Friday, May 21, 2010
INTSYS e-Learning Blog
According to the United Nations (as cited in (UNGEI, 2006), over 60% of the 130 million children in developing countries, who are not in school, are girls. The low enrolment rates of girls in school are one of the consequences of girls being maltreated in those countries. Indeed, research studies conducted by ActionAid has revealed “…that the violence that girls encounter in and on the way to school constitutes a major barrier to their rights to and in education.” (ActionAid International, 2006).
In addition, it has also been discovered that violence not only negatively influences girls’ educational achievements in school but also is inversely correlated to girls’ vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases (ActionAid International, 2006).
Hence, ActionAid initiated the project called “Stop Violence Against Girls in School (VAGS)” in July 1 2008 in Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique to address the issues that prevents girls in those areas from receiving basic education. However, ActionAid does not work alone. It collaborates with research organizations which are responsible in regularly collecting data that would be used in measuring how well the project is progressing towards their targeted objectives and goals, as well as, the Governments to develop frameworks by which to address and, respond to cases of violence against girls.
Further, ActionAid also works with the communities in the countries the project operates in, to put forth several community-level initiatives such as involving local community leaders, teachers’ union and the media in their advocacy campaigns.
I personally feel that ActionAid has done well in terms of, taking the top down (in working with the governments) and also grassroots level (educating and advocacy to the public at the grassroots level) approach to addressing the issue of violence against girls in those countries. As I feel that the issue in those countries is not solely the “fault” of the government but also the cultural and societal beliefs and, attitudes towards girls. Hence, it is apt that ActionAid engages both types of approaches (top-down and bottom-up) in their project.
However, I feel that ActionAid could have done better to include programs in the project to provide help to girls in those countries who has already been abused, such as counseling or re-integration programs, and suffering from possible traumas and lost self-esteem. This is because of my personal opinion that it is not enough to merely provide a more encouraging environment for schooling for girls; to raise awareness through advocacy and campaigns; and working with the Governments but also addressing the issue by similarly placing more direct efforts in helping those closes to the issue, the girls.
References
ActionAid International. (2006). Stop violence against girls in school. Retrieved May 21, 2010, from ActionAid: http://www.actionaid.org/
UNGEI. (2006, May 4). ActionAid: Violence undermining girls' education by forcing them out of school. Retrieved May 21, 2010, from United Nations girls' education initiative: http://www.ungei.org/news/index_700.html
By Chew Zhi Qiang
S10063045D
We Loved2:05 PM
April 2008 past