<국제세이브더칠드런연맹> Together, 여름호
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| WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE MORE FOR CHILDREN | JULY-AUGUST 2008 |
The Millennium Development Goals set ambitious yet achievable targets to reduce poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter and exclusion by 2015. They embody basic human rights - and Save the Children has been pushing for these rights to be fulfilled.
On 25 September, the UN General Assembly will convene a High-level Event on the MDGs in New York. We have an opportunity to help get the world back on track, but we must be clear in our message and present a strong and unified voice. Only by working together can we make a real difference in New York on 25 September. Find out more
 CHILDREN'S VOICES Violet's sporting triumph |
ALLIANCE STRATEGY UPDATE Alliance Ambitions |
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THREE UNIFIED COUNTRIES Three Country Directors |
LETTER FROM CHARLOTTE "The more time I spend in this role the more I find the spirit in which we work together very encouraging." Read more |
 ALLIANCE KEY CHALLENGES |
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ACE workstream updates:
ACE Advocacy Working Group launches Xtranet Section
The ACE Advocacy Working Group (AWG) was established in September 2007. Its primary tasks are to influence other actors to improve humanitarian response, enhance advocacy in the response of the lead Member during an emergency and engage wider membership in advocacy.
The AWG now has their own ACE Advocacy section of the Xtranet where you can learn more about their key goals and access emergency specific advocacy documents.
ACE Communications Working Group
A global media comparative analysis has been commissioned that will illustrate save the Chilren's positioning in select emergencies compared to our main competitors. We will share this with all interested, shortly. As one of the ACE deliverables is to monitor and evaluate media activity around emergencies, it is important that Members look at a mechanism to begin to capture such comparisons.
The first face-to-face ACE Communications Working Group meeting will take place in Westport at the end of September, kindly hosted by SC USA. SC Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, UK, USA, Italy, Mexico, Spain and the Secretariat will be in attendance. The meeting will define the scope of the group's communications work and allow project planning in order to drive forward our emergency work. The meeting will also look at architecture in place for gathering content in emergency response for media; will look at establishing potential media partnerships; will look at internal communications in Alliance and necessary protocols and will discuss applying an M&E function to communications.
ACE Fundraising
An Alliance wide emergency response capacity and aspirations mapping exercise identified several "gaps" in members emergency fundraising preparedness and capacity. To address these gaps, the ACE team have been capturing alliance-wide best practice, developing innovative strategies, products and tools to assist all members implement effective emergency fundraising and increase emergency fundraising.
Read the latest update from the Ace Fundraising Working Group.
Emergency Updates:
Food Crisis - Ethiopia
Child Parliament in Karat
The drought situation and its effects are still persisting in the south of Ethiopia, and the numbers requiring assistance are likely to increase however, the current number of people needing immediate assistance is 4.6 million in need of emergency relief and 5.7 million PSNP beneficiaries equally 10.3 million people. Pastoralist are worried about their future and what will come next, as they have lost 50 to 75% of their herds. Livestock products and prices have drastically increased, and the scarcity of milk is frequently reported in the pastoral and agro-pastoral areas due to the poor body condition of livestock and lack of feed.
In 2006, Save the Children Finland sponsored the first child parliament in southern Ethiopia, based in Karat. The idea for such an assembly originated in Finland. The current child parliament of Karat met to discuss the imapct of the global food crisis on their lives.
More on the Child Parliament of Karat
Dubai Cares and Save the Children
Health and nutrition support is to reach more than 30,000 children and 21,000 mothers in Ethiopia after Dubai Cares announced its partnership with Save the Children. Read more about the Dubai Cares Partnership.
Recent photographs
During the first four weeks of Save the Children’s emergency nutrition program, over 800 children have been admitted to the program for treatment. In response to Ethiopia’s continuing food crisis, Save the Children set up OPT (Outpatient Therapeutic) centres and implemented community health programs throughout the country to identify and treat families and children suffering from malnutrition. Here are a selection of pictures from Health Centres Damana, Konso and Green Hunger and new pictures from Colin Crowley's visit in June.
