Mission: ANPPCAN LIBERIA PROFILE Dear Friends: Greetings from Liberia , I hope this letter meets your good health? My name is Clement o. Stephens Executive Director The African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) Liberia We are pleased to introduce to you the African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) Liberia . We write to seek partnership with your organization in carrying out Programs beneficial to children and women in Liberia . Background The African Network for Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) Liberia Chapter is a local non-governmental organization that is committed to the promotion and protection of the rights of children in Liberia . ANPPCAN Liberia is part of bigger continental organization–ANPPCAN Africa which was founded in 1986 in Enugu Nigeria at the end of the first African Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect. It has chapters in 24 African countries and a Regional Office (headquarters) in Nairobi-Kenya. ANPPCAN Liberia Chapter was founded in the late 2001 and is legally registered in Liberia as a national Non-Governmental and Non-Profit Organization. Our mission is to enhance children and women rights protection through building capacities of the local communities to protect their own children and women. ANPPCAN - Liberia is addressing issues of children and women abuse, exploitation and neglect, which have been escalated by the civil conflict of the last 14 years. We believe in learning from our past experiences and sharing best practices through providing platforms for information sharing such as through staff exchange programs and enhancing network between institutions that protect women and children such as the ANPPCAN network. ANPPCAN Liberia is currently participating in the south-south staff exchange program with support from Fredskorpset Norway . We also advocate for women and children rights protection through the media and carrying out sensitization programs. Our Principles: Full Participation of all children and women Empowerment of Children and children via education and training Adherence to children and women rights Protection of women and Children Fair Play Justice Economic, political and social pluralism Virtues of Democracy All Children and women having equal rights/Access Best interest of the child Education for all Objectives: Protect Children and women against abuse and neglect Lobby for national and international protocols/laws that enhance the welfare of children/women Provide legal and counselling services for abused children and women Carry out a situational analysis on issues affecting women and children Create a medium for the exchange of information on issues affecting children. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ANPPCAN Liberia has a Board of seven members, four of whom are female. The Board meets quarterly to plan and review the organization’s programs. Decisions from the Board are passed over to the National Secretariat, which runs the day-to-day operations of the organization. ANPPCAN being democratized is a membership organization open to all. ANPPCAN does have a reservoir of qualified and dedicated staff and volunteers with multiple experiences in child rights protection; child/woman rights advocacy and community mobilization, educational programs and management. As a grassroots non-for profit organization, it enjoys the massive support of the community, which adds an impetus in its effective reawakening social mobilization campaigns in stimulating positive change in creating a child friendly environment that sustains the maximization of the full potentials of children. Being a grass root organization, volunteers from the communities contribute immensely towards the actualization of ANPPCAN Liberia’s activities by being involved in the planning, implementing and evaluation stages being mindful that in the end, the communities take full ownership of the project through benefits sustainability. Since Inception, ANPPCAN-Liberia has worked to develop and maintain well-established linkages with local, regional and international partners for successful implementation of its programmes. ANPPCAN-Liberia has been engaged in a number of innovative Child related Programmes, Projects and Activities focusing in the Areas of; Advocacy, Child empowerment, Research and information, case work and Capacity Building . OUR PROGRAMS: ANPPCAN Liberia activities include; 1.Advocacy for children and women rights protection through the media and the children rights clubs: •Media Advocacy: ANPPCAN Liberia has been active in advocating for child rights and child protection through both the electronic and print media where press release and special documentaries have been covered which highlight the plight of abused children and proposed best practices from ANPPCAN in child protection. •Child Participation: ANPPCAN Liberia believes that the children are best placed to advocate for their own rights. As such child participation through ANPPCAN Liberia Child Rights Clubs in school and communities is a strong component of our advocacy program. The child rights clubs are active in about 60 schools and 45 communities in Monrovia . 2. Advocacy in policy and legislation matters: • Ratification Campaigns: ANPPCAN Liberia was instrumental in the process that led to the ratification of ILO Convention 182 by the Government of Liberia in 2002. We are currently working closely with the Ministry of Labour towards the Ratification of ILO Convention 138, and domestication of the ILO Convention 182 & United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child. ANPPCAN Liberia is also working on popularizing the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and its eventual ratification by the Government of Liberia. 3.Team building and training of professionals and community leaders •Community Organizing ANPPCAN Liberia has a Community Organizing and Training component. This is justified by need for community organizing and participatory approach in determining its needs at this reintegration phase after the war. •Training ANPPCAN sees the training of service providers as very crucial in protecting the rights of children and women in Liberia . In this regards, the police, community leaders and some teachers have been trained to enable them protect the rights of children and women. 4.Advocacy and implementation of programs against child labour: ANPPCAN Liberia is one of the members of the National Commission on Child Labour Monitoring and Management launched on 27th May 2004. Through the media advocacy and playing an advisory role in the National Commission for Monitoring and Management of Child Labour, issues of child soldiers have been handled. Through our participation in the disarmament process, ANPPCAN Liberia is played an advisory a role in the care of the ex-child soldiers in the Interim Care Centres (ICC) and the rehabilitation and reintegration programs. The Development of action programs against child labour is in the process. 