Activities DRASIA
Prevention and recovery from Child Sexual Abuse, Exploitation and Trafficking in Cambodia
Perspectives for the next project phase: The project to date has seen an important expansion, both geographically and in term of activities, with an additional focus on the recovery of victims, with the creation of 3 Safe Houses. It has also seen a sound assimilation of core values such as resilience and the community-based approach.
At the end of the 3rd phase of the project, BICE and CCBO have considered essential to review the project in order to identify its weaknesses and strengthens and design a new plan, based on the assessment done by community members, including children. The result is a strategic plan which builds on the positive elements of the project to date, reinforcing them, and refocusing the less efficient ones.
The new measures and the strengthening of CCBO's capacity are expected to have a great impact on the enjoyment of human rights by the communities' members and in the prevention and recovery from sexual abuse and violence. New measures will include:
Child Friendly Spaces - A relevant part of the project has been the promotion of education and recreational activities (such as games, storytelling, dancing, singing, drawing etc), as they are fundamental for the recovery of children victims of abuse and for its prevention, by building on children's inner resources and reducing their vulnerability. The reinforcement of such activities will be done in the next phase through the expansion of ‘Child Friendly Spaces' (from 3 to 15) - as a care-free environment where children can meet, play and socialise - and non-formal schools.
Community groups - crucial in empowering community members, will be reinforced through the creation of Boys and Men groups. These groups will ensure men's implication in the project's activities and, thus, will facilitate the change in the attitudes and mindsets towards the issue of abuse and violence.
Safe Persons - Another new element of the project will be the identification of ‘Safe Persons', which will act as focal points, together with animators, in child protection activities. These women will be identified by community members as being altruist, sensitive to childhood issues, able to welcome in their home a child in times of crisis and able to promise confidentiality.
District Child Protection Committee - Sustainability of the project on the long term will be reinforced through the systematisation of community reporting mechanisms, so that community members do not rely completely on CCBO for responses to abuse. At ministry level, MOUs will be established to ensure ownership and takeover of child protection activities. In addition, in every district a ‘District Child Protection Committee' will be created to gather important stakeholders at the district level. The idea is to implicate them in the resolution of cases of CSA and thus to ensure their ownership of the problem.
Child Welfare Groups - Considering the crucial role parents play in supporting their children's emotional recovery from abuse, the project will also target the reinforcement of parenting skills via the Child Welfare Groups, who will be trained on the issue.
