Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse
Eight elements of a protective environment
Attitudes, traditions, customs, behaviour and practices
The environment will not be protective for children in societies where attitudes or traditions facilitate abuse. For example, if attitudes condone adults having sex with minors or violence against children, this facilitates abuse. Children are more likely to be protected in societies where all forms of violence against children are taboo and where the rights of children are broadly respected by custom and tradition.
Some country examples
In Djibouti, UNICEF has supported sensitization and social mobilization around female genital mutilation (FGM) through the training of religious and community leaders and advertisements against FGM on television and radio.
In Nepal, UNICEF is working to increase parents’ awareness of the harmful effects of child labour through a parenting education initiative, and to give children between the ages of three and five a safe, encouraging place to learn and play in community-based child development centres. In 1999, 50,000 parents and caregivers participated in the initiative.
Governmental commitment to fulfilling protection rights
Government commitment to respecting, protecting and fulfilling child protection is an essential element of a protective environment. Very often governments will deny that there is a problem in their country, when in reality exploitation of children is found all around the world. Instead, governments need to show commitment to creating strong legal frameworks that comply with international legal standards, policies and programmes and enforcing and implementing them to protect children.
Some country examples
The Governments of Cote d’Ivoire and Mali have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on international trafficking in children – the first such agreement to be signed in Africa. It identifies areas for cross-border co-operation in combating child trafficking, including repatriating trafficked children and detecting and tracking child trafficking networks.
At the global level, UNICEF, together with UNAIDS and the UN’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS, held a meeting on children orphaned and affected by HIV/AIDS convened by Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel in Johannesburg, South Africa, in September 2002. It was the first time high-level actors who were working in the frontline of the response to the orphans issue in Africa had been brought together. The meeting reflected on the magnitude and nature of the unfolding crisis, explored the reasons underpinning the inadequacy of the current response and agreed on a number of actions to bring about a major positive change in the response in sub-Saharan Africa.
Open discussion and engagement with child protection issues
At the most immediate level, children need to be free to speak up about child protection concerns affecting them or other children. At the national level, media attention and civil society engagement with child protection issues strengthen a protective environment. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) need to take up protection as a priority. The silence must be broken.
Some country examples
In Guatemala, UNICEF supported the Human Rights Ombudsperson's Office in forming Municipal Boards for the Protection of Children's Rights. The Boards receive accusations of violence and abuse and other forms of violations of children's rights, and mediate conflicts around the rights of children within the family, the community, school and the private sector.
In Senegal, UNICEF provided financial and communication support to local NGO's which helped create the movement against female genital mutilation/cutting. In January 1999, the Parliament of Senegal approved legislation to ban FGM/C.
Protective legislation and enforcement
An adequate legislative framework designed to protect children from abuse, its implementation and enforcement are essential elements of a protective environment.
Some country examples
In Vietnam, UNICEF has worked with the Government and non-governmental partners to develop the 1998 Government Decree on Civil Registration which establishes children’s right to registration. To support implementation of the law, civil registrars at district and commune/ward levels were trained in children's rights and government regulations on birth registration.
Globally, UNICEF supports governments to commit to international standards like International Labour Organization Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, which has been ratified by 132 governments as of November 2002. UNICEF also assists governments in ensuring that laws are in place to prosecute employers who take advantage of children through, for example, forced or bonded labour.
The capacity to protect among those around children
Health workers, teachers, police, social workers and many others who interact with children need to be equipped with the motivation, skills and authority to identify and respond to child protection abuses. The capacity of families and communities to protect their children is essential in a protective environment.
Some country examples
In Egypt, UNICEF worked with the Ministry of Insurance and Social Affairs to conduct a baseline survey in 26 villages to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of families with regard to female genital mutilation. UNICEF then supported the Ministry in creating a group of advocates against female genital mutilation including social workers, members of non-governmental organizations and religious leaders. Other activities included training physicians, nurses and outreach health home visitors to warn families of the dangers of female genital mutilation.
