298 – Ending Violence Against Children, with Stella Ayo-Odongo

Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by Stella Ayo-Odongo from the director for Pathfinding Countries’ global partnership to end violence against children hosted by UNICEF. The two discuss the importance of advocacy and creating spaces where the voiceless can be heard. Stella Ayo-Adongo Stella Ayo-Odongo is the director for Pathfinding Countries’ global partnership to end violence against children hosted by UNICEF. She’s a child rights, child protection, social policy expert, and an advocate for social justice. Stella is a motivated leader and development practitioner with over 25 years of progressive experience in strategic leadership, development management, and program operations. She has extensive knowledge and experience advocating for vulnerable groups, such as the children, youth, and the elderly. Stella is a visionary Pan-African leader, as demonstrated in the founding of national and regional level movements for social justice, such as the African wide movement for the children, civil society organizations for peace in Northern Uganda, and the Uganda parliamentary forum for children, all of which have made significant contributions to voicing issues of the affected. Key Points Among the many forms of trafficking in the world, and in Uganda, is harmful cultural practices. While these practices are cultural traditions, they can often be harmful, therefore falling into trafficking. 37 countries have committed to jining the Pathfinding Initiative, meaning they have chosen to champion the cause to end violence against children. This has helped advocate for vulnerable groups and launch initiatives in each country, as it starts at the governing level. The 7 INSPIRE Strategies include implementation and enforcement of laws, norms and values, safe environments, parents and caregiver support, income and economic strengthening, response and support services, and educational life skills. To protect vulnerable communities, it is important not only to uplift the voices of those who have lived these experiences by advocating, but create spaces for them to speak as their voices can cause enormous change. National Child Helplines have allowed for immediate reports to be made, and the Child Helplines of Uganda receives 1500 calls a day with 90% requiring immediate action. Child Helplines also help mitigate trafficking and have aided in the fight to stop child marriage. Resources Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children Uganda Child Rights NGO Network  United States Agency for International Development General Assembly of the United Nations INSPIRE Strategies Early Childhood Development Action Network Uganda Child Helpline