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Children's rights are the foundation of all the work of Save the Children in Ethiopia. Each organisation is committed to improving the lives of children and ensuring their rights to survival, development, participation and non-discrimination are met. Save the Children has mainstreamed children's rights into all its programs and the projects of its partner NGOs. We, therefore, conduct training on children's rights for partners, NGOs, communities and government representatives. Currently, we are also working with the media to ensure the rights of children spread through the radio, TV, and newspapers. Save the Children also conducts research on children's issues and disseminates the findings so that  action is taken to solve the problems.

Save the Children supports initiatives led and run by children and tries to ensure children are able to give their opinions and ideas on matters that affect them. For example, we support child rights clubs in schools. These clubs are managed by children themselves. What is more, we gave the opportunity for children from around the country to comment on the government's National Plan of Action for Children. Children also marched to the Parliament and shared their concerns about the need for more and better schools.

Save the Children is also supporting the government to follow up on its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). We critically assess the laws and try to advocate for change when needed and ensure proper implementation. We are also working to strengthen parliamentary oversight of children's rights. We are supporting the writing of the report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and the alternative report written by NGOs.

We also strengthen the Child Rights Committees at local levels. These committees are followed up to ensure they are pro-actively addressing child rights violations in their communities. In conjunction with that, we support grass-roots structures such as Parent Teacher Associations and community groups that promote and protect children's rights.  In one example, Save the Children is working with communities to put sanctions against people who give their children for marriage before 18 years of age.

Save the Children is working with the criminal justice system to ensure children's rights are respected. Save the Children, the police and a national NGO have established "Child Protection Units" in police stations in several cities of Ethiopia. These are made up of specially trained police and social workers to specifically deal with all children's cases, both as victims and perpetrators. In this way, the violations of children's rights are taken seriously and treated with respect. In addition, Save the Children is working to establish child-friendly courts where children's cases will be tried by specially-trained judges and in an appropriate environment for children. We are working with prisons to ensure children who are in prison with their mothers or fathers are not completely neglected. Save the Children and its partners provide non-formal education in the prisons for the children and their mothers and train guards on children's rights and how to treat children in prison.