GIRLS ADVOCACY ALLIANCE -

TDH NETHERLANDS

The Girls Advocacy Alliance focuses on combating violence against girls and young women and increasing their economic participation in Mahbubnagar district. Violence and economic exclusion are closely linked. Girls massively drop out of secondary and vocational education, especially due to child marriage, sexual violence, trafficking and the worst forms of child labour. Their chance to ever get a 'decent' job is minimal. And vice-versa; without income and independence, they are more vulnerable to violence.

BACKGROUND

A 13-year-old Ethiopian girl who is forced to drop out of school and marry a 39-year-old man and then becomes pregnant. The 12-year-old child domestic worker Amani who is exploited by a Kenyan family where she is being sexually abused. The Cambodian Chan who has been trafficked by a broker to Malaysia using a fake ID, where she is forced to work as a maid. These are only three examples of the many girls from developing countries who do not go to school to improve their future prospects, but are victims of violence and economic exclusion.

The Girls Advocacy Alliance is an initiative of Plan Netherlands, Defence for Children Netherlands-ECPAT and Terre des Hommes Netherlands. The alliance tackles violence against girls and young women and realises (economic) opportunities for them through lobbying and advocacy. Starting January 2016 the alliance is implementing a five-year programme funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The entire programme covers ten countries. Terre des Hommes Netherlands is participating in six countries.

GOALS

The Girls Advocacy Alliance programme has explicated four strategic objectives to eliminate violence against and economic exclusion of girls and young women, focusing on four main actors:

• by ensuring that key leaders (traditional, religious, community) and role models of the local community promote norms and values which positively advance girls and encourage their development in society. These key leaders and role models act as champions of change. 
• by influencing civil society organisations and networks so that they advocate for the active implementation of policies that challenge girls’ and women’s economic exclusion and gender based violence, while coordinating their interventions.
• by getting the corporate sector committed to the elimination of violence against girls in their supply chain. The corporate sector provides access to work,  safer workplaces, better working conditions for girls and young women and supports the transition from school to work for girls.
• by advocating for more effective implementation of legislation and public policies to protect girls and young women
  
  

WHAT WE DO

The Girls Advocacy Alliance is addressing gender based violence and economic exclusion of girls and young women in the following ways:

• Capacity building of civil society organisations, specifically organisations focusing on young women, to advocate and sensitise government officials, the corporate sector as well as the general public.
• These civil society organisations conduct advocacy campaigns in their own countries, as well as lobby regional bodies such as the African Union.
  
  
  

Terre des Hommes Netherlands advocates in the Netherlands, specifically regarding enforcement of international legislature.

RESULTS

Results 2016

Dramatic changes in law and legislation, norms and values take time. However, a number of signs have been identified of significant positive changes as a result of, amongst other things, GAA activities. Some results:

• GAA-partners talked with local, traditional and religious leaders to get gender related violence and economic exclusion higher on the agenda; for example in Northern Gondar in Ethiopia religious leaders now pay attention to the risks of child trafficking during their services churches and mosques.
• There are many local organisations and (youth) groups who, with support of GAA partners, have risen to action to create more support for the rights and position of girls and young women; Children’s rights activists in Cebu in the Philippines developed a joint action plan and launched a joint Facebook page and chat group and in Nairobi, Kenya 35 workgroups now actively work together to prevent sexual violence.
• Government agencies and civil society organizations paid more attention to gender related violence and economic exclusion; the Ugandan government for example, developed a national policy and action plan to ban gender-related violence. There was a media strategy too, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
• Some companies already seem to attach more importance to these topics. Relations with contacts with companies and businesses have developed and nourished; in the city of Ormoc on the Philippines 21 companies have developed rules and policies to provide equal opportunities to female employers, and to protect them better against gender related violence.
• Positive changes in legislation and policies have been applied, both by local leaders and public authorities; the Liberian government has invited GAA partners to contribute to the formulation of a national policy on child protection and children’s rights and in Telfetit in Ethiopiaa local regulation has been amended and extended with articles on child marriages and female circumcision.
• There are examples of improved implementation and follow-up of existing laws and policy; in Ethiopia, anti HTP (Harmful Traditional Practices) committees have been established, consisting of teachers, police officers and judicial officers.
• The Girls Advocacy Alliance challenges gender related violence and economic exclusion in international fora too; partly thanks to the efforts of GAA partners the African Union called on Member States to submit action plans to combat child marriages and strengthening of leadership qualities of girls and young women.

CASE STUDY 1

Child Marriage – Veldanda village & Mandal, Nagarkurnool dist.

