Supporting Children Vulnerable to Abuse

EDA focuses on vulnerable children as a group with the lowest levels of well-being and worthy of the greatest investment. The program introduces an analytical framework that looks at the individual and environmental factors that contribute to child vulnerability, as well as the application of resilience-building into policy design with the appropriate government ministry.


EDA as a learning organization develops cross-cutting well-being strategies with a focus on vulnerable children, in order to build their resilience to overcome the range of adversities experienced from an early age. EDA believes that investing in vulnerable children is not only an investment in disadvantaged individuals, families, and communities, it is an investment in more resilient societies and inclusive economies. Since 2009, EDA has addressed and rehabilitated over 18,000 abused, trafficked, and at-risk children and youth in its operational areas.
All EDA programs follow the key indicators set by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) policy recommendations which are stated in three areas for action:
1. EDA Invest in young people and places that have been left behind through

(i) targeted quality childcare, early education, and life-long acquisition of skills;

(ii) effective access to quality health care, protection from abuse and exploitation, and risky movement in collaboration with stakeholders both at the grassroots level and regional and national levels, and

(iii) optimal stakeholders’ participation in the form of a community-led development approach and strategy for sustainable growth.
2. Strengthening, building efficient and responsive community members and structures through

(i) aligned policy packages across the whole system in society and stakeholders;

(ii) integration and mainstreaming the same with the existing project and program implementation; and

(iii) assessing policies for their impact on inclusiveness and growth.