In Romania, UNICEF has sought to prevent child abandonment through by working with maternity hospitals. They have provided counselling and material support for 765 pregnant women and mothers in difficult circumstances, enabling them to keep their children. Support for foster families and family-like homes has prevented some children from being institutionalized.
In Niger, UNICEF advocated against early marriage through training village chiefs, producing dramas in local languages and broadcasting them on radio and TV, sketches followed by open discussions with rural populations. UNICEF also trained staff in a hospital that offers services to girls suffering medical complications following early pregnancies, many of whom had been married early.
Children’s life skills, knowledge and participation
Children are less vulnerable to abuse when they are aware of their right not to be exploited, or of services available to protect them. With the right information, children can draw upon their knowledge, skills and resilience to reduce their risk of exploitation.
Some country examples
In India, children participated in a training session designed to influence police in their approach to children’s issues such as drug addiction, street children and sexual exploitation. The children participated in the training as “resource persons” to help Bangalore police learn about life on the street from a child’s point of view. The children and police worked together with UNICEF to create a more child-friendly approach to police interventions.
In Thailand, UNICEF supported the Office of the National Commission on Women's Affairs in organizing a ‘Youth Camp for Ending Violence against Children and Women.’ The Youth Camp helped build up youth networks and strengthen the capacities of local agencies to provide protection against domestic violence to children and women. After the training, participants were appointed as youth volunteers, monitoring violence against children, youth and women in their communities.
Monitoring and reporting
An effective monitoring system records the incidence and nature of child protection abuses and allows for informed and strategic responses. Such systems are more effective where they are participatory and locally-based.
Some country examples
There are now more than 170 village committees that raise community awareness and report cases of sexual or other abuse of children in Benin. The first village committees were created in August 1999 following research undertaken by the Government of Benin and UNICEF, and a plan to decentralize activities against child trafficking. Each Committee assigns one member to track the number of children in the village. The Committee then contacts the police immediately when a child is discovered to be missing and monitors the re-integration of children who return to their villages.
In Sri Lanka, UNICEF has interviewed children released by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) confirming that they had indeed been with the LTTE and have now been returned to their families. UNICEF is developing an action plan for the social reintegration of these children, including helping them return to school and gain access to vocational training. UNICEF and the LTTE have also agreed to develop procedures for monitoring and preventing child recruitment in the future, and agreed to the continued release of any under-age recruits still with the LTTE.
In Nepal, UNICEF has initiated community surveillance systems and para-legal communities working against child trafficking in 14 districts. UNICEF has helped establish women’s cells in district police offices and has supported hostel facilities and rehabilitation centres for sexually-abused and working children.
Services for recovery and reintegration
Child victims of any form of neglect, exploitation or abuse are entitled to care and non-discriminatory access to basic social services. These services must be provided in an environment that fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.
Some country examples
In Bangladesh, UNICEF, working with local non-governmental organizations and donors, initiated steps to establish an ‘Acid Survivors’ Foundation’ for young women who have had acid thrown on their faces. (Acid throwing is a form of domestic violence perpetrated against girls and women.) The programme trained local doctors to treat victims and established an ancillary nursing facility to care for the survivors. As part of the effort, UNICEF and partners started a campaign to encourage adolescent male youth to advocate against violence.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNICEF participated in the demobilization of nearly 300 child soldiers, initiated in December 2001 by President Joseph Kabila. The children were placed in a temporary transit centre, under the care of the National Bureau of Demobilization and Reintegration and a group of partners, including UNICEF who was the only financial contributor.
At the same time, the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD-Goma) signed a plan of action with UNICEF for the demobilization of 2,600 child soldiers in 2002. In April 2002, the first 104 child soldiers were released to UNICEF and its partners and were placed in transit centres for three months while their families were traced. UNICEF is still advocating with the government and opposition armed groups to ensure that all child soldiers are demobilized.
