As part of its objectives, ESSSWA has been striving to enhance the capacities of institutions and professionals in the fields of sociology, social work and Anthropology. In doing so, it has been working closely with universities, communities, professionals and civil societies and governments to prevent child vulnerability and gradually to create safe environment for health child development. ESSSWA held symposium on theme “Federal, Democratic, Republic Ethiopia Social Protection Police: Alternative Childcare in Ethiopia”. It was carried out from December 3-4, 2015 at Jimma University. 76(13 female) participants who are lecturers, post and undergraduate students of College of Social Science and Humanity, practitioners and community members attended the workshop.
As stated above, ESSSWA is contributing towards creating a safer environment for the growth and well-being of children in Ethiopia focusing on prevention of vulnerable children from falling to be victims of sexual abuse and exploitation. So far, ESSSWA has enhanced quality action-research by young professionals and quality service provision by duty bearers through different projects. Therefore, being one of the activities of “Enhancing Institutional and Research Capacities to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation”, the workshop was conducted to:
Create awareness among professionals and build the institutional capacity of Jimma University College of Social science and Humanity to engage in social protection of sexually abused and exploited children.
Promote leaning, documenting lessons, experience sharing and dissemination of information among participants with regard to child abuse and sexual exploitation.
Facilitate exchanges of good practices among professionals working for government and non-government organizations, which will ultimately trigger more action on the protection of child abuse and sexual exploitation.
Themes related to the healthy child development contexts, challenges to child development and nature and magnitude of child vulnerability were presented. The following major topics were presented and discussed at the workshop:
ESSSWA’s contribution and experiences in research, enhancing knowledge and skill of professionals and workforce development to prevent child abuse and sexual exploitation
Federal, Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Social Protection Policy
Alternative Childcare Services in Ethiopia
One-to-One child Sponsorship(the experience of Jimma university)
Finally, the workshop participants were grateful to ESSSWA and Jimma University College of Social Science and Humanity on the bulk of knowledge they have received from the workshop. They promised that they will also contribute and try hard to share their parts to prevent child vulnerability at different contexts. The participants finally, remarked that such events should be carried out regularly to update the status of child abuse and sexual exploitation.