AWARDED FOR THEIR WORK ON CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

Children are a vulnerable group whose rights are constantly violated around the world. An important key in the struggle to prevent children from being victims of violence is to have an adult standing on their side, empowering them and defending their position. At this year’s children’s rights summit - Child 10 - ten people who have done extraordinary work, along with parents, families and communities, in improving the life of children across the world are receiving the Child 10 award. Two of these winners are Elin Wernquist and Kate Albright, inspiring people who identified problems in society – and decided to do something about it. 

In many respects, Sweden has a well-established safety net aimed at protecting and supporting children. Still Elin Wernquist, founder of Barnrättsbyrån, realised that something was missing. Someone standing on the side of the child and defending their position at all times, acting as their defence in the contact with authorities who are supposed to act in their best interest, but often fail to do so. The way these authorities look upon children is something that Elin would like to change;

”In the larger perspective we ought to talk more on the way we look upon children; do we really see them as being their own actors? Do they have a voice? Or are we just seeing them as a possession of their parents? The adult world can learn a great deal from children if we just open our eyes and ears” says Elin Wernquist

During the three days summit in Stockholm, the winners will take part in workshops and network with members from the business industry as well as other NGOs. This year’s winners are working in different fields such as the fight against trafficking, support to children with disabilities and children who need support in their contact with authorities as a few examples. Kate Albright is running an organisation in San Francisco, working to prevent child abuse in a country where figures show that one in every seventh child is a victim of this crime. She is looking forward to the visit in Sweden, a country she considers to be a role model for others when it comes to children’s rights.

”I think a lot of the work in preventing child abuse has to do with changing norms. I believe that Sweden has taken a leading position in this work and should be seen as a role model to other countries. Children are not just a possession of their parents, they are their own individuals, whose well-being lies in the interest of the whole society” says Kate Albright. 

All recipients of the Child 10 award 2015

Adoumkidjim Naiban (Ceser, Chad) - Runs CESER which is helping reduce abuse and violent acts against children living with disabilities through a specialized education and vocational skills training center for mentally disabled children accompanied by protection, reintegration and community sensitization programs.

Arkan Asaad (Right 2 Choose, Sweden) – Founded Right 2 Choose which uses language and culture to educate young people to get to know the world around them and understand what rights are theirs. Through lectures on the problem of arranged marriages and the importance of human rights, they strive to prevent and to stop young people from becoming victims of oppression, threats and violence.

Brenda-Deborah Shuma (Gabriella Rehab Centre, Tanzania) – runs a centre which empower Tanzanian children with disabilities by providing them the vocational skills needed to make a living, build a future and avoid vulnerability and abuse.

Cecilia Fiaka (Nneka Foundation, Ghana) - With Nneka Foundation, Cecilia Fiaka helps solving the problems of teenage pregnancy and drug abuse among the youth in rural areas as well as the continual deterioration of exam results through Summer Camps and Youth Seminars.

Elin Wernquist (Barnrättsbyrån, Sweden) - Barnrättsbyrån offers independent social and legal support to children and young people, with the aim to safeguard and secure the rights of the child, including those subject to abuse and trafficking.

Kiiya JK (C-sema, Tanzania) - Founded the organisation C-Sema which runs the National Child Helpline, in-collaboration with the Government of Tanzania, and helps children in need of care and protection through a toll-free telephone line available across all networks in Tanzania.

Susan Sabaa (Crrecent, Ghana) - CRRECENT runs two major programs under the Juvenile Justice Project: Re-integration of discharged juvenile offenders from correctional centers, and crime prevention program for at risk children.

Anuradha Koirala (Maiti Nepal, Nepal) - Maiti Nepal works to prevent trafficking through education, information, economic empowerment and also through border surveillance activities. In addition, they are freeing girls in brothels in India, and bringing them back to Nepal and rehabilitate them.

Katie Albright, (The San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Centre, USA) - The San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center work closely with parents and children at highest risk, to identify areas of strength and areas where more support is needed. As the lead agency at the Children’s Advocacy Center of San Francisco they help to ensure an effective response system that puts kids on the path to healing right away.

Cecilia Oebanda (Visayan Forum Foundation, Philippines) - Visayan Forum sustains community watch mechanisms and strengthens family values and relationships. They promote awareness about human trafficking and support the education of children in the poorest parts of the Philippines to reduce their vulnerabilities. 

For more information and contact with the winners, please contact:

Ebba Lindqvist PR
brev@ebbalindqvist.se
070-480 33 00 

About Child 10

The children’s rights summit, Child 10, were held for the first time in 2014 and gathered international leaders for grassroot movements against trafficking. In 2015, the event is being held between November 8-10 and this year’s theme is "Violence, Vulnerability and the Family – understanding the role of mothers, family and community in protecting children at risk of violence”. As in 2014, ten individuals who have done outstanding work for children around the world will be awarded this year with a prize sum of 100 000 SEK each.

Child 10 is organised by Reach for Change and the Sophie Stenbeck Family Foundation, with support from Svenska Postkodstiftelsen, Stenbeck Stiftelse, Grand Hôtel, Pondus, Lumen Behavior, Thorn, Fishtank and EYD2015. The summit includes three days of workshops where the winners cooperate in finding concrete, successful strategies and solutions for preventing child abuse.

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