The Joining Forces (JF) Alliance, a collaboration between the six (6) biggest children focused agencies Child Fund Alliance, Plan International (lead), Save the Children International, SOS Children’s Villages International, Terre des Hommes International Federation and World Vision International initiated in June 2017 to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for Children while achieving measurable improvements in the lives of children through ending violence against children and advancement of children’s rights.

JOFA Background

The Alliance has recently concluded implementation of the project “Joining Forces for Africa (JOFA) – protecting children during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond” in five countries (Senegal, Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda) across three years (August 2020- 2023). Funded by the European Union (EU) to address and advance protection related issues of children while responding to unfolding humanitarian crisis as a result of COVID-19 and its secondary impacts, the overall objective of the project was to ensure that children and adolescents experience reduced levels of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect.

The specific project objectives were to contribute to the strengthening of national and local protection and response systems; the improvement of protection in resilient families, communities and institutions in the context of COVID-19 and during recovery phase; the increase of capacity and agency of children to prevent and respond to violence against them during COVID-19 crisis and recovery phase; and the increase of learning and sharing of knowledge and best practice related to child protection approaches