Charlie MacCormack in Ethiopia
Save the Children US have recently launched a Child Hunger Crisis landing page. In a recent trip to Ethiopia, Charlie MacCormack CEO of Save the Children US praised the concerted efforts of those working to address the severe malnutrition among growing numbers of children. He commented that he had found hopeful signs in the improved capacity of the Government of Ethiopia Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Authorities and the Ministry of Health to respond to the emergency, compared to the food crisis in Ethiopia in 2003. In addition he applauded the increase in trained health professionals and volunteers, including the large cadre of Health Extension Workers now dispersed throughout the country. Read more about Charlie's visit to Ethiopia. In addition, there is video of an interview with Charlie MacCormack speaking from a health centre in Ethiopia.
Visit the Ethiopia Emergency Update Xtranet page for more information
India Floods
Read more from the most recent Situation Report from the India Floods. A short video was produced almost immediately and distributed to Alliance Members. In the video Thomas Chandy (CEO Save the Chidlren India) talks about the rising food costs and the impact this will have on flood affected families. View the video here.
Visit the India Floods Emergency Update Xtranet page for more information
Myanmar Updates
100 days on
Save the Children is the biggest international aid agency responding to cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, 100 days after the cyclone we have reached over half a million people, including at least 225,000 children, with life saving assistance. Aid is getting through. Most people have received some assistance but much more needs to be done. Read the Cyclone Nargis 100 days on Programme Update
Hironobu Shibuya visits Save the Children in Myanmar
Hironobu Shibuya Save the Children Japan's CEO, visited Save the Children in Myanmar offices. Save the Children Japan was one of 3 Members working autonomously in Myanmar before our operations were unified.
"What I have witnessed during my brief sojourn in Yangon is a great example of what we are capable of doing if we work together by combining institutional resources; both human and funding. I cannot think of a better example of the tangible consequences of a Unified Presence than how SC in Myanmar has been responding to the Cyclone Nargis. And what I've seen here so convincingly reinforces in my mind the correctness of the Alliance's strategic decision to move forward with the Unified Presence in the fields where we operate," said Hironobu.
Save the Children Japan Live!
On the 8 and 9 August Save the Children Japan held an event at Tully’s Coffee Corporation in Tokoyo, where the relaxed atmosphere fuelled by Tully’s coffee and cookies set the stage for SC Japan to report on our activities in Myanmar, Three Months after Cyclone Nargis. The event was reported in Asahi Shimbun (the national newspaper).
Based on personal experiences from his time in Myanmar, Tomoya Sonoda, (from Save the Children Japan) detailed the work of Save the Children and the impact this has had on the lives of children. He also described the positive impact of the Education kits upon the lives of those studying at the temporary schools built by Save the Children. He shared how some children living in remote regions have to walk up to an hour to reach these temporary schools.
Sonoda finished with a brief look at out future plans and activities, he explained that continued support from Japan could change the situation and make children’s lives in Myanmar better. Save the Children Japan also contacted one of their staff on the ground; Miho Wada in Myanmar to allow participants to reflect upon the reality of the situation there. She explained how the bigger cities are only now starting to show signs of recovery. After the presentations there was an opportunity for participants to ask questions that had not been already covered. Feedback from the event was extremely positive, people enjoyed hearing personal accounts from those who had been there and were interested in Save the Children’s activities.
Lourdes, Save the Children Spain's Communication Officer shares her experiences of Myanmar in a Spanish blog 
‘La emocin de estar aqu hace que me olvide del jet-lag y que quiera absorberlo todo como una esponja. Hay muchsimo trabajo por hacer y tengo muchas ganas de empeza' Lourdes from SC Spain shares her experiences. Read more
Fundraising
Save the Children Sweden has received SEK12,2 Million from Tetra Laval for the Myanmar emergency response. The donation will partly be used for creating local child protection committees in Myanmar. Those committees consist of the citizens themselves, who will look after the children in their community. Save the Children offers the committee members education in child rights and in how they can help the children most efficiently. They also learn, together with children, how to identify the most vulnerable children and how to ensure that they also can receive support. The purpose of the child protection committees is also to make sure that the work for child rights can continue long after the emergency without the dependence on international aid. Save the Children recently received US$1 million from Sida. Learn more here.
