KIWOHEDE

KIWOHEDE is among the NGOs working with children who have agreed together to formulate working groups for the purpose of protecting children by implementing the National Plan of Action for MVC which clearly states that all children have the right to be protected from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

The working group is called

Child Protection Working Group (CPWG) which is within the implementing partners group (IPG) made out of the following NGOs and other stake holders which are:- KIWOHEDE,   The Department of Social Welfare, Children’s Development Department- MCDGC, Save the Children, Plan International, World Vision Dogodogo Centre, Children’s Dignity Forum, Africare, GNRC, REPSSI, NNOC – National Network of Organizations working with Children, Right to Play, PACT, FHI,  and Caucus for Children Rights.

The first meeting was held at UNICEF offices on 16 April 2010 and was chaired by UNICEF child protection unit. After the meeting it was suggested that the chairmanship for coordination purposes has to be under the Ministry of Health and social welfare in the Department of Social work.

The Purpose of the working group is to strengthen child protection responses in Tanzania through promoting common understanding   of child protection among duty bearers. This should ultimately lead to the protection of all children, especially the most vulnerable, from violence, exploitation, neglect and abuse.

Child protection is defined as “preventing and responding to violence, exploitation and abuse.” According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the child is entitled to full protection from all forms of violence in inter-personal situations, harmful environments, negative influences as well as structural inequalities. The risk of experiencing such forms of harm increases for children and adolescents whose families are poor, who are excluded from services due to stigma and discrimination or who have lost the protection and care of their parents. These children constitute the bulk of Most Vulnerable Children (MVC) in Tanzania whom the group is working with.  The child protection working group is still working on its Roles and Responsibilities.