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ecommendations
National and international level
responses
Few of the above recommendations can
succeed without support from critical
national and international actors.
NGOs such as World Vision can view as part
of their role the extension of the practical role
of governance in key areas of protection,
prevention and development. However, it
must be kept in mind that states bear primary
responsibility to protect children; private
sector and civil society activity should not be
seen as supplanting the role of states.
At the same time, national governments
that are willing to promote child protection
must also be able to count on the support of
international actors. International institutions
seeking to direct economic policy, promote
good governance or improve the rule of law
in countries should ensure that children
benefit from these measures.
The following recommendations are
addressed not only to national governments
but to donors, policy makers and other
international actors:
• Ensure the CRC is incorporated into staff
training and general programs. Be willing to
consider creative approaches that may
contribute to promoting child protection.
• Review existing processes and policies that
may be restricting the capacity of people
and institutions for change.
• Support improvement in national government
policy by allocating resources to enable its
implementation and honour its intention. For
example, provide adequate resources to
strengthen the mechanisms of protection for
children through increased law enforcement
or awareness-raising in schools.
• Invest in research, strategic collaboration
and advocacy, which may be most effective
in the long term in reducing risks to children,
and has the added value of promoting civil
society and responsive government.
Collaboration also helps to avoid duplication.
• Invest in understanding and planning for
emerging issues. Given the increasing
urbanisation in Asia, for example, greater
attention is warranted to research and
respond to emerging child protection issues
of urban poor communities. 8
• Ensure that overseas development assistance
(ODA) provides adequate resources to
specifically assist children at risk, through
policies and targeted programmes.
8
Social Protection Strategy, Asian Development Bank, 2001
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