Visit the Myanmar Emergency Update Xtranet page for more information, including new pictures from freelance photographer Jim holmes
Kenya - Post Election Violence
Olympic Spirit
In the Olympic spirit, more than 60 participants took part in 140 Kilometre bike ride to Lake Magadi in Southern Kenya. The event was organised by a company called WildFlower and Save the Children Sweden arranged for Save the Children’s Emergency response programme to be the official charity for the event. As a result more than GBP150 was raised, we will use these funds to complement the ongoing construction and kitting out of temporary classrooms in Nakuru.
Visit the Kenya Emergency Update Xtranet page
China's Earthquake
To date Save the Children can report that, 1321 children have benefited from Save the Children’s health, nutrition, and hygiene programme in Mianzhu and An County. 1986 children have been benefited from 9 Save the Children Child Friendly Spaces And there have been distribution of schools supplies to around 55,523 students and 524 teachers in 25 primary and middle schools. You can read more from China in the latest sitrep..
Voices
During an assignment in Sichuan Province in July, Li Yahui spoke to three individuals to find out how Save the Children's commitment to Education in Emergencies has changed thier lives after May's earthquake. Read their stories.
Non ELT Emergencies
Philippines
On 10 August a conflict erupted in Mindanao (Philippines) following a Supreme Court order that temporarily stopped the GRP (Govt. of Philippines) and MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) from signing a controversial territorial agreement in Kuala Lumpur on August 5, 2008. Read more from the Philippines
Georgia Children in Crisis
The latest from Georgia is that the withdrawal of Russian troops to the 15km buffer zone surrounding South Ossetia has meant that the situation of IDPs remains fluid. Save the Children continues to deliver relief supplies in Tbilisi and the surrounding areas, including Food, Hygiene and Household kits to 37,008 beneficiaries. More information can be found in the latest sitrep.
Chris Stowers, on behalf of Save the Children, visited some internally displaced person camps in Tbilisi and in surrounding regions. View pictures from his visit
Visit the Non ELT Emergency Update Xtranet page for more information
Tabasco Floods seen through the eyes of children
In Mexico in November 2007, more than 1 million people had their homes flooded, damaged or isolated by the rising waters as the result of heavy, week long rains that pushed rivers out of their banks. About two-thirds of the state of Tabasco was under water, with some 300,000 people trapped in their homes. Mexican authorities called it this the worst natural disaster the country has seen. Save the Children Mexico's response focused on meeting the immediate needs of the displaced children and families, including clean water, food and shelter. Their experiences as captured in a new video From Water to Magic and Growth is available in Spanish and in English.
Rewrite the Future celebrates Two Years On - materials now available!
On September 12th Rewrite the Future will be celebrating two years since its public launch. The Two Years On report and video materials are now available for you to prepare to mark the occasion and keep the force behind the campaign well into the third year!
The Two Years On report is a great snapshot of the campaign over the past two years to thank donors, governments and supporters while encouraging them to do more. It highlights our programmatic and advocacy achievements to date and says a big thank you to our supporters. But it does not stop there: we are highlighting that more still needs to be done - donors and governments have to continue to take action for children affected by conflict.
Download the report from the Xtranet
The five minute Two Years On video demonstrates the impressive impact Rewrite The Future has had and gives a real face to the campaign by featuring two children whose lives have been changed in the past two years, thanks to the Rewrite the Future campaign. It should thus be very useful as a communications tool to underline the success stories of Rewrite the Future.
For further information on these materials please contact rachel.maranto@save-children-alliance.org
Delivering Education in Emergencies - report now available!
The new Delivering Education for Children in Emergencies: A Key Building Block for the Future report lays down why education is a critical part of humanitarian response and demonstrates that it is possible to provide quality education even in the midst of conflict. It also shows that much more can be done if donor governments take action.
Delivering Education in Emergencies is a key advocacy tool in the Rewrite the Future objective to persuade governments to include and fund education as an integral part of their emergency response, as well as bridge the transition from emergency to development, and it is an important component of our work in Alliance Cooperation in Emergencies.
The report recommends donors to:
- Ensure adequate financing of education
- Coordinate emergency response programming with long-term programming
- Support the Global Education Cluster and ensure that it is adequately funded
Check out the xtranet education in emergencies page to download the report, and find out more about how you can use it.
