Fundación Paniamor

Apartado 376-2150 Moravia
San José
Costa Rica

tel: 506-225 5031
fax: 506-234 2956
e-mail: paniamor@nicarao.apc.org

Every nation that aspires to exercise its right to development in a sustainable way must first secure the well-being of the most valuable human resource: children and youth. Guaranteeing their rights and satisfying their needs become essential prerequisites for reaching this ideal.

Yet for complex social, political, economic, and cultural reasons, in Costa Rica --as in other countries-- nonmilitary forms of violence that limit child and adolescent development have been concealed and often legitimated. Such violence ranges from sexual exploitation of children to domestic violence, from child labor to institutional violence, from discrimination to the lack of real opportunities for young people. It hinders the development of our nation.

The PANIAMOR Foundation works to stop this violence.

PANIAMOR is a private, not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization that was founded in Costa Rica in 1987.

The Foundation s purpose is to eliminate the violation of the rights of people under the age of 18 in Costa Rica. By providing information and training service, and engaging in policy advocacy, PANIAMOR promotes social mobilization towards the achievement of its institutional purpose. At PANIAMOR, social mobilization is understood as the planned and strategic implementation of collective practices by members of a social group intended to modify certain social characteristics that condition their lives. Parents and children, community and religious leaders, professionals in key sectors, researchers, politicians, and policy makers are essential participants in the Foundation s proposal for lasting social change.

PANIAMOR executes its programs with the support of a team of professionals in psychology, psychiatry, communications, law, education, philosophy, management, and social work, and the commitment of its administrative staff and volunteers.

WITH A PHILOSOPHY THAT...

Recognizes the leadership potential of children and youth as the basis for the sustainable development of a nation.

Understands that violence includes all actions and omissions that inhibit young people s preferential right to development.

Conceives of education --the core of all PANIAMOR s work-- as the instrument for social change.

AND A STRATEGY THAT...

Selects target groups based on their vulnerability and risk level; or, their capacity to influence decision-makers and produce changes in society.

Seeks new alliances that can improve the impact and the scope of the programs, and the autonomy and permanence of the organization.

Accompanies similar processes in the region because PANIAMOR knows that in an era of globalization, all social change is affected --positively or negatively-- by conditions that respect no national borders.

The mass media has been a strategically in every aspect of the Foundation s works. The media s contribution has been significant in the development of violence prevention campaigns, the dissemination of relevant information, and the convening of other national actors.

PANIAMOR IS... TRAINING

The Training Program...

- consists of three principal components: Child Abuse Prevention (P.A.N.), Justice for Children, and Self-Improvement and Orientation (A.M.O.R.);

- operates along a continuum that on one extreme seeks to combat the vulnerability of children and on the other promotes the development of their human potential. Both ends of the continuum foster the resilience of the populations served.

The objective of the Training Program is to develop the human resources needed to eliminate the violation of the rights of people under the age of 18. Participants in these activities include children, adolescents, and adults who come from diverse regions in the country and represent key sectors of society.

Children
Workshops with pre-school and elementary school children use dramatizations, puppet shows, groups collages, and other participatory techniques. These workshops aim to reinforce the right that children have to a life free of violence. A special module has been developed to work on this issue with disabled children.

Adolescent
Activities with youth are oriented towards strengthening their self-esteem and ability to communicate in an assertive way with others. The training sessions help them recognize and confront situations of risk, and promote the development of support networks by and for young people.

Parents
In PANIAMOR s work with parents, a first objective is that mothers and fathers recognize their children as people with rights. The training modules address the prevention of child abuse and provide innovative educational models that can foster better relationships within families.

Communities
At the community level, PANIAMOR facilitates the organized participation of leaders and groups in the prevention of violence against young people, building on the existing resources and in response to the particular needs of each community.

Professionals in Health Care and Education
These professionals are in a strategic position to collaborate in different ways in the prevention of violence and the defense of the rights of children and youth. PANIAMOR works with these populations in order to maximize their capacity to address such issues.

Professionals in the Justice System
Personnel receive specialized knowledge and techniques that allow them to provide an informed and respectful service for children and adolescent who come into contact with the system. The support of the Supreme Court of Justice, and its Justice School, has been critical for the success of this effort.

Religious Groups
PANIAMOR began its activities in this sector by developing a module in child abuse prevention for catechism instructors and priests in the Catholic Church. The training stresses their important role in the fight against domestic violence. New modules wil be adapted for work with other religious denominations.

PANIAMOR IS INFORMATION...

The Information Program has been designed to promote a process of reflection and action in society. It consists of two components:

Dialogues for Children
These talks on specialized topics motivate group and individual commitment to the integral well-being of children and youth. The topics include, among others, self-esteem and adolescence, abuse prevention, family discipline, assertive communication, and the rights of children.

Pronino Center
The International Center for the Welfare and Rights of the Child, created in 1992, seeks to promote changes in society through the exchange of experiences and knowledge, emphasizing the the participation of young people and the value of an open dialogue between generations.

Pronino offers the following services:

Documentation Center: Compiles and processes specialized information about children, youth, and families and disseminates it strategically in Costa Rica and the region.

The Documentation Center s collection of printed and video-taped materials, classified according to the articles of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, responds to the diverse information needs of elementary, high school, and university students; researchers; institutions; and other members of the community.

Forum: Regularly convenes key social actors for the analysis of current issues, the presentation of research findings, and the generation of proposals for action.

Publications: Publishes pamphlets, training manuals, new research, and the magazine Pronino.

PANIAMOR IS... ADVOCACY AND CONVENING

The effectiveness of the Foundation s work to eliminate the violation of the rights of people under the age of 18 requires the coordinated and integrated action of diverse sectors within a process of social mobilization. The Training and Information Programs contribute to this process. These efforts are complemented with a strong presence of PANIAMOR as facilitator and advocate of legislative, political and social changes of vital significance to the populations we serve. The Foundation does this by...

...establishing alliances with other members of society to develop alternative and alterative policies in response to specific needs of children and youth, and...

...ensuring the genuine participation of children and adolescents in critical policy debates and decisions.