child protection in emergencies unicef, procap training 2007
TRANSCRIPT
UNICEF’s mandate
UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights
UNICEF is mandated to promote the survival, protection and development of children.
UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Child protection is one component of broader children’s rights
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
UN Gen Assembly and Security Council, reports and resolutions
Medium Term Strategic Plan incl. protective environment
Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies (CCCs)
UNICEF Policy framework in Emergencies
Humanitarian Reform / Cluster
UNICEF and Cluster Approach
Cluster lead: • WASH (all emergencies)• Nutrition (all emergencies)• Education (with Save Alliance)• de facto Protection lead in natural disasters
Cluster Member:• Health (Lead: WHO)• Protection (Lead UNHCR IDPs in complex
emergencies)» Focal point for area of responsibility of Protection of
children)
Defining Child Protection
Actions to Preventviolence, abuse, exploitation and discrimination
Needs to be addressed: At the levels of all duty bearersWithin traditional sectors such as health, education, water and sanitationWith other partners and actors – social welfare, media, police, FBOs, justice
officials, private sector
Human Rights Based Approach to Programming vs Child Protection• Human Rights Based Approach to Programming is the protection and
promotion of child rights including education, health, development etc• Child Protection is the protection from violence, abuse and exploitation
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), and its 2 Optional Protocols
4Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979)
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984)
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)
Refugee Convention and Protocols of 51 and 67
Convention on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor, ILO Convention 182
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW(IHL)
-- Basic Rule: Children must be given special protection
4
-- Children shall be the object of special respect and shall be protected against any form of indecent assault … Parties to the conflict shall provide them with care and aid they require…(GC IV)
…. And more
The 4 Geneva Conventions of 1948 and 2 additional protocols of ‘77
PRINCIPAL PROTECTION ISSUES FOR CHILDREN IN EMERGENCIES
•PROTECTION FROM PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AND ABUSE
•PROTECTION FROM SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
•PROTECTION FROM PSYCHOSOCIAL DISTRESS
•PROTECTION FROM HIV/AIDS
•PROTECTION FROM RECRUITMENT INTO ARMED FORCES AND GROUPS
•PROTECTION FROM FAMILY SEPARATION
•PROTECTION FROM EXPLOITATION
•PROTECTION FROM REJECTION AND DISCRIMINATION6
UNICEF’s Protection Framework
2 key references:
•Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies (what we have to do)
•Protective Environment (strategy for how to do it)
Core Commitments for Children“The CCCs”
Commitments in relation to: 1. Guiding Principles
2. Progamme commitments– Health and nutrition– Water sanitation and hygiene– Child protection– Education– HIV-AIDs
3. Operational commitments
4. Organisational preparedness and support (HQ and regional offices)
Core Child Protection Commitments
(In summary)
1. Rapid assessment Monitoring Advocate
2. Prevent and respond to separation Support to separated children Trace Families
3. Prevent and respond to GBV [and HIV transmission] Minimise risk in humanitarian assistance
4. Establish safe environments for children Psychosocial support
5. Prevent and respond to child recruitment
6. Coordinate mine risk education
UNICEF’s Protective Environment Overview
Positions protection as a concept and a right.
Illustrates the web of factors and actors influencing protection.
Analytical tool for understanding what impedes child protection.
Practical framework for identifying major barriers to protection.
Supports a human rights approach to protection.
Summary of the 8 elements of the a protective environment
1. Capacity
2. Attitudes, customs, and behaviour
3. Legislation
4. Monitoring and Reporting
5. Services
6. Life skills
7. Open discussion of protection issues
8. Government Commitment
Applying the protective environment
in humanitarian settingsElement
Capacity * *
Attitudes, customs, and behaviour * *Legislation *Monitoring and Reporting * * *
Services * * *Life skills *Open discussion of protection issues *Government Commitment *
Examples?
Applying the protective environment in emergencies
Examples
training teachers, health workers, social workers, lawyers families and communities to early marriage / sexual exploitation laws and recourse to GBVof abductions, attacks on schools…
for family tracing and reintegration knowledge on HIV and prevention of exploitation through child protection committees to releasing children recruited unlawfully
Element
Capacity * *
Attitudes, customs, and behaviour * *Legislation *Monitoring and Reporting * * *
Services * * *Life skills *Open discussion of protection issues *Government Commitment *
Gender-Based Violence
Core Commitments
undertake humanitarian activities to minimizes risk
Monitor, report and advocate
Ensure legal and physical protection
Ensure staff and partners sign the Code of Conduct
Provide supportive environment
Provide post-rape health and psychosocial care and support
Provide confidential services
;
Prot. Env. Element
Capacity * *
Attitudes, customs, and behaviour * *Legislation *Monitoring and Reporting * * *
Services * * *Life skills *Open discussion of protection issues *Government Commitment *
Priority interventions (CCC):
Prevent separation from caregivers
Identify, register and screen health
Register parents and caregivers
Provide care and protection
Support tracing and reunification
Family separation
Prot. Env. Element
Capacity * *
Attitudes, customs, and behaviour * *Legislation *Monitoring and Reporting * * *
Services * * *Life skills *Open discussion of protection issues *Government Commitment *
Psychosocial support
Focused specialized
services
Focused non-specialized
services
Community and family support
Basic services and security
Eg. re-establishing community and family networks
e.g. Advocacy that these
services are put in place
Individual, family or group attention by trained workers
Individuals with intolerable suffering
Priority interventions (CCC)
Seek commitments from parties to refrain from recruiting and using children;
Negotiate the release of children
Monitor, report on and advocate against the recruitment and use;
Introduce demobilization and reintegration programmes
Child recruitment
Prot. Env. Element
Capacity * *
Attitudes, customs, and behaviour * *Legislation *Monitoring and Reporting * * *
Services * * *Life skills *Open discussion of protection issues *Government Commitment * (and NSA)
Protection of children from abuse, exploitation and violence is UNICEF definition of protection
Our commitments (CCCs) require programming to prevention and response to: psychosocial well-being, GBV - HIV, family separation, child recruitment, mine risk
Emerging issues: Use protective environment framework as more effective programming strategic framework to prevent and respond to abuse, exploitation and violence
Our approach focuses on all children affected by emergencies, including settled populations, host communities and IDPs
Key messages