The Weekly Pulse
News From Organizations and Coalitions in Advocacy for Children and Young People Globally
Vol. 186: Child Protection Compact Partnership Funding, UNICEF Visit to DRC, Call for New International Treaty, & UNICEF Child Food Poverty Report
June 9, 2024 Funding Opportunity
Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership Programming in Romania Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of State The Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) has announced an open competition for projects supporting a forthcoming Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership between the United States and the Government of Romania. This multi-year initiative aims to prevent child trafficking, prosecute offenders, and provide comprehensive care for victims. Proposal details: Applicants must submit a project narrative that includes a situational assessment of child trafficking in Romania, identifying existing key gaps and potential intervention points, and details about previous work conducted on child trafficking and protection in Romania. Proposals should document existing relationships with relevant Romanian government entities. Applicants should not propose specific activities, which will be created and validated following grantee selection. Applicants will also be required to submit at least one letter of intent to cooperate from a relevant Government of Romania entity. Deadline for Applications: 5:00 pm ET on Thursday, July 18, 2024 Total Funding Floor: $1,000,000 Total Funding Ceiling: $10,000,000 To view grant details, click here. Quick Summary UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom recently visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to highlight the severe impact of escalating violence and mass displacement of children in the eastern region. The United Nations verified over 1,000 grave violations against children in three eastern provinces in early 2024, a 30% increase from late 2023, with more than 450 violations occurring in April 2024 alone. Bloom visited displacement camps and UNICEF-supported child-friendly spaces, where he witnessed firsthand the challenges children face, including separation from families, hunger, lack of education, and risks of violence and exploitation. “Every day, children and women in DRC’s displacement camps face tremendous hardships,” said Bloom, “Their needs are overwhelming, and the response to the crisis is falling short. We must urgently unite to ensure they live in safety and dignity.” To learn more, click here. Seventy scholars, experts, and researchers from 30 countries have released a letter calling for a new international treaty recognizing children’s rights to free early childhood and secondary education. They note that while scientific evidence highlights the importance of education for children’s development and prospects, current international laws only mandate free primary education, leaving gaps in early childhood and secondary education. The scholars call on governments to support a new optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to address these gaps. The letter emphasizes the need to address inequalities in education access and outcomes, particularly for marginalized communities. This appeal comes ahead of the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council, where a resolution to initiate this protocol will begin to be considered. To read the letter, click here. A recent editorial published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal titled, “Child-centred climate action cannot wait,” highlights the significant impact of the climate crisis on child health, noting the highest global temperatures in over 100,000 years and increased heat exposure for children. The report discusses the main driving forces behind this trend, including food insecurity for 27 million children in 2022 and water scarcity affecting 739 million children. The author argues that children are often underrepresented in climate response efforts, emphasizing their right to participate in informing decision-makers' policies. The report recommends that governments increase their investments to improve the well-being of children and adolescents. While also prioritizing climate actions that promote health and safeguard the future of younger generations. To read the editorial, click here. SPOTLIGHT
UNICEF has recently published its report, “Child Food Poverty,” addressing nutrition deprivation in early childhood. Their research shows that millions of families worldwide face challenges in providing nutritious and diverse diets for young children. Child food poverty, defined by UNICEF as the inability of children to access and consume a healthy diet in their first five years, is influenced by factors such as rising food prices, unhealthy food options, and poor child-feeding practices. This issue significantly impacts children’s physical and cognitive development, trapping them and their families in a cycle of poverty. The report underscores the need for global efforts to address these challenges to meet the nutrition targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. The report examines the frequency, trends, and drivers of child food poverty, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries where the majority of affected children live. Using data from over 670 surveys across 137 countries, the report identifies these key findings: one in four children under five experiences severe food poverty, progress in reducing the issue is slow, and both poor and non-poor households are affected. UNICEF calls for coordinated actions across food, health, and social protection systems to address child food poverty. Recommendations include transforming food environments to prioritize nutritious options, utilizing health systems to provide essential nutrition services, and activating social protection systems to mitigate income poverty. The report argues that by improving access to nutritious foods, supporting effective child feeding practices, and protecting vulnerable families, significant progress can be made towards eliminating child food poverty and ensuring healthy development for children. To read the full report, click here. EVENTS
REPORTS, ARTICLES, & RESOURCES
For more information, visit the Children’s Policy and Funding Initiative website: www.childrensinitiative.net |
ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS
JUNE 2024
Vol. 185: Childlight Global Safety Institute Tool, First Five Years Fund Poll, UN Child Rights Committee, Together for Girls Letter to Administration & ‘Adolescents in a Changing World’. MAY 2024 Vol. 184: Futures Without Violence Wins 2024 Silver Halo Award, CPFI Speaks at The Children Budget Coalition, Child Rights Connect & The Joining Forces Coalition’s New Policy Brief. Vol. 183:ChildFund Wins Webby Award, UNICEF Regional Director Statement on the Middle East, New Publication in The Lancet & ‘The Impact of Climate Change on Education’. Vol. 182: ‘Fight for Our Future: Act Now for Disabled Children’, EuroChild Report, INEE 2024 Minimum Standards for Education, & Biden signs REPORT Act into Law. Vol. 181: ‘Our Rights, Our Future’, ‘Addressing Violence in and Through Education’, New Disrupting Harm Project Data, ‘The Toxic Truth Report’ & Detecting Orphanage Trafficking and Exploitation. APRIL 2024 Vol. 180: World Health Organization, UNICEF Addresses UN Security Council, Adverse Childhood Experiences Special Issue & ‘Putting Children First in Sustainable Development’. Vol. 179: Blue Umbrella Day, Cyber Tipline 2023 Report, UNICEF’s Catherine Russell, & Barnahus Model in Montenegro. Vol. 178: ‘Behind Closed Doors’, 2024 Dirty Dozen List, Miranda Forsyth, & Speaking up for Change’. Vol. 177: ‘Our Rights. Our Future. The Europe We Want.’, Leonardo Garnier, ‘Weaving Collective Practice’ & National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Vol. 176: UNICEF Report, International Day of Play, Moms First & Digital Futures for Children. MARCH 2024 Vol. 175: International Women’s Day, Child Rights and Business in the Digital Environment, ‘Transforming Tomorrow’, & European Committee of Social Rights. Vol. 174: ‘Start Where You Are’, UN-IGME, Global SOL Task Force. Vol. 173: #InspireInclusion, 2KNOW Project, Strategy for the Rights of the Child, and Women, Business and the Law. Vol. 172: Y25 Gender Community SFOPS Request, PEPFAR, & UNICEF Event FEBRUARY 2024 Vol. 171: First Focus Podcast, International Basic Education Coalition, & World Thinking Day. Vol. 169: International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, & Safer Internet Day. Vol. 168: Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Government Strategy on International Basic Education, & Georgetown University event JANUARY 2024 Vol. 167: U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, International Day of Education, & Thrive Coalition Event Vol. 166: First Focus Legislative Scorecard, Lead Poisoning, & U.S. Department of Labor Award. Vol. 165: CPFI White House Joint Memorandum, READ Reauthorization Act, & First Focus Letter to the President Vol. 164: U.S. APCCA Government Strategy, Keeping Girls in School Act, & UN Children’s Rights Event. DECEMBER 2023 Vol. 163: Georgetown University Event, USAID’s Children in Adversity Office, & 2023 Global Refugee Forum Vol. 162: International Day of Persons with Disabilities, COP28, & Human Rights Watch Report Vol. 161: USAID Disability Policy, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, & Council on Foundations Report. NOVEMBER 2023 Vol. 160: World Children's Day, Climate Change and Life Course, & Ukrainian Children. Vol. 159: GCE-US Call to Action, World Children’s Day, & World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence Vol. 158: READ Reauthorization Act, PEPFAR & HFAC Markups OCTOBER 2023 Vol. 156: New U.S. House Speaker, House Committee Hearing & New Reports. Vol. 155: Whole Child Video, InterAction Forum, & Congressional Reception. Vol. 154: Israel-Hamas Conflict & International Day of the Girl Child Vol. 153: Congressional Legislation, PEPFAR, & Speaker of the House Removal Vol. 152: Children’s Budget Book 2023, UNICEF Children with Disabilities Report, & U.S. Government Shutdown SEPTEMBER 2023 Vol. 151: USAID Donor Statement, GEM Report, & UNGA Event. Vol. 150: #TakeItDown, Ready, Set, READ!, & House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing Vol. 149: PEPFAR, UNICEF Child Alert, & Foreign Policy Event Vol. 148: READ Act Reauthorization, US-Nepal Child Protection Compact, & UN Child Rights Mainstreaming AUGUST 2023 Vol. 147: Sanctions on Russia, Sudan, and Girls Not Brides Event Vol. 146: New USAID Indicator, International Youth Day, & Lancet Article. Vol. 145: READ Reauthorization Act, U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation, and Youth Power 2 event. Vol. 144: USAID 2023 LGBTQI+ Inclusive Development Policy & Georgetown University event. Vol. 143: YPS Act Reintroduction, Senate Commerce Committee Hearing, & U.S. Helsinki Committee Hearing. JULY 2023 Vol. 142: Strengthening Efforts To End Violence Against Children Act (H.R. 4748), Child Labor Prevention Task Force, & U.S. Senate Appropriations Hearing. Vol. 141: FY 2024 Appropriations Bill, International Children with Disabilities Protection Act, & Georgetown Event. Vol. 140: USAID Climate Strategy, UNICEF report, & Sesame Street Ukraine Workshop. JUNE 2023 Vol. 139: M-mama emergency transportation system & House Appropriations Committee Republicans draft fiscal year 2024 SFOP Appropriations bill Vol. 138: DRI Report, USAID FY22 Localization Report, & U.S. Department of Labor event. Vol. 137: USAID Youth in Development Policy and Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Policy Sign-On Letter, UNICEF Report, & Children’s Week 2023. Vol. 136: United States-Jamaica Child Protection Compact, FTC order, & U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence MAY 2023 Vol. 135: U.S.-Australia Joint Statement, InterAction Farm Bill article, and House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing Vol. 134: HFAC Roundtable Discussion, ChildFund and World Vision Event, & GCE-US Spotlight Event. Vol. 133: Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation, House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing, and Decolonizing Education Financing. Vol. 132: Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 2023 International Summit on the Teaching Profession & Ending Corporal Punishment in Schools to Transform Education for All Children event. Vol. 131: USAID Budget Hearing & Cities Summit of the Americas. Vol. 130: USAID Budget Hearing & Cities Summit of the Americas. |