Since the beginning of the PRIDE project in April 2020, more than ten volunteers have already been deployed in the field. Among them, more than half are “South-South” volunteers. This innovative practice allows us to mobilise expertise from our countries of intervention to support and strengthen our partners, in addition to Canadian deployment. South-South cooperation makes the volunteer cooperation programme more visible and brings us a closer to achieving the sustainable development goals.
What is South-South cooperation? It is the sharing of expertise, knowledge and skills between a person from one of our countries of intervention of the PRIDE project and a local partner from another country of intervention.
This innovative practice enhances local and regional solutions, while promoting the invaluable contribution of an expert able to understand certain local issues and thus promote a response adapted to the context.
In the context of limited travel between countries, particularly in certain regions of the world such as North America, South-South cooperation makes it possible to launch key actions of the PRIDE project and allows us to start supporting and strengthening our partners now, and in appropriate sanitary measures.
«For me, carrying out a South-South cooperation mandate is a real opportunity for discovering, meeting and sharing knowledge on children’s rights but also on many other topics. Through my modest person, this mandate also contributes to strengthening the ties between the communities of Togo and Burkina Faso. I take great professional and personal satisfaction from carrying out this South-South cooperation mandate.».
Mahamadi Oubda, Volunteer – Security and Child Rights Advisor to WAO-Afrique in Togo
« South-South cooperation is important as it allows for interaction and exchange between child protection actors from the same part of the world and with quite similar realities in terms of legal advancement and development. It is a very fruitful and rich learning experience.»
Bruno Sadila , Volunteer – Security and Children’s Rights Advisor to Keoogo in Burkina Faso
Bruno Sadila and a nurse from the centre in front of Keoogo’s clinic
In addition to organisational support, the work of the volunteers within the framework of PRIDE allows for the gradual strengthening of collaboration and coordination between all the sectors and actors involved, in order to build a child protection system that respects the rights and needs of children in all circumstances.
The contribution of South-South cooperation is thus considerable in bringing a new and different perspective to that of the Canadian volunteers, and allowing an exchange of good practices between countries that are different in their culture but sometimes close in their needs in terms of child protection.
What is PRIDE?
- More than 270 mandates, spread over 7 years, ranging from a few days to several months, which will be carried out by volunteers, specialists ready to put their time and expertise at the service of children’s rights.
- 33 partners, working in the field of child protection, whose action will be strengthened thanks to the support of volunteers and exchanges built up within the framework of the project.
- 11 countries of intervention :
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Senegal, Togo
- North Africa: Morocco, Tunisia
- Latin America: Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Peru
- The creation of a network of local and national actors, organisations and institutions, working towards a common goal, to foster exchanges and mutual reinforcement.
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