Guiding Principles

Responsibility

We believe that we have an obligation to act when young people’s rights and well-being are threatened. IOFA targets all stages of

risk and exploitation, from the point of prevention to the need for effective response.

Rights

Our work is based on our belief in fundamental human rights, dignity and worth of all people, including adolescents. Our work is

grounded in the Convention of the Rights of the Child.

Youth Participation

Involving youth in all aspects of IOFA’s work empowers young people as community assets and resources and produces more

realistic and effective results. We incorporate the experiences and priorities of youth themselves into all that we do.

Collaboration

We develop responses to prevent and eliminate trafficking and exploitation of young people by engaging and inspiring the

involvement of other individuals, groups, communities, organizations and governments. We build local organizational capacity and

organize coordinated community response mechanisms that leverage local resources, knowledge and expertise.

Innovation

Peer led research assessments enable IOFA to develop creative solutions to the problems facing adolescents. IOFA’s innovative

project concepts and models offer long term sustainability after IOFA’s technical assistance ends.

Strategy

IOFA’s outcome-focused actions are targeted, well-researched, thoroughly planned, and professionally executed to achieve

maximum results. We maintain a small and efficient operational infrastructure that priorities low overhead while making an

investment in securing the expertise and partnerships we need to do our work and achieve our goals.