5. Women Friendly Policing Project: This project works with police, immigration, custom officers and prison guards in strengthening their capacity to protect women in conflict with the law or needing protection against perpetrators. The concept of women friendly policing brings women and security officers together in discussing critical points that would enable the security to better protect women against violence. The security is strengthened in reporting and filing SGBV cases and other violence against women. They are also trained in interviewing, reporting and follow up techniques. Their stations are also equipped to make them more women friendly that would encourage more women and girls to report cases to them. 6. Awareness Raising on the anti Rape and Inheritance Laws of Liberia: The project targets traditional women and girls on the new anti Rape Law and Inheritance Law of Liberia so that they would have the necessary information in protecting themselves. The Rape Law has strong penalties against violators, but many women have been victimized due to the lack of information. The project facilitates community mobilization, dialogue in explaining the law so that women and girls would take recourse. The Inheritance Law of Liberia gives women who marry customarily the right to inherit property when there is a divorce or death. Awareness raising is also being carried out thus enabling women and girls to claim their rights. 7. Support for HIV/AIDS affected Households: The project provides direct support for HIV/AIDS victims by providing them the necessary information and life skills that would enable them to live longer. Awareness raising is carried out for these women and others on how to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS. Currently in pipeline, ANPPCAN Liberia seeks to undertake a community mobilization program towards initiating community structures that support children orphaned through HIV/AIDS related deaths of parents 8.Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Schools and Communities Project: The project raises awareness on the danger of SEA in schools and communities. It trains women and girls in identifying, monitoring and reporting SEA cases at all levels. Structures are strengthened at the school and community levels that would respond promptly to SEA cases in curtailing violations. Community leaders and school workers are also targeted to play pivotal roles in addressing the menace. Planned Programs 1. Seeking partnership to develop kinship care or foster care project in Liberia 2. Women Participation Project: The project facilitates women to serve as leaders in their communities and carry out activities which are meaningful to their development. The peers serve as catalysts for social change for other women in the communities and many women are beginning to take leadership roles. 3. Children and Health ANPPCAN Liberia plans to initiate programs that target the research and awareness creation on the sexual reproductive health of adolescents. Other community based health education, water and sanitation programs are also in plan to enhance child survival especially in this period when communities are making a come back. 4. Child Labour, Domestic violence and Trafficking Program: The program raises awareness among stakeholders on the danger of child labour and advocates for the enactment of policies that would address the menace which poses to the survival and development of the children. It also trains labour inspectors and other stakeholders to monitor child labour violations. It further withdraws children who are involved in the worst forms of child labour from the industry and provides an alternative through formal education and skill training. 5. I CT and Child Participation Program: This program will build the self esteem in children to effectively discuss issues that affect their lives through the ICT Program in schools and child rights clubs. They learn about their rights and responsibilities which enable them to claim them accordingly. Through the concept, they learn about self development, public speaking, advocacy, lobbying, and writing and participate in debate and children media. Not only is their intellectual capacity being enhanced, but they also plan their own activities that would promote their well being, growing up as responsible citizens who have a meaningful say in the national development agenda as their hidden talents are exposed at a very early stage. Many invisible children who are denied the right to play and to be heard are provided opportunity through the program to articulate their views fearlessly. 6. Governance and Rule of Law The aim of the project is to create the most needed opportunity for the governed to whole their governors or government officials accountable. To do so, the project will seek to provide capacity building for community members on their rights and entitlements as far as governance is concerned. For example training on the national budget, powers and duties of various government officials, focussed group discussions between the community members and government officials on issues such as the County Development Fund, the process of legislation among others especially in the grass root areas. The project also seeks to raise the communities awareness on the respect for laws and regulations and to promote the rule of law. In this way it is hoped that the respect for human rights by all persons will be enhanced and this is important in achieving our goal of promoting respect for children and women's rights. 7. Food Security Food security is important for child rights because it provides parents hopes and prepares them to provide food for themselves and their children. To this end, we aim at assisting community members to farm a variety of food crops and livestock to ensure availability of balanced diets for themselves and their children. For example we aim at assisting them start and develop cattle rearing which is at the moment not widespread in the country. This will provide easy access to meat and dairy products that are presently very expensive and out of reach of the ordinary citizen. 8. Micro Finance program: Under development 9. Research and Documentation ANPPCAN Liberia is planning to set up an active Child Abuse Reporting desk and Monitoring Unit. ANPPCAN Liberia has also proposed a Situational Analysis for children with disability and a Survey on Child Labour. ANPPCAN Liberia is also playing a key role in the task forces on Street Children and Child Protection. ANPPCAN LIBERIA POTENTIALS Over the years ANPPCAN Liberia has developed well-established linkages with local, regional and international partners. ANPPCAN Liberia is already undertaking innovative child related programs, which have potential for replication in other communities. ANPPCAN Liberia has competent human resource persons who run and manage various programs. ANPPCAN Liberia has an existing office with the necessary operational infrastructure. ANPPCAN Liberia has a network capability to reach out to other African countries through its 24 Chapters and share best practices with potential for replication. ANPPCAN Liberia is well entrenched at the grass root level which enables it to work effectively with the communities. We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. Best regards. Clement O. Stephens Executive Director ANPPCAN Liberia Broad/Johnson Street Monrovia, Liberia. Tel: +231-6-592905 / + 231-6-678679 Email: anppcan.liberia@yahoo.com Anppcanliberia.org

Geographic areas served: Africa