for change, and to raise awareness of the critical importance of learning from children’s experiences.
Over many months in 2020, Joining Forces partners, led by ChildFund Alliance, consulted with children from around the world for the group’s fifth policy brief, Children’s Right to be Heard: We’re Talking; Are You Listening? The brief explores how societal norms, insufficient resources, and a lack of support from adults can inhibit children’s meaningful participation—particularly in the wake of a global pandemic. In addition, the brief outlines key takeaways from children on how their participation can lead to outcomes that are more meaningful and impactful for them and society as a whole.
In contributing to this brief, children from around the world had the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences orally, in writing, and during an online forum held on Universal Children’s Day. With their guidance and counsel, Joining Forces calls on all relevant actors to recognize and support key actions to ensure children’s rights are respected and achieved worldwide.
- by Cory Webb
On Universal Children’s Day on 20 November, 2020, ChildFund Alliance and our Joining Forces partners welcomed children and youth from around the world to exercise their right to speak up on matters affecting their lives, as afforded by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
Although the CRC is the world’s most ratified treaty, global societal norms, insufficient resources, and adults’ lack of understanding or support often inhibit children’s meaningful participation.
Joining Forces facilitated the event to provide young people with a platform to use their voices on a day known globally to advocate, promote and celebrate children’s rights. With the COVID-19 pandemic increasing risks of violence against children, interrupting their education, and limiting their opportunities for participation, it is all the more urgent government officials, local leaders, policymakers, and advocates hear what children have to say.
The event explored the importance of children’s participation in securing their rights, lessons adults can learn from children’s experiences, and ways to support children and youth as both a force and a resource in decision-making, especially as COVID-19 triggers an urgent need. The views and input from children worldwide, including leading up to and during the event, will be reflected in a forthcoming Joining Forces policy brief, We’re Talking; Are You Listening? The brief is slated for release in January 2021 and will be the group’s fifth joint policy paper.
In addition to child participants, remarks were provided by the Vice-President of the European Commission; Executive Director of UNICEF; President and CEO of World Vision International; Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child; Secretary General of ChildFund Alliance; and the Child Protection Specialist from ChildFund International, Uganda.
Visit our Joining Forces website to view videotaped statements from children and to read a powerful blog authored by a 16-year-old girl from Zimbabwe who calls on world leaders to make access to education on the internet available to all children, rich or poor.
- by Diana Quick
At least 1 out of 2 children has experienced some form of violence and 18 million girls aged between 15 and 19 have experienced sexual abuse.
The Swedish Government, in collaboration with the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children and WePROTECT Global Alliance, hosted the Agenda 2030 for Children, End Violence Solutions Summit in Stockholm, Sweden, on 14 and 15 February 2018.
Government ministers from 20 countries, youth delegates and high-level representatives of UN bodies, civil society, the academic world and the private sector participated in the conference.
The purpose of the conference was to share good experiences and new solutions in work to end violence against children.
ChildFund Alliance was represented by Secretary General Meg Gardinier; Laurence Cambianica of Educo; Angeles Belén Cowan Ruiz, age 17, from Paraguay; and Luisa Futboe, age 16, from Indonesia. Our youth representatives were accompanied by Maria Ferreira and Reny Haning. Suzanne Berman of ChildFund International (USA) and Jorge Méndez-Rheineck of Christian Children's Fund of Canada/Paraguay were civil society representatives for their respective countries.
Read more:
The Solutions Summit website has lots of information about the Summit.
Agenda 2030 for Children: End Violence Solutions Summit Proclamation
Call to action for attendees to the Agenda 2030 for Children: End Violence Solutions Summit (signed by the Civil Society Forum of the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, of which ChildFund Alliance is a member). The members of the Civil Society Forum are all members of the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children. The call to action calls on governments and others to fulfill their commitments to end violence against children. The members of the Forum pledge to take seven actions that will contribute to ending violence against children.
End Violence Solutions Summit: Statement by Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children
Where Next? Ending Violence against Children, by David Steven, Center on International Cooperation, New York University (paper)
Former sponsored child speaks for her peers on global stage, a blog by youth participant Angeles, reflecting on her experiences at the summit.
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Memberships & Coalitions
Joining Forces (our-work/memberships-coalitions/joining-forces) Joining Forces is a collaboration among the six leading NGOs working with and for children under the age o…
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Alliance Initiatives
ChildFund Alliance’s global network of 12 members help nearly 23 million children and their families in 70 countries to overcome poverty and the underlying conditions that prevent children f…
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ChildFund Alliance European Union Office
About ChildFund Alliance EU Office ChildFund Alliance EU Office is a member-led initiative set up in close coordination with the ChildFund Alliance Secretariat. It was esta…
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Our Reach
ChildFund Alliance’s 12 member organizations work in 70 countries. We provide nutrition, health care, education and life skills to nearly 23 million children and families around the world.…