Parents and children are both spending much of their time at home during long holiday seasons, such as this December Festive season, ChildFund Kenya offers tips on how to manage and solve Domestic violence to avoid Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against children.
In an exclusive interview with Eunice Kilondo, The Child Protection and Advocacy manager reported to Switch Media that, their organization is gearing towards curbing possibilities of GBV on children as they interact with the community and their parents.
Their main goal is to create awareness of the measures parents, children, and the community at large should adhere to, for guidance and protection of children during the holiday season, as well as shading light on how to avoid GBV in instances of domestic violence.
Eunice describes child abuse as, anything that leads to a Child experiencing neglect or abuse and exploitation., denied needs by the caregiver, and also physical or psychological harm to a child abuse no matter who is doing it.
“A child being used for economic gain is child exploitation. This could be child marriage to get cattle or money.”She noted.
Child Fund Kenya representative described GBV as any act that is perpetrated against a person’s (for this case, a child) will and is based on gender norms and unequal power relationships.
She explained the forms of GBV including, Rape, sexual assault, physical assault, forced marriage, denial of resources/opportunities or services as well as psychological and emotional abuse.
However, GBV cases are still out of hand due to Cultural beliefs that promote GBV such as FGM and Child marriage, Poverty, Overwhelming needs at the community level after COVID, and other community-based norms that need awareness.
“In every country around the world, children and youth, particularly adolescent girls experience sexual violence at unacceptable rates.”
“In Kenya based on the 2019 Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) found that 16 percent of girls and 6 percent of boys experience sexual violence before the age of 18.”She claimed.
Describing Gender-based violence as, Poverty, Stress, history of abuse, Technology, and absence of a primary caregiver.
“Poverty can lead to Children being left alone at home or being exploited for commercial purposes by caregivers experiencing stress at work/ Home let it out on the child.
“History of abuse can lead the abused children to end up becoming abusers, Technology to has led to Online protection risks for children, as the absence of a primary caregiver exposes children to abuse because they lack someone inhouse to protect them”. She added.
Advice to Children:
Children are expected to take the responsibility of staying safe, by keeping themselves busy, creating a holiday plan, and avoiding spending all their time online. She encouraged the children to help at home.
Children are also asked to listen and heed good advice and learn to communicate their needs.
Parents/ Guardians:
“Take parenting seriously, by understanding that these children are growing every day no one can take your role in raising them and your time with them is limited.
“Boys and girls deserve equal treatment and opportunities, and there are real risks online. Get to know them so that you can help your children.
“Learn to manage conflicts to avoid making children victims of Gender Based Violence, having it in mind that, children are forever learning and you are their number one model of what kind of adult they need to be.
“Take time to listen to your child, being deliberate about being your Child’s friend. You will be happy you did. She mentioned.
Community:
Eunice urged the community to take child protection as everyone’s responsibility, explaining that if children turn out wrong, the whole community will be affected.
“Kulinda Watoto ni Jukumu letu sote. Treat your neighbor’s child as your own, and make sure child protection is an agenda in all collective community engagements such as Nyumba Kumi”, She concluded.
She reiterated that financial security is among the primary solutions to most household violence against children, especially now that the economy has hit rock bottom.
ChildFund Kenya is working to curb GBV by:
Strengthening the community-based Child protection mechanisms, working closely with the Directorate of Children Services, and also training and working with community-based Child protection Champions to create awareness at the community level on the role of community and families in protecting children in general and particularly appreciating the value of supporting girls to actualize their potential through enabling them equal opportunities with boys.
Promote surveillance at the community level in areas prone to Child marriage and as well FGM, as they facilitate the rescue of girls from these vices through supporting the government in the construction of rescue facilities and linkage to such facilities.
“We have constructed a 100-bed rescue center in Tharaka, and funds allowing we intend to support the government, as we also create a supportive environment at the community level.” Said Kilundo.
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Empowering the Household economy to help improve farming technologies, also Supporting the ministry of education to develop the positive discipline manual aimed at helping teachers to utilize positive ways of instilling discipline in children.
Childfund also implementing the School-based violence prevention model, as they continue to Advocacy, such as through Joining Forces with the government to improve budget allocation to the children sector to improve the provision of protection services so that children can access the full range of their rights according to the UNCRC and participate in Advocacy for the enactment of the children’s Bill- done this year.
” By also supporting the strengthening of the CP formal system through the formulation of policies and guidelines to ensure an effective social workforce.
Also Read:CFK, Covid-19 Escalated Domestic Violence Surging GBV Cases
