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Sri Lanka Children as partners in community “What you have made yourself is worth a fortune.” – traditional saying Photo: Laurence Gray Background Sri Lanka is a poor country that has experienced prolonged conflict and tension resulting from ethnic differences and governance issues. This 19-year conflict has caused much damage to the country’s economy and the future of its children, as well as to the warring parties. All Sri Lankan children today were born into and have lived their entire lives in a country ravaged by conflict. The parties to the conflict have paid limited attention to humanitarian law, and according to Save the Children, 1 many have used children as propaganda tools. There are over 900,000 children living in areas directly affected by conflict; thousands have been denied their rights to protection, have lost family members or relatives, or have had their education disrupted. Despite these obstacles, Sri Lankan children have made their voices heard in a number of ways, including in a national activity leading up to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on Children, held in 2002. Child protection concerns identified Children have views on issues affecting them and need avenues to express these views. In Sri Lanka, they have prioritised the country’s economy, education system, health care, the situation of the family, and armed conflict as issues that affect them today and limit their future. Specific child protection concerns raised by the children from World Vision project areas participating in the “Sri Lankan Children’s Challenge” initiative leading up to UNGASS include: 1 2 The Sri Lankan Children’s Challenge, Save the Children UK, 2002 Areas along the ‘border’ between territory held by the Sri Lankan Army and that held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during the conflict 65
Sri Lanka Children affected by conflict A 13-year old girl, participating in a group discussion like the one pictured, shared that she had been to an LTTE staging area after a recruitment drive in local villages. She said that there were 25 other children of her age who had been transported there by truck in preparation for a move to the training camp. She left because she missed her family and was worried when she would see them again if she went to the training camp. One young woman who is the top student from the area has wanted to pursue further education outside of her village area; she has the support of her family to do so. However the LTTE, not wanting people to leave their villages, instructed the school principals not to issue leaving certificates which are required for children to go on to higher study. With renewed peace talks, the effects of conflict in reducing access to education may now change for other children. Photos: Laurence Gray • alcoholism and domestic violence affecting children in project areas • armed conflict affecting children nationally • sexual exploitation of children, especially by paedophiles, nationally and in tourist areas • displaced and mobile populations due to conflict, in border 2 areas and nationally • young women and men seeking work as domestic staff in other countries being tricked into situations of abuse or exploitation • government policy and practice such as institutional care and capacity to respondadequately to violence against children • capacity of government institutions to ensure protection of children • access to quality education in areas of tension. Areas of priority for World Vision are in the North and North-East of Sri Lanka, which are now becoming open to relief initiatives. Children in these locations have been particularly affected by conflict and isolated from assistance. Key issues have been access to education, capacity building of local counsellors, and children being lured from IDP camps to the LTTE training camps. An integrated approach World Vision’s Child Protection Policy World Vision Sri Lanka has taken steps to integrate child protection with development project design and implementation. A policy on child protection standards and provision has been developed through a dedicated staff position. Screening mechanisms including police and reference checks are used for new staff; this extends to volunteers working with projects. The policy is highlighted as part of orientation and at other staff training events, and team leaders have the responsibility of briefing project staff on the policy. 66
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Risk Laurence Gray
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Copyright © 2003 by World Vision I
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contents Useful approaches to build
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executive summary responsibility of
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executive summary The Philippines I
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introduction “How is it possible
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introduction Child as a normative f
Page 15 and 16: introduction • offer opportunity
Page 17 and 18: introduction information may emerge
Page 19 and 20: introduction Current challenges of
Page 21 and 22: introduction Planning long-term for
Page 23 and 24: introduction Because we are abandon
Page 25 and 26: Cambodia or a medical emergency. Ho
Page 27 and 28: Cambodia This drawing by a child sc
Page 29 and 30: Cambodia near the garbage dump have
Page 31 and 32: Cambodia The Mith Samlanh/Friends v
Page 33 and 34: Cambodia Mith Samlanh/Friends vocat
Page 35 and 36: Cambodia To further understand how
Page 37 and 38: Cambodia Responses were gained thro
Page 39 and 40: Cambodia LICADHO uses a variety of
Page 41 and 42: Cambodia Families are taught to dis
Page 43 and 44: Cambodia The Law Enforcement Agains
Page 45 and 46: Cambodia 3. The project was based o
Page 47 and 48: Indonesia • The BPS also estimate
Page 49 and 50: Indonesia For Children’s Day in J
Page 51 and 52: Indonesia Useful approaches to buil
Page 53 and 54: Indonesia Child protection concerns
Page 55 and 56: Indonesia Children in the IDP camp,
Page 57 and 58: Indonesia building strategies can b
Page 59 and 60: The Philippines • children who ar
Page 61 and 62: The Philippines • conducting a ra
Page 63 and 64: The Philippines increase opportunit
Page 65: The Philippines Barriers to child p
Page 69 and 70: Sri Lanka Partnership for education
Page 71 and 72: Sri Lanka Children’s play showing
Page 73 and 74: Sri Lanka Impact of the project Som
Page 75 and 76: Sri Lanka “I spoke to a group of
Page 77 and 78: Vietnam Background Community-based
Page 79 and 80: Vietnam • At the community level,
Page 81 and 82: Vietnam “States Parties recognise
Page 83 and 84: Vietnam “Talk is cheap. Action is
Page 85 and 86: conclusion Agencies within civil so
Page 87 and 88: ecommendations universities. Advoca
Page 89 and 90: ecommendations • Emerging issues,
Page 91 and 92: acknowledgements Many individuals a
Page 93 and 94: ibliography Amnesty International,
Page 95 and 96: appendix 1 Online toolkit The follo
Page 97: appendix 3 Some principles of World
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