The Eastern Africa Child Rights Network (EACRN) was established in March 2014 to coordinate efforts by civil society organizations in Eastern Africa to advocate for child rights. Presently, the network’s membership comprises national child rights coalitions from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Madagascar, Burundi, Sudan, Somaliland, and South Sudan. The network’s mandate is to implement programs that are focused on the realization of child rights as contained in the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (UNCRC). With its presence across nine countries, the network traverses a range of policy typographies, legislation, CSOs, CBOs, and other institutions, and therefore, the footprint of EACRN is key in harmonizing the voice of the call to adherence to child rights.
Vision: An Eastern African region where children enjoy their rights to survival, development, protection and participation
Mission: To enhance the capacities of national coalitions and promote evidence-based advocacy on child rights within the East African region.
Our Members
The Eastern Africa Child Rights Network’s membership comprises national child rights coalitions from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Madagascar, Burundi, Sudan, Somaliland, and South Sudan. The Network is in the process of welcoming two additional child rights coalitions from Ethiopia and Somalia. In our 10 years of existence, we have worked closely with our members and we have taken great steps in building and enhancing their capacities when it comes to child rights governance and advocacy.
- Child rights civil society coalition (CRC) – South Sudan
The Child Rights Civil Society Coalition was established in 2012 with the membership of 15 local CSOs drawn from both the state and national levels, with the support of Save Children International. The Coalition is registered under the RRC authority as an independent civil society organization leading the voices for children’s rights in South Sudan and beyond. The Child Rights Coalition provides a coordinated platform for CSOs action and plays a central role in key child rights developments at the state and national levels in South Sudan. The Child Rights Coalition is part of the Eastern Africa Child Rights Network (EACRN), which was established in March 2014 to coordinate efforts by national child rights coalitions in Eastern Africa in their advocacy for children’s rights in the region.
Vision: Ensure all children are able to exercise their human rights in the whole country as enshrined in the laws of South Sudan and other international conventions that uphold children’s rights.
Mission: The Child Rights Coalition strives to see an empowered South Sudan as a state where children’s rights are respected and protected through lobbying and advocacy.
2. Kenya Alliance for Advancement of Children (KAACR) – Kenya
Kenya Alliance for Advancement of Children (KAACR) is a national umbrella body for NGOs cooperation and exchange of information on children’s rights in Kenya, with a membership of over 250 child agencies in Kenya. KAACR, founded on the basis of the UNCRC, is a registered national umbrella NGO under the NGO Coordination Act of 1990. KAACR is an NGO with Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (2000), Equivalence Determination Certification (2017) from NGOsource, Observer Status with African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) (2018), member of the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children (2018), local partner of ECPAT International (2019) and member of the Management Committee of Eastern Africa Child Rights Network (2020). KAACR envisions a society that protects all the rights of children and youth to survive, develop and participate in all matters concerning them. KAACR’s mission is to advocate for and promote the realization of the rights and responsibilities of children and youth in Kenya.
3. Burundi Child Rights Forum (BCRF) – Burundi
The BURUNDI CHILD RIGHTS FORUM, abbreviated BCRF, is a non-profit association. The BCRF was created on December 21, 2018, on the initiative of 19 Burundian associations involved in the promotion and protection of the rights of children. It has been approved by the Ministerial since February 14, 2019. To date, BCRF has 30 national organizations involved in the defense of child rights, with a particular focus on improving the well-being of children and families in particularly difficult situations.
Vision: The enjoyment and well-being of children without discrimination
Mission: To serve as a space for reflection on children’s rights for CSOs and promote advocacy on policies and laws in order to improve the living conditions of children in the whole world
4. Uganda Child Rights Network Coalition (UCRNN) – Uganda
UCRNN is a coalition of child-focused organizations, including community based, national, and international organizations, working for the welfare and rights of children in Uganda. The Network was started in 1997 to spearhead the generation of the NGO. Alternative report on the progress of implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child The Network has over the years played a leading role in mobilizing child-focused organizations and has been the CSO Voice on Child Rights in Uganda. UCRNN has representation in all the subregions of the country through its member organizations.
Vision: UCRNN envisions a society where children’s rights are realized
Mission: UCRNN exists to undertake collective action for the promotion and protection of children’s rights in Uganda.
5. Madagascar Child Rights Network (MCRN) – Madagascar
MCCR is in the maturation of a long process that began in 2014, led by the late RASAMOELY. The large area of the country on the one hand and the lack of communication infrastructure on the other hand made it difficult to revitalize the coalition because of the significant need for resources.For three years, the Coalition has become the armed wing of the National Consortium for Citizen Participation, an association recognized as being of public utility, in terms of promoting the citizen participation of actors working for the Rights of the Child.
Vision: Madagascar, a country in East Africa where children enjoy their full rights, including the rights to survival, protection, development, and participation.
6. Tanzania Child Rights Forum (TCRF) – Tanzania
The Tanzania Child Rights Forum (TCRF) is a Network of Civil Society Organizations that work with and for children on the Tanzanian mainland. The Network bears the major role of coordinating over 250 member organizations across the country that support child rights implementation. TCRF’s mandate includes monitoring Tanzania’s implementation of the ACRWC and UNCRC, as well as coordinating child rights stakeholders to prepare a complementary report to the State Party report to the ACERWC and CRC Committees. Additionally, TCRF has a role to support children’s agency in expressing their voices over the state party’s implementation of the child rights instruments and, where possible, prepare children’s reports to the committees.
Mission: To provide a platform that links, supports and brings together Children and Youth-led civil society organizations, in Tanzania to work towards promoting an environment that facilitates, protects and respects children’s rights
7. Coalition Umwana ku Isonga (CUI) – Rwanda
The Coalition Umwana ku Isonga (CUI) is a civil society organization governed by the Rwandan law. It is registered under N o 219/RGB/NGO/LP/04/2018 and has been created with the purposes of networking and alliance building with a mandate to assess and report on the implementation of the United Nations Child Rights Convention (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) on one hand, and to coordinate all activities carried out by individual member organizations within the parameters of advocacy, implementing and reporting on mentioned treaty bodies on the other hand. Currently CUI is composed by 23 organization members.
Vision: the coalition expects to get all the children, boys and girls, living in full enjoyment of their rights and fulfil all their duties without any hindrance, and exempted from any form of discrimination.
Mission: coordinating and increas ing capacity among member organizations to defend and protect the rights of children
8. Sudan Child Rights Forum
9. Somaliland Child Righst Forum
10. Burundi Child Rights Coalition
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