Protecting children from violence are one of the priorities of SDF. Violence against children has a devastating impact — threatening children’s survival, development and participation in society. SDF is working with communities and partners at the national and regional levels to fight violence against children and promise a future worthy of children’s potential. In response to the continued violence against children in the region, SDF jointly with SAIEVAC Secretariat initiated a project ‘South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children’ to curb the problem of violence against children in the SAARC region.
SAIEVAC (South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children) aims to ensure that all children in South Asia, both girls and boys, enjoy their right to an environment free from violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect, and discrimination. The project addresses critical issues such as trafficking, child marriage, child labor, sexual abuse, exploitation, and corporal punishment, which harm children’s health and psychosocial development. By tackling these issues, SAIEVAC seeks to reduce and eliminate these risks.
South Asia is home to over 700 million children and 35 percent of the world’s poor. Children experience violence at home, in schools, in care and judicial systems and institutions, at workplaces and within their communities. Violence against children cuts across social, cultural, religious and ethnic lines and is exacerbated by natural disasters and armed conflict.
In South Asia, 48% of young women are married before 18 years. Sexual exploitation affects millions of children. Persisting legal and social acceptance of corporal punishment explains its high prevalence and an estimated 44 million children are involved in child labour. Of children less than 5 years old, 36% are not registered at birth increasing children’s vulnerability to violence.
The project will operationalize the South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children at regional level and within each SAARC Member State by setting up effective child protection systems and increasing collaboration between government, INGOs, civil society, the UN and children.
The project focuses on strengthening existing child protection systems and enhancing collaboration.
Objectives
Participating Countries:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
Major Activities:
Start Date: 1-Jan-2012
Project budget: US $ 2,600,000
Status: Completed
