Aangan, Rozan’s oldest program, works on the emotional health of children and youth with a particular focus on Child Sexual Abuse (CSA).
Aangan is an Urdu word that means ‘courtyard’, and as such, represents a secure and safe place for children to play. The program started its work with children and mothers in an effort to raise awareness on CSA. However, keeping in view the strictly-tabooed nature of the subject as well as a need to address this issue with a more holistic and empowering framework for the children and the youth, Aangan now addresses CSA within the overall context of emotional health.
Aangan also works as a resource center on CSA. It carries out its activities by raising awareness in communities on the issue and building the capacity of concerned institutions like schools, hospitals and other NGOs on the subject.
HOW AANGAN WORKS
AWARESNESS RAISING
- Aangan raises awareness on child sexual abuse, child body protection, children’s emotional health, and life skills by conducting orientations and seminars with community groups and schools.
- Aangan also organizes public campaigns to raise awareness on the subject. It has run a series of Campaigns, the most recent being the “Stop CSA” Campaign which involved over 5000 adults.
LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION
Aangan works with schools on life skills education and helps them build an environment which values the emotional development of children. Aangan is currently working with community-based schools and educational institutions of different socio-economic backgrounds like SLS, EMS, and SOS Village around Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Life skills cover the following topics:
| Feelings | Gender | Communication Skills | Self-Esteem & Self Acceptance |
| Anger Management & Conflict Resolution | Tolerance | Body Protection | Sadness |
CAPACITY BUILDING
- Aangan also works on the capacity-building of concerned stakeholders on the issues around CSA.
- Aangan trains CBOs and NGOs to work on the issue of child sexual abuse in their respective communities and has also enhanced the capacity of concerned institutions such as hospitals and schools for addressing the issue at an institutional level.
- Aangan has established Child Protection Committees (CPCs) in 4 peri-urban areas in Rawalpindi:
| Rehmatabad | Dhok Munshi | Quaid Abad | Bangash Colony |
These committees involve community members who work on a voluntary basis and have taken on the responsibilities of conducting awareness-raising sessions with adults on child sexual abuse as well as handling cases of Child Sexual Abuse arising from within their respective communities.
RESEARCH
In an effort to increase knowledge and evidence to support the work of Aangan, the program also conducts small scale studies and secondary data analysis from time to time. In 2002, for example, the program analyzed two hundred letters received by CSA survivors, highlighting the important dynamics of child sexual abuse, such as the age of the child at the time of abuse, its forms, frequency of abuse, the relationship of the child to the abuser, etc. Another study in 2010 explored the knowledge and practices of doctors on child sexual abuse.
PUBLICATIONS
Publications
Animation CDs
| Sr. # | Title |
| 1 | Apni Hifazat Ki Baat Tinku Tina Kay Saath A short animation on body protection for 8-12 years old |
| 2 | Khud Aagahi Ka Safar Tinku Tina Kay Saath A short animation on life skills for 8-12 years old |
| 3 | Khamoshi Ko Torain Tinku Tina Kay Saath A short animation on child sexual abuse for 12-18 years old |
PAST HIGHLIGHTS
- Aangan conducted an awareness raising campaign to launch the animation on life skills titled “Khud Aagahi Ka Safar Tinku Tina Kay Saath” and reached to 5000 children and adults.
- Aangan completed its “Stop Child Sexual Abuse” campaign successfully with 5000 participants.
- Aangan has also developed three cartoon animations, “Tinku Tina I, II and III” to raise awareness on child sexual abuse among parents and children.
