Programme

Child protection

For every child, safety

A young girl standing in fornt of a window with her text book in her hand
UNICEFEthiopia/2025/Mulugeta Ayene
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For every child, safety

Every child has the right to grow up safe, protected and free from violence, exploitation, abuse, neglect and harmful practices. In Ethiopia, UNICEF works with the Government, communities, civil society organizations and development partners to strengthen child protection systems and ensure that children at risk receive timely, quality support and services.

Through a systems-strengthening approach, UNICEF prevents and responds to violence against children, gender-based violence (GBV), child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM), while expanding birth registration and access to survivor-centered protection services. UNICEF also supports children affected by conflict, displacement, migration and other humanitarian crises.

These efforts contribute to stronger protection systems, greater accountability for children's rights, reduced protection risks, expanded opportunities for girls, and improved access to quality services for vulnerable children and women.

The Challenge

In Ethiopia, children continue to face risks arising from violence, harmful practices, displacement, family separation and limited access to essential protection services. With an estimated population of more than 138 million people in 2026, children account for nearly half of Ethiopia’s population. Despite progress in recent years, violence against children, child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), family separation, migration-related risks and limited access to services continue to affect millions of children. Conflict, localized insecurity, climate-related shocks and displacement further increase exposure to abuse, exploitation, neglect and psychosocial distress. 

Key facts 

  • According to the 2024/25 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS), 24% of women aged 15–49 have experienced physical violence since age 15. 
  • The 2022 Violence Against Children and Youth Survey reported sexual violence affecting both girls and boys, with low levels of service-seeking among survivors. 
  • Birth registration among children under five increased from 3% in 2016 to 31%, although disparities remain (EDHS 2025). 
  • Ethiopia hosts approximately 1.1 million refugees, around 60% of whom are children. 
  • Child marriage and FGM remain significant protection concerns despite declining prevalence; currently, prevalence of child marriage is 32%, and FGM prevalence is 58% among women aged 15 – 49 and 41% among girls aged 15 – 19 (EDHS 2025) 

Solutions

A young girl standing firm with her friends in the back
UNICEF Ethiopia/2026/ Nisebiho Asrat

UNICEF’s Response 

UNICEF supports the Government of Ethiopia and partners to strengthen child protection systems at national, regional and community levels. UNICEF works across development and humanitarian settings to prevent violence, strengthen services and improve institutional capacity. 
 
We work towards an Ethiopia where all children have a legal identity from birth, expanding civil registration and vital statistics systems that register births timely. 

We advance integrated child protection systems that prevent and respond to violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect through case management, referrals, social service workforce strengthening and community-based protection mechanisms, and support GBV prevention, mitigation and response services for women and children in conflict- and disaster-affected areas. 
 
UNICEF supports implementation of the Second National Costed Roadmap to End Child Marriage and FGM (2026–2030), working with government institutions, community leaders, women’s groups and young people to address child marriage and FGM and expand opportunities for girls. 
 
In emergency and migration contexts, we make sure protection risks are considered in preparedness, early warning and anticipatory action, and continuity of child protection services is guaranteed for children in crisis, including family tracing and reunification, mental health and psychosocial support, alternative care services, and child-sensitive migration management that protects refugee, internally displaced, migrant, unaccompanied and separated children.