Promoting interdisciplinary and community collaboration to prevent child abuse in Kenya

Introduction The Government of Kenya ratified the United Nation Convention on the rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC). Kenya domesticated the above conventions... [ view full abstract ]

Introduction

The Government of Kenya ratified the United Nation Convention on the rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC). Kenya domesticated the above conventions and enacted the Children Act, 2001. These legal documents have guided interdisciplinary and community collaboration in child protection.


Objectives

The main objective of promoting interdisciplinary and community collaboration to prevent child abuse is to promote linkages between different actors and provide coordinated interventions and responses leading to provision of effective and efficient services to children.

Method

The Children Act 2001, created the National Council for Children Services (NCCS). The Council comprises of members from relevant line ministries, departments, agencies, faith based organizations, civil society and business community. Its mandate is to exercise general supervision and control over planning, financing and coordination of children rights and welfare. The same structure is replicated at the County, Sub-County and Ward levels in order to reach out to the communities.

Kenya has in place the Framework for the National Child Protection System which is a set of laws and policies that protect children from abuse and a government coordination mechanism bringing together government departments and civil society organizations.

There is the Nyumba Kumi initiative which is a form of community policing where the communities are involved in reporting child abuse cases to the relevant authorities.

There is a mobile application Vurugumapper used to report child abuse cases and at least three authorities get the report instantly.

The National Plan of Action for Children in Kenya that promotes collaborations.

Results

A strengthened Child protection system that promotes linkages between different actors and provides coordinated interventions and responses leading to provision of effective and efficient services to children.

Conclusion

Issues of Child protection are multi-disciplinary that requires the involvement of everyone.