We believe every child deserves to be protected from violence, live a full life, and have the chance to become who God created them to be. We help communities build a safety net of loving people to protect children, prevent harm and ensure that those who are harmed receive the help they need to recover.
57% are married by the age of 18.
Only 30% of children registered at birth, and just 1 in every 5 children, has a birth certificate.
We don’t just work to keep children free from dangerous situations, we also actively work to counteract the poverty and social stigma that often lead to atrocities against children such as abuse, child labour, neglect and child marriage.
With our community-based model which has been refined and expanded over the years, we’re able to address the complex issues that create threats to childhood.
In Uganda, World Vision engages all those who have a responsibility to protect children: families, faith communities and care providers as well as local and government officials. Our efforts focus on improving laws and accountability, increasing social services and supports, catalysing behaviour and attitude change and strengthening child resilience.
We equip and strengthen the abilities of families and caregivers to be the first line of protection and care for children by growing social support networks, linking them to economic and social assistance, equipping them with positive parenting skills and engaging husbands and fathers to play a leading role in combating violence against children. We also help vulnerable families gain access to social services.
Rather than just addressing the symptoms, we address the root causes of violence against children-- including harmful attitudes, beliefs and practices—and we equip communities to provide restorative services when children are abused. We listen to children and work with everyone who has a duty to protect them including: families, churches, faith leaders, local officials, teachers, doctors, police, courts, and government agencies. Our programmes work to strengthen the laws, services, norms and circles of care that keep children safe.
Our efforts go beyond shielding children from child marriage and other forms of abuse and exploitation.
We empower children with the skills and knowledge to protect themselves and help protect one another.
We teach children about their rights, how to keep themselves safe and how to make their communities and schools safer for all, especially the most vulnerable girls and boys.
We mobilise faith communities to value and protect children. Through our Channels of Hope programmes, we train and equip faith leaders to create safe environments for boys and girls, and to play a lead role in challenging and transforming beliefs, social norms, and behaviors that cause harm to children.
We advocate to protect girls and boys by: educating local leaders and government authorities, empowering communities to hold government accountable and building evidence to drive policy change. We empower local leaders, teachers, social workers and health workers to prevent and respond to violence against children while also educating families about basic human rights and helping them see how their communities can and should work collaboratively with government and service providers to protect children.
One of the ways we are spreading this message right now is through our five-year campaign: “It Takes a World to End Violence Against Children”, which aims to positively impact the lives of millions of the most vulnerable boys and girls in Uganda by 2021.
By catalysing a global movement of people committed to keeping children safe from harm, we will strengthen interventions to address violence against children, increase long-term funding for ending violence and strengthen accountability mechanisms that monitor how governments fulfil their commitments to protect children.
Learn how our teams are using fun and games to help children afected by violence overcome the trauma in their lives and equipping them to build new relationships.
See how our programmes are helping protect young reufugee girls from early marriage.
Watch this video to see how some refugees are using dance as a release and a way to communicate.