WOMEN & CHILDREN RIGHTS

Empowering Women and Protecting Children from Violence, Abuse and Exploitation

A Project of International Human Rights Organization World Society (IHRO World Society)

“Empowered Women. Protected Children. Stronger Communities.”

About the Project

The Women & Children Rights Project is a human-rights initiative of the International Human Rights Organization World Society (IHRO World Society) dedicated to promoting the rights, dignity, equality, safety and participation of women and children.

Women and children have the right to live free from violence, abuse, exploitation, discrimination, neglect and harmful practices. The project seeks to strengthen awareness, prevention, protection, empowerment and access to appropriate support mechanisms through community engagement, education, partnerships and responsible human-rights action.

UNICEF identifies child protection as the prevention of and response to violence, exploitation, abuse, neglect and harmful practices affecting children.

IHRO World Society seeks to contribute to a society where women can exercise their rights and participate meaningfully in social, economic and community life, while children can grow, learn and develop in safe, supportive and dignified environments.

OUR VISION

A world where every woman and every child lives with dignity, equality, safety, opportunity and freedom from violence, abuse, exploitation and discrimination.

OUR MISSION

Through human-rights education, awareness, community engagement, capacity building, partnerships, research and responsible advocacy, IHRO World Society seeks to:

• promote women’s rights and gender equality;
• strengthen awareness of children’s rights;
• prevent violence, abuse and exploitation;
• promote protection and safeguarding;
• support women’s empowerment and meaningful participation;
• encourage safe and inclusive environments for children;
• raise awareness of child marriage and harmful practices;
• promote access to appropriate support and referral mechanisms;
• strengthen community understanding of human rights;
• encourage accountability for violations through lawful mechanisms; and
• build partnerships for sustainable protection and empowerment.

WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT

Women have the right to equality, dignity, safety and meaningful participation in society.

The Project promotes awareness concerning:

• equality and non-discrimination;
• freedom from violence;
• women’s participation in decision-making;
• access to education and skills;
• economic empowerment;
• leadership and civic participation;
• protection from exploitation;
• access to justice and remedies;
• health and well-being;
• digital safety; and
• freedom from harmful practices.

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 calls for achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. Its targets include ending discrimination and eliminating violence against women and girls in both public and private spheres.

PROTECTING WOMEN FROM VIOLENCE

Violence against women can take physical, sexual, psychological, economic and other forms.

IHRO World Society promotes awareness, prevention and appropriate referral concerning:

• domestic violence;
• sexual violence;
• harassment;
• exploitation;
• trafficking;
• harmful practices;
• online abuse;
• intimidation; and
• other forms of violence prohibited by applicable law.

Our approach prioritizes the safety, dignity, confidentiality and informed choices of survivors and affected persons.

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

Every child has inherent dignity and rights.

The Project promotes awareness of children’s rights, including the right to:

• protection from violence;
• protection from abuse and exploitation;
• education;
• health and development;
• family and appropriate care;
• identity and birth registration;
• participation appropriate to age and maturity;
• protection from discrimination;
• privacy and dignity; and
• a safe and supportive environment.

UNICEF notes that violence against children can be physical, sexual or emotional and can occur at home, at school, in communities and online.

PROTECTION FROM ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION

IHRO World Society is committed to promoting environments in which children are protected from:

• physical abuse;
• emotional or psychological abuse;
• sexual abuse;
• neglect;
• child labour and exploitation;
• trafficking;
• harmful practices;
• child marriage;
• online exploitation;
• bullying and harassment; and
• other forms of violence or exploitation.

UNICEF’s child-protection framework emphasizes prevention and response to violence, exploitation, abuse, neglect and harmful practices, including strengthening services, justice systems and community protection mechanisms.

PREVENTING CHILD MARRIAGE

Child marriage can limit children’s education, autonomy, safety and future opportunities.

IHRO may conduct awareness activities addressing:

• children’s rights;
• education and retention in school;
• risks associated with early marriage;
• gender equality;
• family and community awareness;
• legal and protection mechanisms; and
• referral to appropriate services.

In Bangladesh, UNICEF identifies child marriage as a significant child-protection concern and reports that girls who marry before 18 can face serious long-term consequences.

PREVENTING CHILD LABOUR AND EXPLOITATION

Children should not be subjected to exploitative or hazardous conditions.

IHRO may promote awareness concerning:

• child labour;
• hazardous work;
• trafficking;
• forced labour;
• commercial exploitation;
• exploitation in informal settings; and
• exploitation through digital platforms.

The Project seeks to encourage access to education, protection services and lawful remedies where children are at risk.

SAFEGUARDING

Safeguarding is a core principle of the Project.

IHRO World Society seeks to ensure that its staff, volunteers, members, partners and representatives do not exploit, abuse or otherwise harm people who participate in or benefit from IHRO activities.

Particular safeguards shall apply when working with:

• children;
• survivors of violence;
• persons with disabilities;
• vulnerable families;
• displaced persons;
• marginalized communities; and
• other people facing heightened protection risks.

A CHILD-SAFE APPROACH

Activities involving children should be designed around:

Best Interests of the Child

The child’s safety, dignity and well-being should be central considerations.

Do No Harm

Programs should not create additional risks for children.

Participation

Children should be given appropriate opportunities to express their views in matters affecting them.

Confidentiality

Personal and sensitive information should be appropriately protected.

Informed Consent

Appropriate consent and safeguarding procedures should be followed.