For further information on this report please contact rachel.maranto@save-children-alliance.org
HRC Resolution on the Right to Education
On 12 June 2008, the Human Right Council adopted the resolution on the right to education by consensus. Save the Children worked closely with Portugal (the main drafter of the resolution) to advocate for specific paragraphs on education in emergencies to be included. The advocacy work was successful and the resolution includes important Rewrite the Future messages. For further information please contact Roberta Cecchetti roberta@savethechildren.ch Tel. +41-22-919 2000
UN Special Rapporteur report on education in emergencies
The Special Rapporteur on Right to Education, Vernor Muoz, released his report on education in emergencies in June. The International Save the Children Alliance worked closely with the Rapporteur in developing the report, responding to his questionnaire, organising child consultations in Colombia and Cote d'Ivoire and participating in the expert meeting organised in Geneva to support his report.
The report reflects many of Save the Children Alliance's key asks with regard to education in emergencies - ultimately demanding that education must be an integral part of every humanitarian response.
In order to increase the advocacy potential of the report, the Rewrite the Future ‘Education as a Right' task group has re-formatted the report into a PDF to make it more reader-friendly and appealing. This version has improved layout, includes images, and includes more information on the Save the Children child consultations. Download the reformatted report here
Global evaluation: A lasting legacy for children
We, Save the Children, are embarking on a major piece of research -- a Global Evaluation of Rewrite the Future to find out the answers to these questions and demonstrate them comprehensively. Fieldwork for the evaluation has already started in Nepal and will be continuing this year in Afghanistan, Angola and southern Sudan. This is an important undertaking that will help Rewrite the Future leave a lasting legacy for children affected by armed conflict.
You will be able to use the end products to demonstrate to donors that we are getting results and how we are achieving them. You will also be able to show other organisations how education can be provided in conflict-affected countries and the benefits it brings. It will also help us internally to learn lessons about our own programmes and organisation.
There will be two research reports from the Global Evaluation - a Mid-Term Report due in April 2009 and a Final Report due in December 2010. Lead members and the Secretariat will also be working together to produce related communications materials.
Interested in finding out more? Please see the one-page document attached, check out the Xtranet or contact Cynthia Koons or Barbara Pozzoni, Rewrite the Future Monitoring & Evaluation Managers (jobshare) at the Secretariat. Call +1 202 640 6702 or +44 79 5028 9072. Email cynthia@save-children-alliance.org or barbara@save-children-alliance.org
Making it happen in Haiti
Congratulations to Save the Children in Haiti! On 13 June, with Ministry of Education school inspectors and 24 school directors, they launched the "Education and Protection: Rewrite the Future Port au Prince" project -- to address the educational needs of children in the metropolitan area of Port au Prince.
Rewrite the Future is being implemented in the most deprived neighborhoods of the capital, Carrefour Feuilles, Cite Soleil, Martissant, and Bel Air, where gang activity and over-population have significantly decreased children's opportunities to learn. We are going to increase the capacity of 14 schools in those areas to receive 1,500 new children.
Among the many benefits to children, the program will bring to schools a dramatic increase in teacher training, the creation of a children's club, the development and support of parent teacher associations, plus new teaching aid materials, rehabilitation projects, and budget support for an afternoon shift and scholarship programs.
Contact Rita Oswald-Christano (programmes) +1 202 640 6700 rchristano@savechildren.org or Ana Rahona (communications) +1 202 236 5341 arahona@savechildren.org for more information
Art in the Park in Indonesia
To commemorate National Education Month, Save the Children in Indonesia involved hundreds of children in activities celebrating the link between education and peace.
In the province of Aceh, over 300 fourth and fifth graders from 39 elementary schools participated in Save the Children's "Art in the Park" festival in the city of Lhokseumawe. For over three hours children enthusiastically drew pictures, wrote poetry and exchanged ideas about why education is important for peace.
At the end of May the walls of Jakarta's Taman Ismail Marzuki Art Center colourfully displayed the drawings and poetry from approximately 50 elementary school students. Hundreds of visitors - young and old - visited this Save the Children sponsored exhibition.
Save the Children also hosted a one-hour radio talk show that was aired on 32 radio stations across Indonesia. Students, teachers, government representatives, and community members discussed the educational challenges faced during the conflict, as well as hope for the future.