Background of Village

Veldanda is a mandal in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana State, South India. Veldanda is located 52 kms to the east of the district headquarters. Telugu is the local language. Other languages spoken include Hindi and Urdu. Veldanda mandal has 9,109 households with a population of 40,798, They are spread across 71 villages and 17 panchayats. The population includes 20,617 males and 20,181 females.

Family Background

S. Mamatha is a student of Class 10 in ZPHS Veldanda. She has one younger sister and brother each and belongs to a very poor family with an average annual income of Rs 6000. Her parents rely on agriculture/agricultural labour for their sustenance and own an RCC house with two rooms.

Issue : Child Marriage
Details of the case

Mamatha’s parents decided to get her married to her maternal uncle Venkataiah for no known reason. Venkataiah drove a tractor for a living. Her marriage was due to be performed on 10th April 2017. She was not keen on the marriage and her parents had not even informed her beforehand. She harboured dreams of becoming a teacher and was all of 15 years when her parents came up with this idea. The local Anganwadi Teacher Maisamma came to know of this and informed her superior officer Ms Padmavathi, MPDO Mr Haranath and Gender Committee Member Ms Shivamani.

The officials went together to Mamatha’s home and counseled the family at length on the importance of education and on the manner in which early marriage would negatively impact her life. They refused to change their decision and claimed that they were poor and that it was in their best interests to get her married, as they couldn’t afford to pay any dowry. The MPDO replied that she was hardly 15 years old and that she was unprepared to bear the burden of marriage. She had a lot to achieve in life and that it was not right for them to deprive her of a free life and the opportunity to realise her dreams in life.  She would, in addition, have to lead a life of subservience. Anyhow, there were a number of schemes that she could avail herself of if she studied up to the Intermediate level.

This line of argument convinced Gopal and Laxmamma and they agreed to drop plans of their daughter’s marriage.

Role of Shramika Vikasa Kendram

The team has been conducting regularly meetings with the Anganwadi Teacher and other ICDS staff and the mobilisers have taken part in ICDS Sector meetings, during which they have been highlighting the urgency of addressing the problem of child marriage on a priority basis so that girls’ rights are upheld. They have also been involving these functionaries in district and mandal level training sessions and campaign activities.

CASE STUDY 2

Child Marriage – Maddimadugu village of Amrabad mandal, Mahabubnagar dist.

Background of Village

Maddimadugu is a medium sized village located in Amrabad mandal of Mahabubnagar district, Telangana State of South India. The village has 174 families with a total population of 579, including 217 males and 362 females (according to Census 2011). The child in the age group of 0-6 years is 73 (12.61 % of the total). The Sex Ratio of Maddimadugu is 1668 females per 1000 males, which is way above the State average of 993. The figure for children stands at 1517 as against a State average of 939. However, the literacy rate of the village is well below the State average - 36.17% vs 67.02%. Male literacy and female literacy stand at 48.94 % and 28.62 % respectively.

Family Background

C. Anjamma lost her parents four years ago (in 2013). Both her elder sisters had already got married by then. Her parents did not own a house and she had to live with one of her sisters. She continued her studies and cleared the Class 10 exams last year from ZPHS Padara. Her sister and brother-in-law had an income of Rs 5000.00 per month.

Issue : Child Marriage

Details of the case

Anjamma’s elder sister Saidamma and her husband Laxmaiah decided to get her married to one Srinu from nearby Chitlamkunta village, as they felt they could not keep her with them for long. They also felt insecure on behalf of her age, which prompted them to think on these lines. As for Anjamma, she was against the marriage and nursed hopes of training as an ANM. Disregarding her views, the couple planned to perform her marriage on 5th May 2017. Anjamma was a brave girl and tried to dissuade her sister, who would not listen to her. The girl eventually approached Tehsildar Joseph in person with the details of her case and requested him to do something about the issue. She also informed the local Anganwadi Teacher and MV Foundation Coordinator Venkatesh.

The Tehsildar went to Saidamma’s home along with some village elders and counselled the couple, telling them that Anjamma was already 16 years old and that all they had to do was to wait for 2 years before getting her married,. They did not have to worry about her if they had inculcated the right values in her. Their decision to marry her off only meant that they did not believe in themselves. They had a change of mind and agreed to postpone the affair.  The issue was further discussed with the MV Foundation Coordinator and he got Anjamma accommodated in a camp in Amrabad. She is likely to enrol for a training course in Andhra Nursing institute - Kothapet, Hyderabad.

Role of Shramika Vikasa Kendram

The organisation has been regularly interacting with ICDS staff to remind them of their duties towards the girl child and has been involving them in campaign activities of various kinds. The staff members have also conducting district level awareness programmes, maintaining close relations with line departments and conducting NGO network meetings on an ongoing basis.

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