Referral

Where a protection concern is identified, appropriate referral mechanisms should be used in accordance with applicable law and organizational procedures.

WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Empowerment includes the ability to develop knowledge, skills, resources and opportunities.

IHRO may support initiatives involving:

• vocational awareness;
• entrepreneurship education;
• financial literacy;
• leadership development;
• digital skills;
• employment awareness;
• community-based economic initiatives;
• networking; and
• access to information about available opportunities.

The objective is to support women’s ability to participate meaningfully in economic and social life.

EDUCATION AND AWARENESS

Education is an important tool for preventing rights violations.

IHRO may organize:

• workshops;
• seminars;
• school and community awareness sessions;
• youth programs;
• leadership training;
• human-rights education;
• digital campaigns;
• publications;
• webinars;
• community dialogues; and
• awareness campaigns.

Topics may include women’s rights, child rights, safeguarding, gender equality, online safety, violence prevention and access to support.

WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN DIGITAL SPACES

Technology creates opportunities for education, communication and participation but can also create risks.

IHRO may raise awareness about:

• cyberbullying;
• online harassment;
• privacy;
• digital exploitation;
• online sexual exploitation;
• harmful content;
• identity theft;
• responsible social-media use; and
• protection of children’s personal information.

UNICEF identifies online environments as one of the settings in which children can experience violence and exploitation and highlights the need for stronger safeguards for children in digital spaces.

ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND SUPPORT

Women and children affected by violence or exploitation may face significant barriers to seeking help.

IHRO may promote awareness of available:

• legal information;
• protection mechanisms;
• social services;
• health services;
• psychosocial support;
• child-protection services;
• law-enforcement mechanisms;
• legal-aid services; and
• other appropriate referral pathways.

IHRO does not replace courts, police, professional legal services, social workers or specialized protection agencies. Where professional intervention is required, appropriate referral should be encouraged.

HUMANITARIAN AND EMERGENCY SETTINGS

Women and children can face heightened protection risks during:

• armed conflict;
• natural disasters;
• displacement;
• humanitarian emergencies;
• pandemics;
• economic crises; and
• other emergencies.

IHRO may support awareness and humanitarian initiatives designed to strengthen protection, dignity and access to essential services.

UNICEF notes that emergencies can increase children’s exposure to violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect while disrupting health, education and protection services.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

Protection cannot be achieved by one organization alone.

IHRO seeks to engage:

• families;
• community leaders;
• women and youth groups;
• schools;
• civil-society organizations;
• professional organizations;
• government institutions;
• development partners;
• humanitarian organizations; and
• other relevant stakeholders.

Through partnership and cooperation, communities can help identify risks, strengthen prevention and improve referral pathways.

OUR APPROACH

The Women & Children Rights Project follows a Human Rights-Based and Safeguarding Approach built on:

Dignity

Every person deserves respect and humane treatment.

Equality

Women and children should enjoy their rights without unlawful discrimination.

Protection

Prevention and response to violence, abuse and exploitation are central to our work.

Participation

Women and children should have meaningful opportunities to participate in decisions affecting them, appropriate to age and circumstances.

Empowerment

People should have access to knowledge, skills and opportunities that strengthen their ability to exercise their rights.

Accountability

Violations should be addressed through appropriate, lawful and accountable mechanisms.

Confidentiality

Sensitive personal information should be protected.

Do No Harm

Activities should be designed to avoid creating additional risks.

WHAT WE DO

Under the Women & Children Rights Project, IHRO World Society may undertake:

• women’s rights awareness campaigns;
• child-rights awareness campaigns;
• anti-violence programs;
• safeguarding training;
• child-protection initiatives;
• prevention of child marriage awareness;
• anti-trafficking awareness;
• anti-child-labour awareness;
• women’s leadership programs;
• economic empowerment initiatives;
• youth engagement;
• digital-safety awareness;
• community workshops;
• research and documentation;
• stakeholder dialogues;
• referral and information initiatives;
• humanitarian activities; and
• partnerships supporting women and children.

SDG ALIGNMENT

The Project contributes directly to several Sustainable Development Goals.

SDG 5 — Gender Equality

The Project supports:

Target 5.1: Ending discrimination against women and girls.

Target 5.2: Eliminating violence, trafficking and exploitation of women and girls.

Target 5.3: Addressing harmful practices affecting women and girls.

Target 5.5: Promoting women’s participation and leadership.

SDG 16 — Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions

Target 16.2 calls for ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against children.

SDG 17 — Partnerships for the Goals

IHRO seeks to advance these objectives through cooperation among civil society, communities, institutions, development partners and other stakeholders.

OUR EXPECTED IMPACT

Through the Women & Children Rights Project, IHRO World Society aims to contribute to:

• increased awareness of women’s and children’s rights;
• stronger safeguarding practices;
• greater awareness of violence prevention;
• improved understanding of available support mechanisms;
• increased participation of women and girls;
• stronger community protection systems;
• greater awareness of child protection;
• reduced tolerance for abuse and exploitation;
• stronger partnerships; and
• safer and more inclusive communities.

OUR COMMITMENT

IHRO World Society believes that the protection of women and children is a shared responsibility.

We are committed to promoting a world where women can live, participate and lead with dignity and equality, and where every child can grow up free from violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect and discrimination.

Our work seeks to transform human-rights principles into practical community action through education, empowerment, prevention, protection, partnership and accountability.

Empower Women. Protect Children. Prevent Violence. Defend Dignity.