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| Developing an International Database
One of CHI's core activities is the collection and analysis of the information that the child helplines have on their contacts with children. This data is CHI’s most valuable resource and the core feature of all the advocacy efforts of the CHI network and the child helplines individually. Without it, CHI would be like a traveller without a road map, as the data reflects the needs of children and, in turn, the needs of child helplines throughout the world. Data collection from child helplines is instrumental in demonstrating the value of child helplines to policy makers, and to identify issues that children face in their lives. For example, in 2008 abuse and violence accounted for 21% of all contacts made to member child helplines worldwide. This shows both that children use child helpline services to report on abuse, and that abuse and violence is a major theme that continuously needs attention from policy makers and practitioners. CHI data shows more in-depth insights by differentiating all major reasons for contact into subcategories. Data from the individual member child helplines is collected in different ways. CHI has therefore developed a Glossary of Child HelplineTerms, to ensure common parameters for child helplines who submit data to CHI. CHI continues to work towards improving standardised data collection amongst members, while respecting individual helpline needs. In data collection the anonymity of the caller is always ensured. Data is collected online. This way child helplines can insert their information easily, while CHI can directly collate and print the data. The data provides information on the most pressing topics and sub-topics faced by children. Connecting to Children CHI is in the unique position of having access to information on what is affecting children in their daily lives, as told by children themselves. CHI collects these voices to demonstrate the important role child helplines play in assisting children, and as a showcase of flaws in existing child protection systems. Our annual publication Connecting to Children presents a compilation of data from member child helplines across Africa, the Americas and Caribbean, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Northern Africa regions. This publication provides information about the child helpline, profiles of the caller and, most importantly, the reasons why children call the helpline, and the method of communication used. Individual member’s data is also presented. Connecting to Children has been published annually since 2003. The importance of this document cannot be over stressed. Connecting to Children provides a comprehensive set of international data that voices the concerns of children in need of care and protection, thereby allowing the CHI global network to influence policy makers to work towards ensuring that the rights of the child are appropriately met. Violence Against Children A second area of data collection concerns violence against children. Child helplines were recommended as a mechanism to address violence and abuse in the the United Nations Violence Against Children Study. Since then, CHI has been following up on the implementation of the recommendations by governments. To this end CHI annually collects additional data from the child helplines in the network on this implementation. Also data on the incidence of violence and abuse from the collection for Connecting to Children is used. For more information on CHI's efforts on violence against children, please click here. Other data efforts To make ultimate use of the richness of the information that child helplines have on children’s issues, CHI also collects data for other projects through the online database. These data collection efforts include the Principles, Standards and Practices checklist and various custom surveys. By integrating various data collection efforts in one database, CHI will be able to make use of this data through statistical cross-linked analyses. Data sharing and advocacy One of CHI’s core advocacy goals has been and remains increasing the recognition of children’s voices on national, regional and international levels. Together with all our members, and supported by our data, Child Helpline International advocates on national and international levels at issue-based conferences, telecom conferences and to international bodies and governments, on issues affecting children’s lives and on child helplines as a protection and participatory tool, for improving child protection services. In 2009 CHI presented papers on issues concerning children at conferences of international organisations and governmental organisations such as ISPCAN, APPCAN, Insafe, the Council of Europe; the International Telecommunications Union and the League of Arab States. Several of these can be found on the news and events pages of CHI. top |
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