We all have a role to play in ending violence against children

Photo by Hennie Stander on Unsplash

In commemoration of World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse on 19 November, Together for Girls (T4G) launched a new storytelling hub that highlights efforts to prevent violence against children in Kenya. T4G is a global partnership dedicated to ending violence against children, with a particular focus on sexual violence against girls.

The storytelling project is about the 2019 Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS), which found that 16 per cent of girls and 6 per cent of boys experience sexual violence before the age of 18 in Kenya. The Kenya VACS also shows that in the past decade, coordinated response to the VACS results led Kenya to make great strides in preventing sexual violence against children. Over 10 years, surveys show that there have been substantial reductions in sexual violence against children. This project has shown that data can provide reliable evidence to inform policy and programming in order to propel change.

On top of showcasing how data can be used for good, the hub also contains a digital series highlighting the DREAMS partnership. Created by the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), DREAMS stands for Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe – it aims to reduce new HIV infections and violence among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan countries so that they can lead healthy, AIDS-free and safe lives. The hub also contains a photo essay called “Champion for Change”, a photo exhibit conducted in collaboration with PEPFAR and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which tells stories of the champions, and also showcases how individual action can add up to a forceful, nationwide movement. 

We hope you enjoy the stories as much as we did, and get a glimpse of the people and partnerships who are working every day to prevent violence against children in Kenya and create a safer world for every child. The work of Together for Girls falls under Oak’s Prevent Child Abuse Programme. Along with our partners in the Programme, Oak is building a world where every child can thrive. Read more about the programme strategy here.