Vulnerable Children

Description

Vulnerable Children funding supports the care and protection of the most vulnerable children around the world. It focuses on children separated from their families or at risk of separation, and supports children living and working on the street, in institutional care, affected by war, children with disabilities, and blind children.

What Does This Buy?

Funds the Displaced Children and Orphans Fund (DCOF) at USAID. Funds also support programs that reduce the risks to vulnerable children and help communities, NGOs, and governments that provide services and protections.

Justification for the Request

• In FY 2015, Vulnerable Children funding provided care and support for over 5.5 million orphans and vulnerable children and their families.
• Since its inception in 1989, the DCOF has provided more than $237 million to support projects for vulnerable children in more than 45 developing countries. The DCOF provides care and protection to vulnerable children particularly those separated from their families or at risk of losing family care.
• Funds will assist in developing strategies outlined in the Action Plan for Children in Adversity. Funding will be allocated to support the following objectives:
  • Help children under 5 years of age not only survive, but thrive, by supporting comprehensive programs that promote sound development of children through the integration of health, nutrition, and family support,
  • Support and enable families to care for their children, prevent unnecessary family-child separation, and promote appropriate, protective, and permanent family care, and
  • Prevent, respond to, and protect children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect.
• Fifty percent, or 1 billion, of the world’s children experience violence every year.
• More than 30 million children are internally displaced as a result of conflict or persecution and approximately 8 million children live in institutions.2
• Over 93 million children have a disability. These children are less likely to attend school, more likely to be institutionalized, suffer physical abuse, and experience ill health and malnutrition.

U.S. Interest

• Estimates place the global economic impact of physical, psychological, and sexual violence against children as high as $7 trillion.
• Providing safety and security for vulnerable children supports U.S. efforts to address violence and mitigate its impacts.

Bold Vision

• Additional investments could prevent and address violence against children and amplify gains made by interventions in health, education, and other sectors. The United States invests only 0.5% of its official development assistance to programs that prevent and address violence against youth. This small amount provides meaningful returns, ensuring that the next generation is healthy, safe, and emotionally and physically able to become productive members of society.
• Additional investments would allow the U.S. to continue financing and providing technical assistance for the care and protection of vulnerable children.

Impact of Cuts

• Cuts would undermine U.S. efforts to address violence and mitigate its impacts.
• Unaddressed exposure to violence disrupts the development of critical brain structure and other organs, leaving children at life-long risk of disease and reduced potential. These negative impacts undermine U.S. investments in development, such as education, economic empowerment, and maternal and child health.