A big welcome to CHADET in Ethiopia, who are joining the Keeping Children Safe members’ network. We are really looking forward to working with them on their child safeguarding measures.
CHADET works in one of the most congested parts of Addis Ababa, where large numbers of street children, and child migrants are exposed to physical and sexual exploitation. The area, which is also known as ‘Merkato’, is the largest commercial centre of the city. Expanding its operations in the country, CHADET currently implements different projects in thirteen Woredas/districts of South Wollo and South Gondar Administrative Zones in Amhara Regional State, as well as in Arsi, and South West Shoa Zones in Oromiya Regional State.
As always, we like to post a news story about new members, and promote the organisation amongst the KCS network and online following.
By Dr. Anannia Admassu, CHADET Executive Director
What made you decide to join the KCS members’network?
The main decision to join KCS’s Keeping Victims and Survivors Safe Programme follows our research into the amazing work done by KSC. We found ample resources on your website, such training materials, as well as the self-assessment tool, which we used to assess our safeguarding policy. We decided to join the KCS network, to be our mentor and long term partner in our child safeguarding initiatives and victim survivor program support.
What is your key driver to implement child safeguarding?
We aim at expounding the intricate power relations that lay the foundation of some forms of SEAH. We aim at redressing how the social norms and ideologies shape individuals behaviours and institutional culture. We want to expand our knowledge and experience in regard to child safeguarding, and victim survivors support work, as a result of our long term engagement working on children and gender issues.
Where do you think your organisation will be regarding child safeguarding in a year?
Child Safeguarding is relatively a new work in Ethiopia. Building onto the work we are already doing, we aim to lead in introducing and implementing child safeguarding in Ethiopia, and so that other organisations, as well as the government, will put child safeguarding at the heart of everything they do.
What message do you want to tell your staff, donors and the wider world?
The magnitude of SEAH of vulnerable group of people, especially of children, women and people with disability, in Ethiopia is high. However, the rate of reported violence was found to be surprisingly low due to sociocultural barriers in Ethiopia. Hence, to address the issue, it is of paramount importance to put SEAH in perspective with understanding the deep-seated causes of inequality, exclusion and intersectionality, and supporting the capacity of local actors, such as our organisation, will have cumulative impact to solve our society’s deep tooted problems.
We are here to help
If you would like to know more about how Keeping Children Safe can help your organisation work safer with or for children, do get in touch with our team today.