THE INTERFACE BETWEEN CHILD PROTECTION & GBV R&P

Siobhán Foran, GenCap Advisor, Global Clusters, Geneva

Overall Objectives…

Child Protection Working Group is to promote, protect and fulfil children’s rights to protection from abuse, exploitation and violence in emergencies as expressed in the UN CRC and other human rights, humanitarian treaties and conventions, as well as national laws.

GBV AoR Working Group is to develop effective and inclusive protection mechanisms which promote a coherent, comprehensive and coordinated approach to GBV at the field-level, including regarding prevention, care, support, recovery, and works to hold perpetrators accountable. These actions will be in line with the IASC Gender-based Violence Guidelines and undertaken in accordance with international humanitarian law and human rights law, and be informed by regional or national legal frameworks in specific country support actions.

The GBV AoR Working Group undertakes its activities within a framework which promotes action based on gender analysis, participation, transparency, partnership, and survivor-centered principles.

Relevant Guiding Principles (1)

The Right to Life; Survival and Development (Art. 6) Adopt measures to

safeguard life Applies to physical

survival and development but also to mental and emotional development.E.g. Early marriage can threaten both the child-mother and her baby to life and to full survival and development

Non-discrimination (Art. 2) Every child within a

State’s jurisdiction, regardless of sex holds all the rights of the CRC

Relevant Guiding Principles (2)

The Best Interests of the Child (Art. 3) Applies to both

decisions relating to individual children and to broader policy matters/decisions relating to groups of children on the issue of GBV response and prevention

Child’s best interests: Objective standards / Subjective opinions

Participation: Children have the right to

influence decisions that will affect their lives – their views must be given “due weight”

Highlights the role of the child as an active participant in the promotion, protection and monitoring of her/his rights.

Recognition that the child can and should have a direct influence (in accordance with their age and maturity) on her/his future.

Forms of GBV Affecting Children

Children most at Risk

Includes but not limited to - Unaccompanied and separated children Children in detention Child soldiers/within armed forces Adolescents Children with a mental and physical disability Working children Girl mothers

ADAPT & ACT - Collectively

Analyse gender differences* Design services to meet the needs of all Access for women, girls, boys and men Participate equally Train women and men equally

and Address GBV in sector programmes Collect, anlyse and report sex- and age-

disaggregated data* Target actions based on a gender analysis

Coordinate actions with all partners

Response Considerations

Establish child-friendly referral, reporting and M&E mechanisms

Health/Medical Needs Psychosocial Needs Security and safety Legal/Justice

Prevention Considerations

Multi-sectoral – need to coordinate with all clusters/sectors

CP and GBV sub-Clusters advocate to ensure that the unique needs of girls and boys are addressed in provision of humanitarian assistance

Examples - WASH – girls are engaged in identifying where sanistation

facilities are established Education – girls and boys participate in consultations to

identify GBV risk factors that result in poor performance, non attendance, drop-out, low self esteem

Rule of Law – full application of provisions of CRC (as appropriate), human rights and humanitarian law as applies to children (‘regardless of sex or age’)

Challenges

Focus on response whereas a wealth of work to be done on prevention (e.g. understanding and promoting the integration of gender mainstreaming throughout humanitarian response as creation of protective environment);

Focus on sexual violence in conflict; Women/girls as victims; men as perpetrators – not

helpful, not true and may ignore men/boys as victims, as well as positive contributions of men/boys – opportunities through education, CP advocacy work, etc.;

Engaging with men in prevention of GBV – opportunities through education, CP advocacy work, etc.