INSPIRE Working Group

INSPIRE Working Group

INSPIRE: Seven strategies for ending violence against children is an evidence-based technical package to support countries in their efforts to prevent and respond to violence against children aged 0-17 years. The package includes the core document describing what the INSPIRE strategies and interventions are; an implementation handbook that provides details on how to implement the interventions, and a set of indicators to measure the uptake of INSPIRE and its impact on levels of violence against children. The strategies will advance efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal target 16.2 to end all forms of violence against children. They are based on the best available evidence of what works, and include:

1. Implementation and enforcement of laws: such as those limiting access by young people to firearms and other weapons and those criminalizing the violent punishment of children by parents;
2. Norms and values: by changing beliefs and behaviours around gender roles;
3. Safe environments: by targeting violent “hotspots” and enhancing the built environment, for example, by improving housing;
4. Parent and caregiver support: such as the provision of training in parenting;
5. Income and economic strengthening: including microfinance combined with training around gender norms;
6. Response and support services: such as treatment programmes for juvenile offenders;
7. Education and life skills: for example, establishing a safe school environment and improving children’s life and social skills.

About INSPIRE Working Group:
The INSPIRE Working Group is co-led by WHO and the Care and Protection of Children Learning Network. Its role is to provide leadership in the implementation of INSPIRE-related interventions; harmonize the work of members to achieve collective impact; identify emerging implementation support opportunities, and generate, collect and share new evidence on what works to address violence against children. Members include representatives from UN agencies; bilateral agencies; international professional associations; NGOs; governments; philanthropic foundations and academia. The roles and functions of the INSPIRE Implementation Working Group are:

• provide leadership in the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions/programs for preventing and responding to violence against children
• harmonize the work of members to achieve collective impact
• foster relationships among relevant stakeholders and provide a platform for knowledge sharing and information management
• set priorities for collective action
• assist “priority” countries in producing national action plans
• regularly monitor the effectiveness of implementation of the INSPIRE package
• identify emerging implementation support opportunities
• periodically report on the implementation activities undertaken by IWG members
• generate, collect and share new evidence and work towards the development of INSPIRE 2.0

Please click here for the DRAFT Working Group Terms of Reference.

Working Group Membership:
Members of the Working Group are individual representatives from the following constituencies that are committed to implementing INSPIRE-related programs: United Nations agencies; bilateral agencies; International professional associations; CSOs; Government representatives; Philanthropic foundations and Academics.  The current IWG has grown from 10 to over 100 agencies (220 individuals) between 2016 and 2018 indicating tremendous interest and need for a coordinating mechanism. Membership will remain informal with a potential of transforming into a community of practice over time. The Working Group is chaired by the World Health Organization  and CPC Learning Network and managed by a small IWG Secretariat that also includes the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children and the CDC.

Advisory and Operational Support Team:
The Advisory and Operational Support Team serves as the voice and decision-making arm of the full membership and represents a diverse pool of members constituted of UN agencies, governments, International NGOs, National NGOs, Community Groups, FBO, etc. The group will have a maximum of 15 members (nominated and appointed by the Chairs) and meet every 8 weeks to guide the overall work of the Working Group and provide operational support as needed. Members of the Advisory and Operational Support Team can be self-nominated, nominated by INSPIRE Working Group members, or by the chairs.

Membership Application:
INSPIRE Working Group welcomes members from the above mentioned agencies. Members from low- to middle-income countries are strongly encouraged. Please fill out the online application to express your interest!

Member Benefits:
Members are given an opportunity to play an active role in INSPIRE implementation, receive regular email updates on implementation activities at global and country levels, key member announcements, funding, learning and direct-action opportunities, including occasional trainings, events and webinars. Additionally, all members will be provided an opportunity to share relevant (as determined by the coordinator) updates with the full membership.

INSPIRE Fund:
The INSPIRE Working Group has also launched a call for proposals to support INSPIRE awareness-raising and engagement activities in low- and middle-income countries. Funding is made possible by the New Venture Fund and Ignite Philanthropy: Inspiring the End to Violence Against Girls and Boys. To learn more and apply, please visit the INSPIRE Fund page!

INSPIRE Calendar of Events:

Please direct any questions and issues to:
Nicolas Makharashvili
Coordinator, INSPIRE Working Group
Senior Program Officer, CPC Learning Network | Columbia University
onm2003@cumc.columbia.edu