Over the reporting period, ISNA formed strategic alliances by signing cooperation agreements with international organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), technical cooperation organization GTZ, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the El Salvador International Plan and Save The Children, for implementing plans and programmes at national level in the field of the promotion and protection of child rights, as provided for in the National Policy for the Full Development of Children and Adolescents (PNDINA). These include: a) implementation of child policy with emphasis on eradicating child labour, covering 19 municipalities nationwide where there is child labour, carried out with funding and technical support from ILO; b) the methodology school for training key players and for establishing local connections in 27 municipalities, with funding and technical support from UNICEF; c) the German GTZ foundation provided technical support for research and the formulation of proposals for municipal development, and funding for local projects; and d) USAID, as part of the project Initial Education from the Family (EDIFAM), supported the promotion and implementation of the policy by funding the design and reproduction of the children’s version, and a number of social mobilization activities. Furthermore, the National Committee against Trafficking in Persons has cooperation relations with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), ILO and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), among others, which provide support for the various activities carried out.
G. Information on programmes for caring for children in vulnerable groups
ISNA has the following main responsibilities: a) to promote the full development of children’s personalities, taking account of the fundamental rights and duties, and their subjective needs, involving in that protection the family, the community, the municipalities and the State; b) to promote the participation of the community and society in solving problems facing children and the family; c) to investigate threats to and violations of child rights and any orphaned children; to investigate and assess the situation of such children, their families, and those aiming to offer them protection in their homes, and to take any appropriate measures to protect them where they are found to be threatened, their rights violated or orphaned; d) to devise prevention plans and programmes to protect children in the home environment, and care programmes in State, municipal and NGO centres, in line with their personal circumstances and type; and e) to coordinate and supervise the execution of programmes and to set up a register of children cared for in such centres, establishments or bodies.
In accordance with the responsibilities set out above, ISNA implemented the following programmes during the reporting period:
Figure 8
Programmes implemented by ISNA
Programme
Objectives
Brief description
Protection and specialist care for children and adolescents whose rights have been violated or with special needs, and for their families
To restore violated or denied rights of children and adolescents and their families to overcome the need arising out of the particular issue or living conditions at the time the right was violated and enforceable.
Temporary or permanent protection and comprehensive and specialist care services are provided in Government or private centres for child or adolescent victims of commercial sexual exploitation, trade in persons, illegal trafficking, child labour, sexual abuse, abandonment, ill-treatment, addiction, HIV, special skills and disaster victims; supporting the biological or extended family or family through marriage, by inter-institutional coordination and catering for risk areas, working with civil society on guidance, support and information to help restore rights.
Care for the social integration of street children and adolescents
To provide a life project and return street children to their families, thereby furthering a social and family rehabilitation process.
Children are offered reintegration alternatives and an alternative to the street in a children’s centre where they receive a model of social and educational care designed specifically for young people living on the street.
Alternative measures and internment of young people in conflict with the Juvenile Criminal Justice Act
Family and social reintegration of young people tried for criminal misconduct or offences
It consists of implementing a framework programme under which young people are offered re-education and vocational training to enable them to rejoin society once they have served their sentence.
Prevention of violation of rights by strengthening the family, inter-institutional coordination and citizens’ participation at national and local level
To promote compliance with children’s and adolescents’ rights by supporting municipal governments through setting up, strengthening and consolidating local protection networks, with a risk-prevention and/or social damage focus, under the ISNA Act and PNDINA’s lines of action.
It consists of coordinating with municipal councils, civil society and government organizations the rights of children to implement projects that directly and specifically benefit children in the municipality, by means of local diagnoses and work plans, child welfare centres, full development centres and initial care homes in connection with parent school support centres and mediation centres.
Registration and assessment of ONGs, governmental organizations and private bodies running children’s programmes
To oversee compliance with child rights in authorized institutions registered with ISNA
Monitoring and assessment of working models applied by the various bodies registered with ISNA, supervising the care, treatment and legal circumstances of children and adolescents benefiting under the programmes; recommending measures or penalties where rights are violated
See Annex III for ISNA’s geographical distribution nationwide.
The following tables show the age and gender distribution of children in ISNA’s care.
Figure 9
Total population in ISNA care by gender (2004, 2005 and 2006)
Gender
2004
2005
2006
Children
%
Children
%
Children
%
Females
3,059
50.9%
3,517
52.4%
3,971
51%
Males
2,945
49.1%
3,197
47.6%
3,855
49%
Total
6,004
100%
6,714
100%
7,826
100%
Figure 10
Population in the care of the ISNA protection subsystem by age group, (2004, 2005 and 2006)
Age group
2004
2005
2006
Children
%
Children
%
Children
%
Age 0 to 3
830
13.8%
816
12.2%
975
12%
Age 3 to 6
790
13.2%
771
11.5%
850
11%
Age 6 to 9
789
13.1%
902
13.4%
1,086
14%
Age 9 to 12
959
16.0%
1,076
16.0%
1,250
16%
Age 12 to 15
1,273
21.2%
1,526
22.7%
1,699
22%
Age 15 to 18
1,188
19.8%
1,491
22.2%
1,829
23%
Age 18 and over
175
2.9%
132
2.0%
137
2%
Total
6,004
100%
6,714
100%
7,826
100%
Source: ISNA’s Child Information System.
In 2004 the Salvadoran Government set up the Youth Secretariat as an institution reporting to the President of the Republic’s Office, specializing in promoting programmes for the rights of adolescents in the field of participation, education, the right to healthy relaxation, prevention of violence, and rehabilitation.
The programmes implemented by this agency include:
Izalco Farm School: This is a voluntary rehabilitation hostel caring for ex-gang-member single mothers and their minor and adolescent children; it has been in operation since March 2005;
Juvenile rescue centres: This is a rehabilitation centre caring for more than 80 former gang members;
Buscando un Camino (Seeking a Path): This programme is being run in conjunction with the private organization Fundación Salvador del Mundo (FUSALMO), which cares for 20 young glue-sniffers in the Centenary Park of the city of San Salvador. The beneficiaries are offered psychological rehabilitation, school coaching, games and practice in giving up their habits;
Recorrido Participativo (Participation Course): This is a preventive health programme for young people using information materials for stimulating group discussion. It is being carried out in support of the National AIDS Commission and is allocated $4,176 a year;
Cine Foro (Cinema Forum): These are training activities that stimulate discussion and learning on themes affecting health development of young people. It has a budget of $4,000 a year;
Health Vacations: These are itinerant public activities offering the opportunity of acquiring or improving knowledge of health, and access to health services. This programme has a budget of $5,000 a year;
Parents’ School: These are television programmes produced by Canal 99 of the Francisco Gavidia Private University and the Youth Secretariat. This activity aims to guide and educate parents and family members to help them mould adolescents’ behaviour by setting a good example. This activity has an annual budget of $4,200;
It set up the “Youth Observatory”. The 2005-2015 National Plan covers the installation of a monitoring system that supervises and guarantees the operational implementation of the proposed public policies. The monitoring system is taking shape with the launch of the Youth Observatory that has quantitative and qualitative measuring tools, such as: the national youth survey; the youth development index; the human development report focusing on young people; and the network of experts and researchers. It should be emphasized that the combination of the National Youth Plan, the Inter-institutional System for Youth and the Youth Observatory provide the country with mechanisms for promoting full development of young people and monitoring and assessing the results.
