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Strengths of GCN as a network |
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• Rich information gathering and dissemination of materials and information during GCN bi-monthly meetings where more than 50-80 organizations meet to share project achievements, challenges and way forward.
• Goodwill and ability to integrate and work with the media houses, relevant line ministries and government departments to bale to lobby and influence change policies that affect children negatively.
• GCN has an extremely experienced and committed Executive Board and 4 sub-committees for the day-to-day policy direction and guidance of the secretariat.
• An established data base of professionals, for example lawyers, psychologists, social workers, counselors, doctors, peer educators, gender experts, committed lecturers and teachers experienced on child issues and child friendly methodologies.
• Strong commitment of members who are able to fundraise for a course like the Pre-UNGASS conference.
• Commitment of members who participate in volunteer work at GCN offices.
• GCN is a credible network on children issues and embraces Rights Based Programming.
• The wide membership (312 Members) enhances flow of information both horizontally and vertically from local levels to international levels.
• GCN is an “issue-based” network that has the ability to remain focused to achieve desired objectives.
Capacity building of members is done to improve girl child programming. GCN has continuously provided training and technical support for her members. The training needs are identified by the training committee. The research committee also assists in identifying gaps in programming. Training of members is the done according to the recommendations of the two committees. Emergent issues, which warrant training are also identified. An example is child participation.
Lobbying is those activities aimed at influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body to promote or secure the passage of legislation or policies. A network has proved that the use of numbers to impress upon legislators the depth and breadth of support for a particular campaign. Each organization that joins a network enhances the credibility and legitimacy of the campaign, and therefore helps to draw more and more groups into active involvement. An example of the efficacy of lobbying as a network is exemplified by the recently enacted Children’s Act. Members lobbied the government and other members to support the course and the children’s Bill 1995 became an Act of Parliament famously names The Children’s Act 2001 No. 8 of the year 2001.
Since its inception, GCN has come out strongly to carve its image as a proactive pressure group in safeguarding the rights of the girl child. The network, being composed of a membership that work to improve the welfare of the girl child in one way or another has the right ingredients for group interest Advocacy. GCN will take the advantage of the strength of numbers and one voice because like-minded lobbyists stand a better chance of success if they coalesce around a unifying agenda- in this case girl child issues.
On August 23rd 2001, GCN in collaboration with her partners launched the National Movement for Girls- a pre cursor for developing a renewed plan of action for the girl child. The Movement is focusing on lobbying policy makers on issues that affect girls and need to be incorporated in the National Plan of Action. It is also going to evaluate and make recommendations on the impact of girl child programming in Kenya.
Lobbying at the local level is often a very different process than lobbying at the provincial or national levels of governance. Influencing policy making is more applicable at the local level where the process is more personal, the persons to be influenced are more "available", and the number of legislative proposals are more manageable. These legislative proposals need to get to the legislators at the National level.
GCN gets issues from the regions that need lobbying and as the National secretariat lobby parliamentarians. A major challenge is that girls' issues were not considered a priority in the Outcome Document in New York. The Outcome Document contains the commitments that the world has made to children for the next decade. However, GCN felt that girls' issues can be included in the National Plan for Action. Therefore the GCN regions came up with region-specific issues that affect girls in the region. These issues will be discussed at the National Consensus Meeting and they will be included in the National Plan of Action.
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Strengths of GCN as a network