For more information please contact Tricia Johnson tjohnson@savechildren.or.id
A photo exhibition about children and war
Save the Children Denmark’s new ‘Rewrite the Future’ photo exhibition is focusing on children affected by war. Millions of children live with pain, loss and want, yet also with gritty determination to put the past behind them, go to school and move on. Louise Dyring (photographer) from Save the Children Denmark is one of Save the Children’s most talented photographers.
This collection comprises images from her recent trips to Sierra Leone and Angola.
View the invitation here.
UN Security Council: "the important role of education in armed conflict..."
On 17 July the Security Council held a debate on children affected by armed conflict and made a statement which included an important paragraph on education.
This is the strongest language we have seen so far from the Security Council on education, and it is significant in relation to our global debate on the importance of education for peace.
Want to find out more? Where did your country stand during the debate on children affected by armed conflict? Please contact Gorel Bogarde or Ashley Hernreich in the Alliance New York office gorel@save-children-alliance.org +1 212 370 2461 ashley@save-children-alliance.org +1 212 370 2460
US Politics? Rewrite the Future!
Save the Children US recently participated in a briefing for the United States Congress on the role of education in peacebuilding. Organised by the Basic Education Coalition (an advocacy group) and supported by two congressmen (one a Democrat and one a Republican), the briefing brought to light how quality education contributes to peace and stability in regions affected by conflict.
Rita Oswald Christano, Program Manager for Rewrite the Future, represented Save the Children by discussing education's role in conflict prevention, introducing attendees to the Where Peace Begins report, and providing an example of Save the Children's peace education programming.
Children's mural for peace and education in Sarajevo
More than 35 people attended the briefing. The question and answer period that followed indicated attendees were very enthusiastic about the topic, which was new to many. Such briefings are an important advocacy tool to influence those in the U.S. government who set spending levels for foreign aid.
More than 3,000 children added their art work and messages to a giant mural on education and peace as part of the fifth Kids' Festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, earlier this month.
Jointly hosted by Save the Children Norway and UK, the festival put on creative workshops for children, including the mural on education and peace, called "The World As We See It", and fun activities such as face painting.
The children's work will be displayed in public places and state institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Progress
"The Stronger Members Key Challenge is making good progress against its 2008 goals. Strong progress is being seen in all Host organisations and the mid-year forecast for the MODA portfolio indicates that income will be US$ 2.7 million (6%) up on budget. Grants to international programmes are also projected to be up - by almost 8%. When grants from ‘graduated’ Hosts, SC Australia and SC Netherlands, are added support for programmes increases by over US$ 5.7 million, to a total of US$ 30.4 million."
Our two newest Hosts are also developing well. Since joining MODA in 2007 SC Canada is achieving significant growth in both private and government income.
New MODA Countries
Two new MODA opportunities are currently in development. Hong Kong is a priority in order to strengthen our presence in Asia and our proposal for registration in China. We are in the process of registering SC Hong Kong and hope to have this finalised before the end of 2008.
Read more about Hong Kong here
Brazil is the largest country in South America it has a total population of more then 189.000 million and is one of the leading economies in the world. However, Brazil faces major income distribution inequalities, high levels of poverty and unmet child needs (particularly in the areas of education, health, protection and emergencies). These challenges, together with the role Brazil could play as a platform for stronger influence in South America and its significant fundraising potential, make it a priority country for the Alliance to develop a Member organisation.
While reviewing the potential entry routes in Brazil, the Boston Consulting Group identified a strong potential local partner. A vibrant and well known national child rights focused organisation, with clear similarities with Save the Children, revealed interest in a partnership in order to become the Alliance’s Brazilian Member.
Discussions are currently being held to better understand the viability of this partnership, with the hope that we will recommend to the Alliance Board that this organisation is invited to become our Brazilian Member from next year.
MODA Programmes and Products
Good progress is being made in focusing our efforts behind agreed programme priorities. MODA is supporting a range of Education, Health & Protection initiatives in the following countries.
We hope to maintain maximum stability in funding for these programmes and are therefore aiming to minimise changes for 2009.
The number of donors receiving MODA committed giving communication streams continues to increase. By September we are expecting to have secured over 51,000 Child Link donors and 18,000 Child Guardian supporters. Child Link donors support our efforts in a particular country, whilst Child Guardian funds are restricted regionally.
