Advocacy

ChildFund is committed to protecting and advancing children’s and youth’s rights through advocacy — from amplifying young voices to demanding laws and policies to better protect and support them, from working toward an internet that’s safer for children to building stronger communities at the local, national and global levels.

Group of ChildFund youth ambassadors and staff standing in front of the U.S. Capitol during the 2017 Advocacy Summit.

Why advocate for — and with — young people?

We’ve learned from experience that it’s not enough to support individual children, youth and families. For more children to grow up healthy, educated and safe, we must advocate for systemic change, enacting and implementing laws and regulations that put children and youth first.

Two nine-year-old girls, Vitoria (in a gray Mickey Mouse shirt) and Ana Clara (in a purple tank top), smile and laugh while playing with colorful streamers outside the House of Culture, a child-friendly community space for socializing and cultural learning.

Leading, for me, is already natural because people have invested in my skills so that I could recognize my rights and strength — and understand that I can represent other girls!

— Karen, age 15, Brazil

Here’s how ChildFund invests in strengthening our advocacy capacity in both the U.S. and the countries where we work around the world.

Country-Level Advocacy

Our U.S. and country offices identified their advocacy issues and developed contextualized advocacy plans, which include child and youth clubs that educate young people about their rights and offer them a platform to raise their voices. Our country offices have developed their own alliances and coalitions to push for an end to corporal punishment in schools, child marriage, online sexual exploitation and many other child protection issues.

Advocacy to End Violence Against Children

In the U.S. in 2017, we co-created the Ending Violence Against Children Taskforce, a group of international development organizations, to advocate with the U.S. government to prioritize ending violence against children. As a direct result of our efforts, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Ending Violence Against Children Resolution in 2020, demonstrating Congress’ acknowledgment of the importance of preventing, addressing and ending violence against children globally. This effort also launched our push to prioritize online violence against children (see the Ending Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse section below).

Advocacy Summits

Our advocacy summits on Capitol Hill connected ChildFund global staff and ChildFund-supported youth with U.S. policymakers on key pieces of legislation focused on uplifting child and youth voices and ending violence against children globally.

Schoolgirls in uniform gather outdoors for a children’s rights meeting in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya, part of ChildFund’s Jukumu Letu child protection project.

Girls attend a school meeting on children’s rights as part of ChildFund’s Jukumu Letu child protection project in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya.

Youth club members in Keonjhar District, India, perform a street play to educate their community about the dangers of child marriage.

ChildFund youth club members in Keonjhar District, India, perform a street play to educate their community about the dangers of child marriage.

ChildFund staff and youth participate in a community run against child labor in Bukidnon Province, Philippines.

ChildFund staff and youth participate in a run against child labor in Bukidnon Province, Philippines.

Youth in their early 20s participate in a ChildFund youth club meeting in Ziguinchor, Senegal, where they learn leadership skills and discuss community issues.

Youth in their early 20s participate in a ChildFund youth club in Ziguinchor, Senegal, a weekly meeting where young people raise awareness about problems in their communities, learn leadership skills, make friends and discuss opportunities to increase civic engagement and educational support.

Advocacy Priorities

As more and more children gain access to the internet and spend more time online, reports of online sexual abuse and exploitation are skyrocketing.

Online sexual exploitation and abuse of children (OSEAC) — or the production and online publication of visuals depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children — is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world. ChildFund, through efforts like the #TakeItDown campaign and the End OSEAC Coalition, a network of like-minded organizations, are working hard to bring the U.S. government, Big Tech and others together to stop this rising threat to children.

High-level achievements: the "Big Tech" CEO Senate Hearing, the REPORT Act, the SHIELD Act; Kenya: The Children Act 2022; the Philippines' Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act; and Guatemala's DECRETO NÚMERO 11-2022

Reports & Publications

ChildFund’s vision is for all young people to have the chance to reach their fullest potential. Amid a confluence of global challenges, including repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, environmental degradation and conflicts, ChildFund is leading NGOs to call for the U.S. government to prioritize children and youth and better coordinate across issue areas and agencies. There is a generation at stake — and we need funding, policies and programs that recognize the critical and interconnected needs of young people, no matter where they live.

Learn more about how ChildFund — together with our coalition of partners — envisions a holistic, whole-of-government approach to supporting children and youth at AGenerationAtStake.org.

Reports & Publications:

 

Children need equal access to opportunities and to achieve their dreams. When we advocate for policies that support all children, entire communities benefit. ChildFund advocates for girls’ civic and political participation and leadership. We also support programs to build girls’ skills and confidence as well as improve their access to leadership opportunities so they can meaningfully participate in decision-making that affects their lives and their communities.

Reports & Publications:

Together with other civil society partners, we are working to raise awareness and increase U.S. commitment to global efforts that improve the survival and health of mothers and children under age 5 in low-resource countries. Research has shown the importance of investments in early childhood development and the realization of strong development outcomes later in life. We are also members of the Thrive Coalition, which is a group of organizations and individuals dedicated to improving all aspects of early childhood development around the world, including child protection, education, health, positive parenting and more. This includes pushing for the implementation of the Global Child Thrive Act, which directs the U.S. government to integrate early childhood development programming for vulnerable children and family members throughout foreign assistance programs.

Advocacy Spotlight: #TakeItDown

In 2023, ChildFund launched the #TakeItDown campaign, which asks the U.S. public to hold tech companies accountable for children’s safety on their platforms. Centering on the “Monster” campaign video, which was inspired by art created by children who have experienced online abuse, the campaign is delivered through social media and directs viewers to a website where they can contact their legislators and demand change. The campaign has seen enormous success and has led to movement on several important online safety bills including the REPORT Act (which was signed into law in May 2024), the January 2024 Senate Judiciary Hearing on online safety and the inclusion of the campaign PSA in the Department of Homeland Security’s iGuardian trainings in schools around the country. #TakeItDown also received widespread industry recognition, winning several awards including a Webby for best social impact campaign.

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Meet the Advocacy Team

Professional headshot featuring Danielle Lilly

Meet Danielle Lilly

Danielle leads ChildFund’s U.S. government and global advocacy efforts related to online sexual exploitation and abuse of children (OSEAC), violence against children, early childhood development and adolescent girls. She is also leading a new initiative to build greater consensus, collaboration and coordination between US-based NGOs and INGOs on OSEAC-related advocacy efforts. Danielle holds a bachelor's degree in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and a master's degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Professional headshot featuring Erin Kennedy

Meet Erin Kennedy

Erin Kennedy is a leading policy and children’s rights expert with almost 20 years of experience in the field. Ms. Kennedy is responsible for setting strategic direction for the organization’s business development, U.S. advocacy and external engagement portfolio. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Duquesne University and a master’s in Public Administration from American University.