Protecting Children, Preventing GBV

The main objective of the Protection department is to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violations of any kind towards children, women and girls. Due to the socio-political crisis in the North and South West Regions, which has prevented effective school resumption, the department has been working with UNICEF and Caritas Germany on Child Protection in Emergency (CPE), by creating Child Friendly Space (CFS) in affected communities. This CFS serve as psychosocial support centres with safe environment where children gain livelihood skills in Yogurt production, knitting of baby’s wraps, shoe mending, soap and cake production as well as beads making. These activities helps the children get away from the trauma of the socio-political crisis.

To effectively carryout interventions, the Child Protection and GBV Department works with community based structures in creating a mechanism to respond to any child related issues at the community level, with respect to the SOP in child protection. The department equally handles issues of unaccompanied and separated children; some of whom are put under foster care services while efforts are made to reunite some with their families.
GBV Prevention
On Gender Based Violence (GBV), the department is involved in awareness raising as well as responding to cases by providing shelter and other first line responds to survivors. The Department has worked within different projects in Caritas to ensure vulnerable Women receive the necessary support, to prevent them from exploitation and abuse.
The department is currently working to eliminate all form of GBV through;

1. Working within projects in Caritas to identify and provide vulnerable women with food Assistance, NFIs and psychosocial support.
2. Creation of Adolescent clubs and Adult learning Centers. The adolescents club will be focused on educating young people on GBV as well as provide counselling. While the Adult learning Centers will be dedicated to empowering adult women.
3. Organizing trainings on women empowerment during which women are educated on their rights and the rights of the girl child.
4. Work with the Media by developing programs to enable young people participate in education and sensitization of the public on issues of GBV.