These numbers don’t include the approximately 20,000 Child Link donors in Norway - which takes the total number of donors supporting MODA products to almost 90,000!
If any Members are interested in using Child Link or Child Guardian, please contact Tina With-Seidelin
In preparation for the 2008 Resolution on the Rights of the Child, Save the Children address Child Labour
On the 24th June, Save the Italy in collaboration with the Permanent Missions of Brazil and Italy held a special panel discussion on Child Labour, in preparation for the 2008 General Assembly Resolution on the Rights of the Child at the United Nations New York Office.
Child labour is a global phenomenon which involves more than 200 million children in developed and the developing countries alike. Given that child labour will be the focus of this year’s Omnibus Resolution, Save the Children and the International Labour Organization (ILO) shared their experiences and findings, focusing on root causes and remedies to child labour. Mr. Valerio Neri, CEO Save the Children Italy attended the conference and featured on the panel.
Starting from an analysis of the existing mechanisms that protect children from the worst forms of child labour, the panel provided an overview of current wide-reaching programs, basing the discussion on the need to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, with particular attention on poverty, and children’s lack of access to education.
You can access the Recommendations on Child Labour and Child Labour Report.
Action now for children after 25 years of HIV/AIDS
As the 17th International AIDS Conference was held in Mexico City under the slogan "Universal Action Now," Save the Children Korea and Save the Children Canada both took the opportunity to highlight their work in this area.
"We know that children and young teens are least likely to be infected with HIV while youth ages 15-24 account for the majority of new infections," said Rosine Assamoi, Save the Children Canada's HIV Program Manager. "The care and protection of these vulnerable children and young people is both a humanitarian imperative and a key to helping them defend against the disease."
Assamoi continued: "Yet consistently, in the 120 countries where Save the Children works, programs for children affected by HIV remain underfunded. Too many children who should be receiving medical treatment, help with school fees, support while they care for their sick parents or prevention information do not because too little money is dedicated to helping them."
Save the Children Korea, in cooperation with other member states, operates overseas projects in Cambodia and Angola, and will launch one in Mali, western Africa.
"It is a pretty new and small project for Korea," Save the Children Korea officer Lee Hye-kyung said.
In Angola, where the incidence of AIDS is relatively lower than in other parts of Africa, the organization is emphasising prevention among children, raising awareness of the disease and the consequences. In Cambodia, where the HIV population is fairly high due to rampant prostitution and human trafficking, Save the Children underscores care for children left orphaned by parents who died of AIDS.
Read Save the Children Canada's press release from the event.
Save the Children Denmark in Kroo Bay
Kroo Bay lies at the foot of the capital Freetown, waste water washes into the slum, overflowing its sewers and ditches bringing with it increased risk of malaria, cholera and diarrhoea. Most of the diseases affecting those living in Kroo Bay are relatively cheap to prevent or cure, but sadly a dollar is more than locals can afford. Save the Children UK has already made improvements to the living conditions for these communities, they have assisted in renovating the clinic and provided a walkway, so children no longer have to wade through the sewage to access the local school. In a drive to raise awareness for the children living in Kroo Bay, Save the Children Denmark recntly visited Kroo Bay and produced some stunning photos and a striking video.
Save the Children Denmark will launch a nationwide funding drive from 7 September with proceeds going to Sierra Leone. In the new video Mimi Jakobsen, Save the Children Denmark's CEO (and a Member of the Alliance Board) stresses the need to support communities in Kroo Bay. The SAS group (Scandinavian Airlines) is a supporter of Save the Children Denmark and has featured the progress in Kroo Bay in their inflight magazine. To support their work they hold collections for Save the Children onboard their flights.
More Action for MDGs. Charlie MacCormack represents Save the Children at a UNICEF discussion
Charles MacCormack, CEO of Save the Children USA, represented Save the Children at a UNICEF discussion on the MDGs on July 2. It was arranged as a gathering of various government officials from capitals and UN Missions in New York, from donors such as Sweden, (co-hosting), Denmark, the Netherlands, Japan, and the UK plus from a wide group of other countries like Rwanda (co-host) and Romania, plus three from other sectors: Synergos, IKEA, and Save the Children, notably the only NGO.
