Welcome to the first newsletter for World Vision’s Child Protection Signature Initiative. We’re excited to bring you quarterly information about the latest updates, information, and stories about our work. My hope is that you will find this to be a useful resource about a topic that is close to God’s heart and hopefully close to yours as well.
The protection of children from violence, in all its forms, is a central and intentional part of our vision of “Building a better world for children”. Doing that requires dedicated staff and volunteers in the field, as well as passionate supporters who give their heart, voice and resources to the cause.
This newsletter will take you into the inspiring work of our Child Protection work in Bangladesh - to see both the hurt of exploitative, hazardous labor and the boundless joy of restored hope in the eyes of children. It’s a great example of how thoughtful and strategic interventions can re-create a future for a child and their family.
Together, with God’s help let us “build a better world” in which children can have the protection they need to experience life in all its fullness.
Chris Pope World Vision Senior Area Director, Philanthropy
God Showed Up: My first Vision Trip to Bangladesh
Written by Tracey Bongat, World Vision Sr. Philanthropy Specialist
I was so broken that I didn’t know what to do. This verse that I can’t recall ever seeing before, was the healing I needed. “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10
I met two boys with two very different stories. Hope or the lack of hope changes a life. I discovered that truth in Bangladesh.
Amplifying the voices of children and families in Bangladesh
In November 2018, Laura Bramon, Senior Program Manager for Child Protection and Education, spoke to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission during a briefing about elections and human rights in Bangladesh.
The International Labor Organization estimates that 1.2 million Bangladeshi children are exploited in the worst forms of child labor. Girls not only face the dangers of child labor, but also of child marriage. In Bangladesh, 60 percent of girls are married before age 18, the fourth highest child marriage rate in the world.
At a grassroots level, both child labor and child marriage require robust and multi-sectoral interventions, engaging the child, the family, the community, and their faith leaders, as well as Government actors who bear responsibility for responding to child protection incidents.
World Vision’s grassroots work is amplified by national-level advocacy work with the Government of Bangladesh and international and local non-governmental actors, as we lead a national advocacy campaign to stop physical violence against children in homes, schools, and workplaces.
The story of the Matubbar family proves that child protection programs make a significant difference.
Video links: Part 1 (Laura's presentation starts at 21:07), Part 2 (also linked below)
Prayer
Join us in prayer to end violence against children in Bangladesh
During this past year, we celebrated the withdrawal of 224 children from the worst forms of child labor; of those children, 200 enrolled in school and are attending regularly. We thank God that these children are no longer working under physically and emotionally harmful circumstances. They have opportunities to pursue their dreams, but they also will face challenges along the way. Many of the children who left their jobs are returning to school after having been gone for a year or more. This means they will need time to catch up on their studies, while also staying on top of the current workload. Some students are enrolled in classes below their age level and are embarrassed about attending school with younger peers.
Please pray for these children as they adjust to being back in school.
Please pray that they will persevere through the challenges, and that they will feel supported and encouraged by their peers and teachers.
Please also pray that their teachers will be sensitive to the children’s needs and know how to best support them.
Next edition sneak peek
Global best practices in Child Protection and how World Vision’s program work is rooted in them.
Want to find out more about World Vision's Child Protection work?
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
In 2017, 85 percent of World Vision's total operating expenses were used for programs that benefit children, families, and communities in need. Learn More.
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