| Affiliation with other organizations: |
UK Local Authorities and government agencies including: Police Services, Social Services (Children and Families), Fostering and Care services, Youth Offending Teams, Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB), UK Border Agency, UK Human Trafficking Centre. NGOs including: Barnardos, National Society for the Protection of Children (NSPCC), National Association for People Abused in Childhood(NAPAC). Intergovernmental Agencies including: the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to participate in its anti-trafficking programmes. We have also participated in consultative meetings with the Council of Europe especially regarding its proposed campaign on Child Sexual Abuse across Europe. |
| Publications: |
Challenges of Migration: The Experiences of African Children in the UK (20020 Trafficking of African Children to the UK: Myth or Reality (2002) Response to UK Government's Consultation on Proposals for an Action Plan on Human Trafficking (2006) Working with Faith organisations to Safeguard African Children (2008) Safeguarding African Child in the UK series (June 2009): What is Child Abuse? What is Child Trafficking? What is Female Genital Mutilation? What is Witchcraft Abuse? |
Statements or documents submitted
to the Commission on Social Development:
|
none |
Statements or documents submitted
to the UN Forum on Indigenous Issues:
|
none
|
| Purpose of the organization: |
AFRUCA's work has been informed by the growing rate of child abuse cases recorded by various local authorities across England and the increasing number of victims of trafficking from Africa identified by different agencies. With offices in London and Manchester, we work with other agencies to attempt to tackle some of the root causes of the issues identified as well as work in different communities to raise awareness of the problems and how to devise solutions to address them. AFRUCA's Aims and Objectives include: Raise the profile of African children in the UK, and create awareness of their needs in ways that promote a positive climate for change. Ensure that children are aware of the risks of abuse, know their rights, and have skills to protect themselves. Promote positive parenting among African parents and others who care for children. Increase the understanding of service providers and those with leadership roles in relation to African communities about the risks of abuse to African children, and promote the development of appropriate services, practices, and support to African families. Influence the development of policy and regulatory action in ways that will safeguard African children. Develop the leadership potential of young Africans. As AFRUCA develops, it will continue to increase the contributions it can make in terms of: Working with others internationally to address the reasons for African children being taken from Africa into abusive situations in the UK and elsewhere. Collaborating and sharing learning with organisations seeking to promote the welfare of African children in other countries in Europe. AFRUCA's strategy in pursuing its work involves the three Ps - Prevention, Protection and Child Participation, using the 1989 United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children 1990 as the basis of our work. In achieving the above, our approach has been to focus on 4 work areas: In Raising Awareness and Sensitising African communities to the plight of children and help improve their knowledge and understanding of the rights of children and hwat they can do to prevent abuse occuring and protect children from harm. We are also working with young people themselves, through our Youth Forum to develop a stronger knowledge of how they can protect themselves from abuse as well as educate other young people through peer learning activities. We are working with policy-makers and practitioners to help raise their skills levels and influence the policy making process where children are concerned. In addition to our advocacy work, we have projects on the ground to help meet the needs of African children. We are the only organisation in the UK working exclusively to address the trafficking of children from Africa. We provide support and assistance to children who are victims of trafficking from Africa. Our Survivors Forum aims to encourage young people to take a more active role in deciding how our work on trafficking can directly benefit them and help to meet their needs . In addition to work in the UK, AFRUCA works with another NGO in Ghana - Youth Alive to support children who live and work on the streets in the North of the Ghana through the provision of intensive support and provision of learning opportunities so they can return into the education system. Our work in Nigeria on the promotion of children's rights and their welfare and protection is newly developing. However it is clear that AFRUCA's role in the country will centre primarily on child abuse prevention work as well as efforts to raise the profile of children and ensure everyone can work towards protecting them from abuse and harm. |
| Activities relevant to the conference of States Parties to the convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: |
All programmes are in allegiance with the convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly with reference to Preamble points C and E, G and H, N, P Q and R: We work to 'reaffirm the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and the need for persons with disabilities to be guaranteed their full enjoyment without discrimination (C)' through our safeguarding children policies and training which do not tolerate discrimination or maltreatment on the basis of any form of disability. AFRUCA 'Recognises that disability is an evolving concept and that disability results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others (E)' and aims to reconcile any misconceptions regarding disability, particulary when affecting the lifestyle or parenting of a child (e.g. disciplinary action or accusations of witchcraft/juju and spirit possession). The issue of Witchcraft Abuse and Spirit Possession is one that needs to be addressed to safeguard vulnerable children across the UK. One of the ways in which we do this is through a menu of community programmes and activities. This includes direct work with faith organisations across London, especially faith leaders in black African churches as well as leaders of the Islamic faith. We work to provide training on child protection for faith workers so they are aware of the need to protect children and ensure their practices do not impact negatively on children, especially children with disability or with learning difficulties who are often seen as "possessed" or as "evil". In addition, this programme works with practitioners who come into regular contact with children as part of their roles, to educate them about the issue of faith and religion and how these impact on the lives of children from an African background. A new booklet by AFRUCA "What is Witchcraft Abuse?" aims to educate practitioners and community memebers of this phenomenon and how to recognise the indicators in order to safeguard potential victims who might include children with disability or with learning difficulties. This publication is also available in French. One of the key elements of work in this area is how to support children and families where there has been an accusation of witchcraft or possession especially families where there is also a child with a disability. This issue is being researched with a possible establishment of a new area of work in this regard. |