Participants were asked to share their thoughts on how to achieve the MDGs. Mr. MacCormack reported that the meeting had been very useful with ministerial-level participation. Points were made to highlight how child-oriented all the MDGs are and that it will take North-South cooperation, as evidenced in the guest list, to reach the goals. Mr. MacCormack emphasized the crucial importance of involving civil society and NGOs and then made use of time one-on-one with the government officials, including the Deputy Prime Minister of Japan.
The connections are clear between the just finished G8 meeting in Japan and the workings around the world for more action on the MDGs. As far as MDG2 on education is concerned, I’d like to quote from yesterday’s International Basic Education Update that says: “… [G8 leaders] remained committed to Education for All and the efforts of the Fast Track Initiative (FTI), emphasized the quality of education and program effectiveness, and vowed to pay specific attention to countries affected by conflicts or crisis, and to girls and to marginalized populations who remain mostly excluded from school. G8 progress to support FTI, including meeting shortfalls, is to be monitored through a report to be delivered at the 2009 Summit.”
Save the Children is preparing a Call to Action on the MDGs, you can find information relating to events, advocacy calls, media opportunities, template letters and documents here.
There is no Child Pornography. It's Child Sexual Abuse
For the last five years, Save the Children Finland has maintained a Hotline for internet users to report illegal internet content as part of the worldwide INHOPE network. All together 33 organizations from 29 countries, are now part of the expanding network of Hotlines. The illegal content mainly concerns so called “child pornography” - or rather images of child sexual abuse produced to be distributed online.
In 2006 Save the Children Finland’s Safer Internet Activities held a number of conferences concerned with tackling this multi-faceted problem, such as “Borders of the European Union - OPEN OR CLOSED? Child Sexual Exploitation, Trafficking and the Internet.”
On 28 August experts gathered in Finland to attend a conference “There is no Child Pornography It’s Child Sexual Abuse.” This will provide a unique possibility for professionals working with and for children from various perspectives to gain understanding and learn about this prolific problem.
The conference is aimed for an expanded target group including health care professionals, law enforcement, youth sector, media and IT professionals. The information provided during the conference is valuable for the professionals working on the field as well as for the policy-makers, administrative decisions makers and opinion formers.
The conference will highlight the very special nature of child sexual abuse related to the digital media. This will cover production, distribution and the collection of child sexual abuse images, as well as the importance of identifying and recognising child victims.
Read more about the conference and download the programme and further information here
Roger Ciero, German Swing star, donates HELIX 2008 Prize money to Save the Children
German swing musician Roger Cicero was awarded the “HELIX” prize from the “Forum Gutes Hoeren” (an association of hearing aid specialists). The singer kindly donated his €10 000 prize money to in his words, “the world’s best charity, Save the Children." The money will go to Save the Children Sweden’s work in Romania (Ciero is of Romanian heritage). Roger was honoured for his contributions towards the creation of a 'remarkable a listening experience.'
“For me, as an artist and a musician it is a great honour to be awarded with this prize. I'm very pleased, because I know how important it is for everybody to have a good sense of hearing,” Roger Cicero said, when he received the HELIX 2008 in Hamburg.
Early Childhood Centres for Sri Lanka
Save the Children Japan in cooperation with Save the Children Sri Lanka will set up 25 Early Childhood Care and Development centres (ECCD) in the Trincomalee district of Sri Lanka, where people have recently resettled after the continued violence.
Semi-permanent ECD Centres (pre schools), together with toilets and water facilities will be provided under this project for over-800 children annually. These ECD Centres will be equipped with indoor and outdoor play materials, furniture and stationery for the children and teachers, sources said. Training workshops will also be conducted for 50 ECD teachers to ensure the quality of the early childhood education. A supplementary feeding programme has also been designed for children to engage in play and learning.
The ECD Centres will be completed and handed over to the children in September, when the new school term starts. Each ECD Centre will be managed by an ECD Management Committee, which will be comprised of teachers, parents and community leaders. The project has been funded by the Japan Platform (JPF).
Progress for Save the Children India
We are delighted with SC India’s progress since transition on 1st April 2008:
- The SC India team has developed a new strategy for the organisation which will guide its direction over the next five years.
- A new Marketing Director and Direct Marketing Manager have now been recruited and will join in September. These positions complete the management team.
