SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION OF BOYS IN SOUTH ASIA A ...

and access to resources among stakeholders, continue to discourage the collaboration needed
for holistic attention to abuse and exploitation.
Yet despite these limitations, numerous quality programmes can be found in South Asia.
They deliver adequate services and effectively improve the lives of abused and exploited
children. At the same time, almost none of these programmes are replicated, and successful
interventions are not taken to scale. One constraint is the difficulty in disseminating skills and
experience, given the lack of linkages between stakeholders and a general reluctance to share
experiences and ideas. This could be addressed through planned exchanges of expertise
between organizations and programmes. The concept of ‘good practices’ also provides an
opportunity to disseminate successful interventions. However, to date the concept of ‘good
practices’ has frequently been used by NGOs for advocacy and fundraising, without providing
clear evidence of the impact of these programmes. As yet no requirements exist for
designating a programme as a ‘good practice’, such as an independent evaluation, nor are
there established criteria for assessing programme effectiveness in addressing issues such as
trafficking, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.
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