The Girls Empowerment Program is designed to empower girls between the ages of 9 and 19 by helping them understand and claim their rights to education, health, and economic opportunities. As a committed children’s rights NGO and child rights organization, we work tirelessly to challenge and eliminate harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child marriage, and teenage pregnancy.
Through this initiative, CDF contributes directly to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — specifically Goal 3 (Good Health & Well-being), Goal 4 (Quality Education), and Goal 5 (Gender Equality). Our mission goes beyond awareness; we actively build the confidence, knowledge, and leadership skills of girls and young women so they can become advocates for change in their communities.
Using peer-to-peer education, community mobilization, and bold advocacy efforts, we empower young girls to speak up, lead, and shape a future free from violence and discrimination. As an NGO for children’s welfare and a leader in girls’ rights advocacy in Tanzania, we are proud to promote gender equality, drive youth empowerment programs, and support initiatives that focus on protecting vulnerable children across the country.
As a committed and trusted Children’s rights NGO, CDF’s Child Protection and Participation Program works to ensure that all children in Tanzania grow up safe, heard, and free from harm.
In alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3: Good Health, 4: Quality Education, and 5: Gender Equality), the program strengthens both formal and informal child protection and participation systems across the country.
By partnering with government institutions, communities, and key stakeholders, CDF empowers both duty-bearers and right-holders with tools and knowledge to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation, and harmful practices. Whether through our anti-FGM campaigns, efforts to stop child marriage, or broader child advocacy and protection work, CDF remains committed to protecting vulnerable children and building resilient support networks.
Our Men and Boys Engagement Program focuses on engaging men and boys to promote gender equality, child rights, and the overall welfare of women and children. Through this program, we challenge harmful gender norms and promote healthier, more inclusive models of masculinity. The interventions help men and boys understand how issues like gender-based violence, toxic masculinity, and cultural practices such as FGM and child marriage affect not only women and girls but also their health, social, and economic well-being.
This initiative seeks to bring together men to transform their attitude, from perpetrators of violence to becoming active allies in ending violence, promoting child advocacy and protection, and fostering community child support.
Under this strategic theme, Programmes focus on strengthening the capacity of justice system actors, such as investigators, prosecutors, and court officials, to improve how juvenile cases are handled in Tanzania.
As a child rights organization, we work to ensure survivors of abuse and exploitation receive timely justice. This includes reducing case attrition, shortening investigation timelines, and improving access to quality psychosocial support for children recovering from trauma.
Our community child support NGO initiatives and child advocacy and protection efforts all aim to uphold and protect child rights in Tanzania. We are committed to protecting vulnerable children and ensuring justice and dignity for every child.