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introduction
Current challenges of project
design and operation
Inclusion of vulnerable groups
“A fundamental political aspect of safety net
design and targeting is the choice of whether to
help the poor and ultra-poor or the more vocal,
politically more powerful groups.” 19
inclusion through practice. In Cambodia,
World Vision has conducted research into
community and institutional views on the
problem of child sex tourism in cooperation
with key government ministries and national
children’s organisations, 20 and successfully
advocated for intentional action to combat
child sex tourism as part of development of
the tourist industry. Cambodia’s
Government, the private sector and
international financial institutions such as the
Asian Development Bank now include action
to strengthen child protection in this area.
Issues of improved access to education and
health care to benefit children are a
consistent feature of community
development. Responses to other issues that
place children at risk, such as disability,
“Poverty is the single greatest force
domestic violence and exploitation, are often
which creates the flow of children into
regarded as specialist areas and not included
the workplace…” 21
as part of program design. Inclusion is
possible, however, and is a feature of a
Poverty
number of projects; experience in these
environments can be shared and useful
Child labour is a common phenomenon in
many poor areas. Approaches to raising
approaches extended upon.
awareness and response on child labour at the
The presence of a minority group as part of community level are an established feature of
a beneficiary population needs to be
some development work, but there is
acknowledged intentionally in project design. opportunity for extension from lessons
Projects working where such groups
learned. If not addressed, this gap in project
experience discrimination, violence or lack of design allows for continued acceptance of
opportunity need to account for the political children being part of family economies in
dimensions of the task as much as the service ways that may be damaging to them.
delivery concerns. Approaches where
Understanding attitudes and promoting
advocacy is clearly part of project design are alternative views in the interests of children
able to extend from the “micro” community are sometimes required. Consideration is
context to the “macro” national and political needed for families on the edge who are not
context. Unfortunately, however, this is often eligible for credit. Poverty-enforced mobility
not the case: capacity to advocate is often and insecurity increase the risks that their
not part of design but an added task at the children face. They may move on from a
discretion of project staff; the result is that rural community and drift to the city, where
opportunity to promote change on issues of the children will be at greater risk from
social justice, beyond direct service provision, predators. Highly mobile families need a
is limited.
response more typical of relief projects but
this is often not available; the predominant
Save the Children’s strong child-focused mode of assistance is through sustainable
advocacy approach in Sri Lanka and Indonesia development programs, for which they are
offers good examples of linking local concerns not eligible. Cambodia offers models of goodpractice
targeted assistance, from the League
to a national agenda through advocacy. World
Vision’s approach in Vietnam has facilitated for the Promotion and Defence of Human
significant change through advocating for Rights (LICADHO), Mith Samlanh/Friends,
disabled children while demonstrating
and World Vision.
19 Klugman, 2001
20 Children’s Work, Adults’ Play: Child sex tourism – the problem in Cambodia, World Vision International, 2001
21 International Labour Organization Conference, 86th Session, Geneva, 1996
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