Child rights
In the Bidibidi area, our programs are tailored to address the unique challenges and barriers that children, especially girls, face in accessing education and ensuring their overall well-being. The specific context of Bidibidi presents a set of challenges that requires targeted efforts to make a meaningful impact.
Limited Access to Education Infrastructure:
Bidibidi lack sufficient educational infrastructure, including schools and classrooms.
Economic Barriers:
Families in Bidibidi face economic challenges, making it difficult for them to afford school supplies, uniforms, and other educational necessities.
Menstrual Hygiene Management:
In Bidibidi, girls encounter difficulties managing menstrual hygiene due to a lack of resources and knowledge.
Child Protection Issues:
The Bidibidi area is susceptible to child protection issues, including gender-based violence.
Our programs strengthen reporting mechanisms and referral pathways to respond effectively to child protection issues, ensuring the safety and well-being of all children in the community.
Community and School-Based Barriers:
Bidibidi have specific community and school-based barriers that hinder children’s education.
We collaborate with school management committees to identify and address these barriers, working towards creating an inclusive and supportive educational environment.
Promoting Girls’ Agency:
Girls in Bidibidi face cultural or societal norms that limit their agency and decision-making power.
Our Girls’ clubs in schools and the community play a crucial role in empowering girls, building confidence, and enhancing self-esteem.
Children at the centre of our work
In the Bidibidi area, where our focus is on addressing the unique challenges faced by children and adolescents, child labor and child marriage are pressing issues that demand targeted intervention. The specific context of Bidibidi provides insight into the challenges children face, and our programs are designed to mitigate these issues effectively:
Child Labor in Bidibidi:
Due to the socio-economic conditions in Bidibidi, children are forced into labor, engaging in hazardous work for long hours.
Our grassroots-level initiatives work directly with communities to understand the specific reasons behind child labor in Bidibidi, whether driven by economic necessity, lack of educational opportunities, or other factors.
We implement programs that not only raise awareness about the detrimental effects of child labor but also provide viable alternatives. This includes creating income-generating opportunities for parents, and ensuring that families have access to essential resources to reduce economic pressures that lead to child labor.
By focusing on the root causes of child labor in Bidibidi, our efforts aim to break the cycle of exploitation, enabling children to pursue their right to education in a safe and nurturing environment.
Child Marriage in Bidibidi:
Child marriage is a significant concern in Bidibidi, particularly affecting girls under the age of 16.
Our programs actively work to prevent child marriages by collaborating with community leaders, religious authorities, and families. We engage in dialogue to challenge cultural norms that may contribute to early marriages and advocate for the importance of education in empowering girls.
Through targeted awareness campaigns, community discussions, and capacity-building programs, we aim to shift societal attitudes and norms that perpetuate child marriage in Bidibidi.
CHILD AND YOUTH PARTICIPATION
Children and youth have a right to be heard and their opinions considered by the adults around them. Every young person should have the ability to speak out or act on the issues that affect them. It’s not only important for their mental and emotional development but also fosters a high degree of self-esteem and self-belief.
We believe that all children and youth have the potential to be agents of change and the ability to hold dialogue on the things that matter to them. Our child and youth participation programs focus on building children’s collectives as peer support groups and engaging with the children to build their awareness on child rights issues
VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN
Every day, all over the world, children become victims of violence. Violence occurs in different environments, such as at home, at school, in the community and over the internet. Violence can also take various forms, such as physical or mental violence, abuse, neglect, maltreatment, exploitation or sexual assault. Justice for children who became the victims of violence, rarely occurs, as there is often no possibility to address the violence. Similar Ground focuses mainly on prevention of children from becoming victims of violence. We conduct community awareness session, advocacy and provide training to parents on child protection and how to report abuse.
Safety & Protection
Right to Protection
All children are vulnerable to neglect, violence and abuse but marginalization further compounds such vulnerability. Exposure to unsafe environments can negatively impact the physical, emotional, mental and social development of the child and the damage is often permanent.
We believe that building a safe environment for all children, till the age of 18 years, is critical to protect them from abuse and exploitation.
Music for social change
Music for social change is a platform for children. The children come together once every week because they know they’ll have a safe space where they are able to gather, talk about the challenges they face, find support from their peers, and express their emotions through music
At a Music for Social Change session. Organized by Similar Ground, but led by the children themselves, these sessions empower children in a safe environment where they can receive both group and individual psychosocial support. Then, they use what they’re learning to identify inequalities in their community and raise their voices to advocate for change and learn how to play musical instrument.