From being excluded to influencers

From being excluded to influencers The progress of Citizen Voice in Action with children for Child Protection

Child Protection remains a Acronymsconcern in Kosovo. Childrenwho live and work in street WV US – World Vision United Statessituation are among those WVA&K – World Vision Albania and Kosovowho suffer the most. On CPP LH – Child Protection and Participation Learning Hubaverage children work about LLA LH – Local Level Advocacy Learning Hub6,5 hours per day1 during the MEER – Middle East, Eastern European Regionsummer and four hours during MVF – Most Vulnerable Familiesthe school year, six days a WG - Working Groupweek. And the most affected CP – Child Protectionpopulations are Roma/ Ashkali CVA – Citizen Voice in Action/Egyptian (RAE). Therefore, a CPP - Child Protection and Participationcollaboration between WorldVision US (WV US), World Vision Albania & Kosovo (WVA & K) (Kosovo office) ChildProtection and Participation Learning Hub (CPP LH) and Local Level Advocacy Learning Hub(LLA LH) in Middle East, Eastern European Region (MEER), aims to improve Child Protection(CP) related policy in Kosovo while considering the voices of MVF and children as well asbuild an evidence on how CVA is used for CPP. During this process two research questionsare addressed: Is CVA an effective approach for influencing CP policy and implementation? Does Child Participation in CVA contribute to greater inclusion of children’s needs/priorities in government policy?Dear Prime Minister. Wehave law to protectanimals in Kosovo, but notchildren. How come, if weare the most preciousthing for our family?! Mirzana,12, Fushe Kosove1CHILD LABOUR IN KOSOVO,A STUDY ON WORKING CHILDREN, Project Progress<http://www.unicef.org/kosovoprogramme/kosovo_media_pub_prot.008.04.pdf>, 2004. 1

Path to success1Firstly, WVA&K (Kosovo office) partnered with Health for All, a local NGO, to implementthis project from the initial phase. Jointly with partners,WV staff went through CVA guidanceand provided input to enrich it with CP components and also child participation part. A draftwith the input is now available and being used. So, it reinforced the learning that theprofile of the partner is key to the success of CVA for CP. The local partner identifiedthe three communities and people (adults and children) interested in changing the landscapeof CP and related policies. The previous relationship of the partner with these communities is crucialto start the work in CP.2Secondly, the communities involved were Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians, who are amongst themost vulnerable ones in Kosovo.With them it was important to recognize that using a simpleand friendly language to communicate is essential. Some of them were illiterate, and forthem to feel engaged was possible only when they were able to understand and contribute.Being contributors and being appreciated makes them hopeful and motivated to contribute for change. They were transformedThe process so far: from the excluded and discriminated communities into the ones who can compare CP policies and influenceBaseline is conducted alongside data incorporation of the changes atgathering for an ethnographic study in national level Law.June’16.100 project participants (children andadults) have gone through the process ofgetting prepared to compare a CP relatedpolicy (social aid and children who workon the streets) with a given standards, andto keep government accountable toimprove the existing policy.The recommendations generatedfrom the comparison (score cardand monitoring standards), wereshared with Working Group(WG) for CP Law of PrimeMinister and then with the PrimeMinister getting theircommitment for incorporatingthe recommendations in the law.The aim was to incorporate the changes insocial aid and children who work on thestreets in the new CP law recently drafted. Project Progress 2

3Thirdly, 100 participants (adults and children) went through the process of becomingaware of CP issues in their communities that are positive for children and issues which hindertheir development. In addition participants learned of the rights and the responsibilitiesregarding CP, as well as their own rights, their entitlements.They started to understand howto compare the current CP policies with the ones they want to follow.They worked morespecifically on (a) social aid criteria; (b) children who work in the streets.Children’s group opened up a new dimension, which was the dimension of supporting the childalongside the family.The standards practiced in Kosovo were compared with European Standards on ChildProtection.The recommendations generated from the comparison process were shared withPrime Minister, and therefore included in the draft law for CP.Also the law on social assistance scheme in Kosovo was compared with the law applied in Macedonia, aSuccess beyond the neighboring country. Involving a facilitator who knew the laws andexpected results policies both on national and international levels was crucial. The facilitator was the best match since heProduct wise: The input that participants managed to combine his knowledgeprovided is already incorporated into the with the ability to present in a simpledraft Law for CP which currently is in the manner to enable participants toprocess to be approved. contribute meaningfully which openedSocial norm wise – CP: Initially the the doors of success to this initiative.participants were not able to identify CPissues as it was so much embedded in theirdaily life. Therefore the process makes CPissues visible and people are motivated tochallenge what is already social norm.Relationship wise: At the beginning theservice providers were not trusting howcommunity representatives and childrenwould be able to change policies, but duringthe process they built positive relationshipsand collectively acted to influence change.Inclusiveness: Community representatives Without children's voicewere those very poorly educated, facing the focus would have beenextreme poverty, and totally ignored from only at the financial issues.the policy makers and decision makers. Children manage to orientAmong them there were people who could the group and CP law at thenot write and read. Making them to influence component of care forpolicy change have brought an opportunity children who are at risk\"for inclusive accountability and citizenship asnever before. Muharrem, Local Partner Project Progress 3