| Confirmation of the activities of the organization at the regional, national or international level: |
AFRUCA works across England to promote the rights and welfare of African children. We have developed a range of programmes to help achieve our objectives. This includes our "Child Protection Training and Awareness Programme for African Parents in England. This is a project which aims to reduce the number of African children ending up in the care system due to allegations of abuse by educating parents on the basic tenets of child protection and how to balance their culture with the laws of the UK. AFRUCA has trained over 1,500 African parents across England - in Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool and London in basic Child protection. In addition, we run a Child Trafficking Project to help meet the needs of victims of trafficking across the capital. Established in 2009, one of the unique qualities of this project is the emphasis on Child Participation with the establishment of a Survivors Forum. This brings together young beneficiaries of the project and enables them to devise activities to help meet their own needs as survivors. Since 2009, the project has worked with over 30 victims. it is difficult for young people who have escaped trafficking to come forward for fear of being deported by the Authorities. however, AFRUCA has been successful in encouraging young people to come forward for help and assistance. We hope that as the project develops we can work with more victims of trafficking while taking part in other activities to help raise awareness of the issues. This project is run by an Anti Trafficking Officer and is supported by a team of interns and volunteers. The issue of Witchcraft Abuse and Spirit Possession is one that needs to be addressed to safeguard vulnerable children across the UK. One of the ways in which we do this is through a menu of community programmes and activities. This includes direct work with faith organisations across London, especially faith leaders. We work to provide training on child protection for faith workers so they are aware of the need to protect children and ensure their practices do not impact negatively on children. In addition, this programme works with practitioners who come into regular contact with children as part of their roles, to educate them about the issue of faith and religion and how these impact on the lives of children from an African background. One of the key elements of this project is how to support families where there has been an accusation of witchcraft. This issue is being researched with a possible establishment of a new area of work in this regard. AFRUCA works with a local NGO in Ghana - Youth Alive to support children who live and work on the streets in 3 Northern Cities. The idea is to take them off the streets and work with them to return into the education system. We also provide micro credit for their parents to enable them develop a cottage business so they can earn some income to support their children. The project works with 300 children and young people each year. Our work in Nigeria on the promotion of children's rights and protection is newly developing. AFRUCA's role in the country will centre primarily on child abuse prevention work. This is an area that is clearly neglected across the country, with a high number of cases coming to the fore on a daily basis. We are particularly concerned at the issue of Witchcraft Abuse in which children are stigmatised as witches, as well as early marriages, in which girl as young as 10 are being married off early. We are concerned about the very high number of children in Nigeria engaged in child labour - especially domestic servitude. We want to work with others on the ground to help identify and design project and programmes to support families so they can provide a good quality life for their children. |
| A list of members of the governing body of the organization, and their countries of nationality: |
AFRUCA Board of Trustees include: Mary Kanu, Chair (Nigeria) Eunice Kyalo, Secretary (Kenya) Dapo Oyewole, (Nigeria) Kahiye Alim, Treasurer (Somalia) Prospera Tedam (Ghana) |
| Description of the membership of the organization, indicating the total number of members: |
AFRUCA's Board of Trustees comprises 7 members drawn from a diverse range of African backgrounds. The Chair of the Charity is Mary Kanu, a Nigerian who works with a local charity in London. She has a wide range of experience in the development sector and has worked with a range of organisations in the UK and in Nigeria. Our Secretary is Kenyan Eunice Kyalo, a Community Health Manager with a london based agency. She has a special interest in Female Genital Mutilation and has produced an Award Winning DVD - "The Day I will NEver Forget" to highlight the terrible practice of Female Genital Mutilation. Prospera Tedam is the Head of Social Work Bachelors Programme at University of Northampton. She has a strong experience as a teacher of social work and has produced numerous articles, and published papers and books on different related subjects. Prospera is a Ghanaian. Dapo Oyewole has a vast experience in development work and was Director of African Policy and Peace Strategies, an African think tank with the aim of identifying various solutions to the problems of development in Africa. Dapo is Nigerian. Last but not least is Kahiye Alim, a Barrister of Somalian origin who runs a successful immigration law agency in London. Mbololwa Lewanika is a lecturer at Kings College, London. Our Board of Trustee members bring on board a wide range of knowledge, expertise and experience which helps to contribute to the growth of the organisation. Chiefly amongst these is the strong expertise in development work, management of charitable organisations, international advocacy, campaigning, social work and child protection, the law and immigration, health management as well as organisational management, budgeting and project design, management and evaluation. |
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