Legislators for Child Protection and Governance Innovation
The Karuna Fellowship is a pioneering leadership and governance program of the Asian Institute for Child Protection (AICP), designed to empower city and municipal legislators to champion the rights, safety, and well-being of every child through compassionate, data-driven, and AI-enabled governance.
Rooted in the Asian value of Karuna — compassion that acts — the Fellowship builds the capacities of local lawmakers to design, legislate, and institutionalize child protection systems that are responsive, evidence-based, and future-ready.
Through a year-long journey of learning, collaboration, and innovation, the Karuna Fellowship transforms legislators into Child Protection Champions who bridge empathy with technology, compassion with policy, and governance with human dignity.
Across Asia, local governments are the frontlines of child protection — yet many lack the frameworks, digital tools, and interagency systems to act decisively.
While national laws provide the structure, it is in cities and municipalities where protection truly happens — or fails to happen.
Local legislators influence:
The creation and funding of child protection ordinances
Oversight of local welfare offices, education, and health systems
Partnerships with schools, communities, and civil society
The Karuna Fellowship strengthens these local pillars by cultivating leaders who combine moral courage, institutional insight, and digital intelligence to ensure that every child is safe, seen, and supported.
The Karuna Fellowship aims to:
Build Child-Centered Legislative Leadership
Equip legislators with rights-based frameworks, systems thinking, and AI-supported analysis to advance child protection.
Institutionalize Child Protection in Local Governance
Integrate protection measures into local plans, budgets, and accountability systems, supported by data and digital tools.
Foster Compassionate and Collaborative Governance
Strengthen partnerships among legislators, social welfare officers, educators, law enforcement, and youth advocates.
Promote Innovation and Learning in Child Protection
Support small-scale pilot projects, policy prototypes, and AI-assisted innovations through mentorship and microgrants.
The Fellowship welcomes:
City and Municipal Legislators — Councilors, Vice Mayors, or Committee Chairs on Social Services, Education, Health, or Youth
Legislative Staff and Policy Advisors supporting local councils
LGU Teams working to institutionalize or digitalize local child protection systems
Applicants should demonstrate compassion, leadership potential, and a commitment to evidence-informed policy and action.
The Karuna Fellowship runs for twelve months, combining hybrid learning, mentorship, and digital innovation.
Fellows engage in a Child Protection Challenge Project that uses both human-centered and AI-assisted methods to diagnose, design, and deliver protection solutions in their localities.
Learning Modules Blended learning on child rights, protection systems, local legislation, budgeting, and interagency coordination. Delivered through AICP’s digital learning platform, integrating AI copilots for knowledge synthesis and local data analysis.
Innovation and Action Labs Fellows co-design and prototype solutions to local protection challenges using PDIA (Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation) and AI-supported mapping or visualization tools.
Mentorship and Coaching Guidance from experts in child protection, governance, and digital transformation.
Peer Learning and Exchange Visits Exchange visits to model child-friendly LGUs and learning sessions with other fellows through online collaboration spaces.
Karuna Summit Culminating event where Fellows present their AI-supported policy innovations and local implementation outcomes.
The Fellowship follows a cycle that connects compassion with systemic change and intelligent action:
See Clearly – Use data and local narratives to map risks and gaps in child protection.
Feel Deeply – Engage with children’s experiences and community voices through participatory methods.
Think Systemically – Use systems thinking and AI-supported tools to visualize interconnections and leverage points.
Act Boldly – Design ordinances, budgets, and digital systems that address real problems.
Sustain Change – Institutionalize innovations into local plans, budgets, and monitoring mechanisms.
Upon completion, Fellows will have:
Authored or co-authored child protection ordinances and resolutions
Allocated budget lines or institutionalized funding for protection programs
Strengthened Local Child Protection Committees (LCPCs) and cross-sector data systems
Initiated one or more pilot projects using AI tools for analysis, tracking, or community reporting
Joined the Karuna Network of Child Protection Legislators — a regional community of practice promoting AI-assisted child protection governance
Professional certification from the Asian Institute for Child Protection
Mentorship from experts in governance, child protection, and AI ethics
Visibility and recognition through the annual Karuna Summit
Continued access to the Karuna Digital Learning Platform and alumni network
Application Period: [Insert Dates]
Cohort Launch: [Insert Month, Year]
Application Requirements:
Completed online application form
One-page concept note describing a child protection issue in the applicant’s locality
Letter of support from the Mayor or Vice Mayor