KAACR in partnership with Save the Children through Canada International Development Agency (CIDA) grant participated in a five year (2011 – 2016) Children Lead the Way project given its past experience in advocating for children rights through various child participation initiatives but with specific reference the SCREAM Network and the knowledge gained from MV Foundation, India on Child Labour Free Zones through partnership with Stop Child Labour Campaign International.

KAACR is a network agency, that has taken a leading role among the NGO Community in Kenya in advocating on inclusion of children’s rights s in the reform process that has resulted in a section of children being realized on the chapter on Fundamental Rights in the current Constitution of Kenya.

KAACR worked towards the goal of securing the rights of girls and boys to protection, education, survival and health in Kenya through two pronged objectives that contributed to sustainability of the project through capacity building and life skills promotion by understanding and practicing meaningful child participation by partners, children and communities in the three focus Sub-Countes – Naivasha, Thika and Meru.

The objectives were: –

• To advocate for creation of awareness on the National Child Protection Framework (policies and legislations) in Kenya in relation to children in need of special protection especially working children and children affected by HIV/AIDS
• To build the capacity of the implementing partners of Children Lead the Way on children rights, child participation and creation of Child labour free zones

The Outcomes realized were: –

• Increased knowledge of policy makers on need to address the situation of working children
• Increased collaboration among partners working for and with working children
• Increased discourse and discussion at national level on strategies for addressing situation of working children
• Enactment of policies and review/incorporation of child-focused legislations
• Increased capacity of children agencies on working to address the plight of working children from the project areas
• Increased meaningful participation of children (girls and boys) in informing policies and programs for working children
• Establishment of at least two Child Labour Free Villages in the target districts