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Defence for Girls Programme Promoting the Rights of Girls and Young Women to Protection from Violence in Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Zambia Defence for Girls is part of the GIRL POWER Programme, an initiative of the Dutch Child Rights Alliance.

DEFENCE FOR GIRLS

The Netherlands

Contact If you would like more information, please contact the Defence for Girls International Team at: Defence for Children - ECPAT The Netherlands Office address: Hooglandse Kerkgracht 17 G

2312 HS Leiden, The Netherlands Telephone: +31 (0)71 516 09 80 E-mail: defenceforgirls@defenceforchildren.nl Website: www.defenceforchildren.nl Publication © March 2012. Defence for Children - ECPAT The Netherlands

The Netherlands

Violence against women and girls is one of the most systematic and widespread human rights violations. It is estimated that, worldwide, at least one third of women and girls experience some form of violence.

Defence for Girls Programme (2011-2015) The goal of the Defence for Girls Programme is the elimination of violence against girls and young women. Violence against women and girls includes domestic and intimate partner violence, sexual violence (including rape), sexual harassment, and emotional/psychological violence. Other widespread forms include sexual exploitation, trafficking and harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation/cutting, forced marriage and child marriage.

The Defence for Girls Programme aims to build and strengthen civil society in promoting and ensuring the right of girls and young women to protection from all forms of violence.

Through Defence for Girls, everyday: • Girls and young women are being reached by awareness, knowledge and skills building measures like Girls Clubs that come together to teach girls about their rights and offer them skills training.

• Socio-legal assistance is given to girls and young women who are at risk or are victims of violence.

• Parents, families, women and men, community leaders, girls and boys, even in the most remote areas, are being reached by sensitization measures.

• Child protection structures at national, district and local levels are being established and strengthened.

• Government institutions are being reached by advocacy and lobby for better protection of girls and young women against violence, including through improved Law & Policy and social (child) protection services delivery.

Our DCI partners are: Defence for Children International - Ghana; Defence for Children International - Liberia; Defence for Children International - Sierra Leone.

• Governmental and other professionals like school teachers are being reached by training.

Our ECPAT partners are: Ghana NGO’s Coalition on the Rights of the Child (GNCRC); Forum on Sustainable Child Empowerment (FSCE) in Ethiopia; Children in Need Network (CHIN) in Zambia.

• Local civil society organizations and community based organizations are being reached by capacity building measures.

Defence for Girls is part of the GIRL POWER Programme: Equal Rights and Opportunities for Girls and Young Women programme of the Dutch Child Rights Alliance (CRA) in Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Zambia. Plan Nederland leads the CRA, which further consists of Child Helpline International, Free Press Unlimited, International Child Development Initiatives (ICDCI), Women Win and Defence for Children - ECPAT The Netherlands. The GIRL POWER Programme is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sierra Leone

Ethiopia Liberia Ghana DCI Partners ECPAT Partners Zambia