Highlights
The Trust’s vision for Africa, is that every child, in every nation, has the possibility to begin his or her life with the best possible foundation that will allow them to reach their fullest potential. This includes, but is not limited to, formal and non-formal education, health and nutrition. Using this approach as our guiding principle, we are successfully implementing our Children’s Rights and Development Programme. The Programme focuses on Early Childhood Development (ECD), Health and Nutrition, Education and Child Protection. Through our continued country and regional efforts, we are starting to see a cumulative impact in our Children’s Rights core focus areas, further motivating us to continue our efforts towards more equitable outcomes for the continent’s most marginalised citizens.
The Children’s Rights and Development Programme views children as more than rights holders, but key decision-makers who should be involved in their own decision-making processes grouped by age and maturity level. Child participation is therefore central to all programme interventions as we work towards the protection and promotion of children’s rights and development on the continent. Together with our partners at a global, regional and country level, we engage and support networks working to create solid foundations for the development of the African child.
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting children’s rights, to carry out advocacy and action across Africa. Special focus is placed on Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia where child marriage continues to be a problem largely driven by poverty, gender inequality, harmful traditional practices, conflict, low levels of literacy, limited opportunities for girls and weak or non-existent protective and preventive legal frameworks.
Education is a fundamental right for all children, which is also a vehicle for social, economic and political transformation in communities, countries and the African continent at large. Recent studies indicate a lack of progress in some of the critical commitments aimed at improving education quality, access, retention and achievement, particularly for girls. In most African countries, girls may face barriers to learning, especially when they reach post-primary levels of education. By implementing multi-dimensional approaches to education which includes core education, personal development, life skills and economic competencies, the Trust partners with funding partners, governments, civil societies and the private sector to improve education access.
The Nutrition and Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) of the Children’s Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescents’ health within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. The strategy emphasises on the importance of effective country leadership as a common factor across countries making progress in improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) plan, The Trust will seek to put into action the new science and evidence Report that was presented by Lancet Series on Good and early development – the right of every child. This will be achieved by mobilising like-minded partners to contribute in the new science and evidence to reach all young children with ECD. The Trust’s goal is to be a catalyst for doing things differently, in particular, to rid fragmentation and lack of coordination across ECD sectors. In response to evidence showing the importance of political will in turning the tide against the current poor access and quality of ECD. Even before conception, starting with a mother’s health and social economic conditions, the early years of a child’s life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.