Child relief
Children around the world have the right to education, protection and dignity. Since our foundation was established in 1946, we have been working for the welfare of society’s youngest members.
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Guaranteeing education and protecting children around the world
To this day, this cause is particularly close to our hearts, as the figures are alarming:
- Worldwide, almost one in five school-age children does not go to school. As a result, 244 million children aged between 6 and 18 have not received an education.
- On average, there are six attacks or security incidents targeting education every day.
- 60 million children, almost 1 in 10 worldwide, are subjected to child labour.
Protecting children from mistreatment and abuse
Abuse in all its forms compromises these children’s access to education, health and well-being, while perpetuating a cycle of poverty and marginalisation.
Swiss Solidarity is committed to fighting this abuse.
1. Preventing abuse:
- Guidance and support for vulnerable and at-risk families
- Resources and skills for creating a safe family environment
- Economic alternatives for children and their families to combat child labour and early marriage
2. Care for abused children:
- Recognising and dealing with cases of violence or exploitation
- Providing access to appropriate protection, medical care and psychological support services
- Providing safe places where children can be protected and looked after in a secure and caring environment
- Ensuring better access to education for at-risk children and those obliged to work
3. Psychosocial support for families in need:
- Raising awareness among key members of the local community, including teachers and parents
- Bolstering children’s social and emotional skills
4. Advocacy for policy changes (early marriage, age limit for child labour, etc.)
Promoting access to education in crisis-hit regions
Without education, these children are at great risk of hardship and become targets for early marriage or forced recruitment by armed groups. This keeps them bound in a vicious circle of violence and poverty.
Schooling brings benefits to children that extend well beyond education. School can provide them with protection and contribute to their health, social and emotional well-being, and food security.
The projects we are funding this year focus on Latin America and countries in the Sahel region of Africa. They seek to maintain and strengthen sustainable and equitable education systems by focusing on four key areas:
1. Continuity and quality of learning despite obstacles, such as by supporting teacher training and providing quality infrastructures to maintain access to schools even in the event of a crisis.
2. The protection and safety of schoolchildren and teachers.
3. The well-being of children and teachers, by strengthening their social and emotional skills and promoting good health. Children who are hungry, exhausted by work or traumatised by violence cannot take full advantage of education.
4. Lastly, the promotion of peace and social cohesion, which includes combating social obstacles to education such as early marriage and child labour.
“At Swiss Solidarity, child relief is a tradition. From the outset, we have been committed to providing for the education, protection and dignity of disadvantaged children. This is something we are very proud of.”
Aurore Geiser
Humanitarian Programme ManagerTo ensure a better future for the world’s children, we have funded some 500 child relief projects in over 50 countries in the last 30 years.
Support from Swiss Solidarity during COVID-19
In Latin America and South Asia, many children missed nearly two years of schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this issue, we supported 20 projects led by our Swiss partner NGOs. They focused in particular on access to education, the fight against child labour and protection from domestic violence in Latin America, South Asia and West Africa.
Partner NGOs funded since 2020
Enfants du Monde, Fondation Hirondelle, Tdh Foundation – Child relief (Fondation Terre des Hommes Lausanne), Helvetas, IAMANEH, Medair, Médecins du Monde Suisse, Pestalozzi Children’s Foundation, Save the Children Switzerland, SolidarMed, Solidar Suisse, Swissaid, Terre des Hommes Suisse, Vivamos Mejor.
