DCI-Egypt, a member of the DCI federation, is an independent non-governmental organization (NGO) established in 2000. It seeks to improve conditions for Egyptian children in conflict with the law, while also lobbying policy-makers for a better legal framework to serve children. Its vision is a society in which all children enjoy their rights, free from any form of discrimination.

The organization works by lobbying national governments and international agencies, providing training and education on children’s rights within the community, working directly with children’s rights organizations, and monitoring and documenting violations.
DCI-Egypt focuses its broad expertise in children’s matters on the most important areas: economic rights, health and welfare, sexual exploitation and abuse. By focusing on these areas, DCI-Egypt:

• improves legal conditions for Egyptian children;
• coordinates demands for children’s rights with other human rights organizations;
• monitors and identifies abuses and violation trends;
• lobbies decision-makers for policies that improve and protect children’s rights;
• mobilizes public opinion to demand children’s rights locally within the community and nationally by the legal system.

DCI-Iraq joined the DCI federation and became a registered, non-governmental organization (NGO) in 2005. It fosters understanding of and commitment to all human rights, including children’s rights and works with civic and political institutions to establish an Iraqi society that supports this mission.

Beyond training and educating children about their rights, DCI-Iraq, working alone and with partners, implements programs for change in the following key areas:

• expanding demand for human rights principles;
• building awareness of democratic processes within the community and supporting fair and transparent regional and national elections
• increasing Iraqi NGOs’ capacity for promoting human and, especially, children’s rights
• fighting all forms of violence, discrimination and sectarianism;
• ending violence against women and girls;
• improving basic health care knowledge

In Jordan, DCI works with an affiliated partner, the Jordanian Women’s Union (JWU), to promote and protect children’s rights.

Based in Amman, the JWU is a democratic, non-governmental organization that seeks to improve the status of women within Jordanian society. Established in 1945, it has strong regional and international ties with other women’s rights organizations and has operated continuously since 1990.

While promoting women’s rights, the JWU formed a Committee for Children’s Rights to promote and uphold the principles enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and international law. The Committee monitors and documents violations of children’s rights within Jordan, collects data, and issues reports.

In 1996, the Committee established The Children’s Guesthouse, a center that offers a comfortable and non-confrontational environment where separated or divorced parents can meet with their children. It also offers conflict resolution services to parents.

DCI-Libya is an independent, non-governmental organization founded in 2000. It promotes children’s rights within Libya by raising awareness within civil society and governmental institutions.

DCI-Libya:

• promotes a supportive legal and social environment for children locally and nationally;
• increases children’s rights awareness in government institutions and among the general population;
• monitors and documents children’s rights abuses;
• helps parents and legal guardians to provide children with a suitable home environment;
• lobbies to amend and improve existing legislation and regulations concerning children to comply with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

DCI-Mauritania, a member of the DCI federation, was launched in 1999 as the Mauritanian Association for the Health of Mother and Child and now operates as an independent, non-governmental organization.

DCI-Mauritania protects and advances the rights of vulnerable women and children in the areas of health, education, employment, and social care. To that end, it:

• reduces maternal and child mortality rates;
• contributes to the fight against HIV and AIDS;
• tackles violence and abuse of women and children; 
• defends women’s and children’s rights.

DCI-Morocco, founded in 1995, promotes and protects children’s rights. It began by providing help and support to homeless children and has expanded to serve children in difficult domestic circumstances or otherwise experiencing problems at home.

Since 2008, DCI-Morocco continues to expand its training and expertise in childhood development and support for homeless children and now runs three programs addressing these needs. It also works with other Moroccan and international organizations to raise awareness and to develop rights-based programs.

DCI-Sudan, founded in 2002, became a full member of the DCI federation in 2012. It educates children and the community about the importance of recognizing and enforcing children’s rights, and it supports democratic development in Sudanese society.

The organization supports existing children’s rights researchers and practitioners operating in Sudan by facilitating access to materials and resources and providing documentation and information.

DCI-Sudan also lobbies and influences policy-makers to enact legislation that protects and promotes children and their rights in line with international law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Founded in 1997, DCI-Tunisia works to embed children’s rights awareness within Tunisian society in the areas of health, education, and participation.

DCI-Tunisia’s many programs and projects further children’s rights within Tunisian communities and in government, when it:

• Conducts anti-violence training sessions, raises awareness, and lobbies ;
• Educates children and young people to make good decisions, improve their communication skills, and build goods relationships with those around them;
• Organizes and participates in children’s rights conferences;
• Brings mobile health care units and recreational activities to children living in rural areas and refugee camps.

DCI-Yemen began in 2001 as a local non-profit organization working for children’s rights and became a member of the DCI federation in 2012. It addresses children’s rights violations and abuses across Yemen by providing legal and social assistance and promoting a culture of human and children’s rights awareness in communities and the government.

DCI-Yemen runs a number of popular programs including the Children’s Parliament program that improves children’s understanding of the democratic system and of their rights within it.

Defense for Children International - Palestine is committed to securing a just and viable future for Palestinian children in the occupied territories.

For more than twenty years, we have supported and advocated for this child population: investigating and documenting grave human rights violations, holding both Israeli and Palestinian authorities to account, and providing legal services to children in urgent need. We will continue to demand national and international bodies enact stronger measures to safeguard this vulnerable demographic of Palestinian society.

Learn more here.