Networking to Address Violence Against Children in East Africa :

Abstract

Networks have gained increasing recognition over time in development work with considerable focus on formal networks in a range of fields. In this study, we explored the functionality of diverse networks or coalitions that respond to violence against children (VAC). VAC is a global problem and is widespread in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. It takes on several forms including but not limited to sexual, physical, and emotional violence. There are several interventions in place to respond to violence by a range of actors, including both public and private, and those intervening in solo programmes and those in joint programmes. This study sought to understand how a range of interconnected efforts function to respond to VAC. The guiding objectives were to describe the existing child rights networks in three East African Countries; to describe how networking happens in order to add value to the lives of children; to identify the tipping points for philanthropic support and to develop recommendations for child rights networking in the region. In order to achieve these objectives, we adopted an exploratory qualitative research approach. We used a bottom-up selection of study participants, starting with duty bearers engaged in responding to VAC at the grassroots level who then informed the study on those actors at the district level and finally at the National level, including their donors and funders. A desk review of literature was conducted, and additional data was collected using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with grassroots actors, and interviews with network leads at the grassroots level, district level, national level and finally with donors/funders. The study was carried out in three East African countries-Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. In each country, data was collected from purposively selected locales.We found out that although literature on networks normally illuminates the role of formal networks, networking takes different forms and is understood differently. Drawing on study findings, we argue that the starting and ending points of anetwork can be difficult to differentiate, often intertwined and messy. Therefore, we defined networking as an interconnected web of actors or resources pooled together to respond to a common goal for a specified or non-specified period. In this definition, networks are all forms of joint efforts that come together with a specific goal of responding to VAC. We broadly categorize networks as formal/ structured and informal/unstructured, however, within each broad category there are diverse subcategories.Networking to Address Violence Against Children in