- Initial marketing tests (face-to-face) have proved positive and indicate significant donor recruitment potential SC India is building strong relationships with the corporate sector and a major partnership with IKEA is expected to be confirmed this autumn.
This could secure up to US$70 million in funding over a 12 year partnership.
American 'Idol Gives Back' to children in Mozambique
The last edition of Together featured an article on Idol Gives Back, American Idol's annual charity event. This month we can report on the kind of programmes this money has funded. Donations raised through the 2007 Idol Gives Back have helped to build and supply 96 preschools in 42 communities in five districts of the southern province of Gaza in Mozambique. This equates to thousands of children aged between 3yrs and 5yrs being given the opportunity to start preschool.
Although Save the Children are funding teacher training; the purchase of school materials like floor mats, blackboards and pencils; and construction materials. Local community members in each village, including several skilled carpenters, have volunteered their time to build classrooms, or donate their time to teach at the schools.
Mozambique is home to some 370,000 children who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. Preschools offer not only offer child friendly spaces but they also offer support to caregivers, many of whom are grandparents, and help reduce discrimination by including all children from the community in the classroom.
Learn more about how American Idol donations are helping children in Mozambique and meet Fabiao Sitoe who has donated his time to support the pre-schools.
Save the Children Romania hosts their Annual meeting of Children
Save the Children Romania has just held 13th Annual Meeting of Children, in Vanatorul” (The Hunter) camp, over the 11th to 18th August.
Amongst the participants are labour exploited victims, refugees, and children coming from the flooded counties in the Northern part of the country. Up to 105 children, aged between 10 and 15 years old are involved in the central working group, “What are my Rights. During these workshops, children exchange experiences and ideas and set out their own projects regarding safeguarding of their rights. Save the Children Romania will then gather their proposals and put them forward to the concerned authorities.
Three Unified Countries; Three Country Directors
On the 1st July 2008, three countries spanning two continents, comprising of hundreds of staff, put our mission first, and launched themseves respectively as Save the Children in Mozambique, Nicaragua and Uganda. We asked the Country Directors who were entrusted to lead their countries to unification, to tell us about this histoirc milestone. Three Unified Countries; Three Country Directors .
Core Process Harmonisation Update
We are halfway through the design stage of Phase I of Core Process Harmonisation, and we have made significant progress in both Finance and Planning & Reporting modules.
The Finance Sounding Board has recently developed detailed definitions for our harmonised chart of accounts. Work has also begun on building a new, harmonised management accounting structure that will flexibly meet internal and donor requirements while reducing duplicative or tedious offline analysis.
On 2 September, the Planning and Reporting Sounding Board will finalise harmonised designs for annual plans, annual reports, and quarterly reports, along with their detailed guidance documents. These designs will include a harmonised or fully mapped set of theme areas, management objectives, and a programming framework. Given the significant progress thus far, a pilot of the annual planning process is already underway.
Finally, work has begun on plans for next year. Plans for implementation of harmonised Planning & Reporting and Financial processes at both Head Office / Regional Office and Country Office levels are being developed. Furthermore, preparation for Phase II of CPH has begun particularly in prioritising the next set of processes to be addressed.
As always, please inform the CPH Programme Management Office if you have any questions or concerns at cph@save-children-alliance.org. Thank you for your continued support.
Moving forward - Vietnam
In Vietnam, some important steps have been taken over the past few weeks. After the CLG approved the organization chart for the new organization at the end of June, the Steering Group has worked hard to create clarity to all involved about their role in the new organization. Of the 125 staff positions that will form the new unified Save the Children in Vietnam, already 95 positions have been filled (either through selection of slotting). The last round of selections is currently under way.
Apart from the selection process, the staff have been working intensively in preparing for the formal unification, which is scheduled on January 1st. The Work Groups have been working on preparing the transition plan, which details everything that needs to be done in order to have a smoothly running organization in 2009. The CLG will meet at the end of August to discuss this transition plan.
UP in Indonesia
Save the Children in Indonesia have produced a Newsletter, delivering the latest progress on the unification process. Save the Children in Indonesia recently conducted a pulse check survey that provided the first opportunity for all staff to give their views and feeling about UP. Read the results for yourself in the Newsletter. In the third edition of the Newsletter the Save the Children in Indonesia Working group introduce themselves.
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