Child Protection Advocacy (CPA)

Children are the most vulnerable group in a lawless country. For over a decade, children in Somalia encountered many forms of abuse and exploitation. Instability is a major factor leading to unemployment - prompting poor livelihood, family breakdown, and numerous other social declines. Thus, children, who are helpless and solely reliant on their elders, suffer the biggest impact. UNICEF conducted a child protection study in 2003, which found serious child protection issues, including:

• Violence against children
• Children without primary caregivers and/or living in orphan homes
• Children on the streets
• Children engaged in hazardous and/or exploitative labour
• Children belonging to disadvantaged groups
• Children with problems affecting their physical, mental and social development
• Children engaged in anti-social or criminal activities

Tadamun Social Society (TASS) has worked with UNICEF to champion child protection in Puntland since 2004. The aim is to prevent violence and exploitation of children and to create a peaceful living environment for Somali children. The project has seen the formation of a child protection committee, education personnel and communities have been educated on best practice with children and support has been provided for children with needs.

Displacement

The status of child-protection in Somalia shows a damning revelation of all manner of violence, discrimination and abuse against children being perpetrated. Furthermore, displacements and destitution resulting from the civil war in Somalia were noted as having weakened the capacity of communities and families to ensure the traditional protection of their children. It is against this grim reality that TASS set out to create a protective environment for children and provide holistic development opportunities for young people. Partnering with UNICEF, TASS initiated a project that addressed the needs of both children and youth in Puntland.

Child Protection Advocates (CPAs)

TASS has an institutional philosophy that transcends people as the primary and greatest of all development resources, to include their creativity, ingenuity and motivation. Working with a creative minority armed with the necessary capacity, convictions and attitudes to boldly engage sticky societal issues, TASS selected child protection advocates. Their training provided a structure and guidelines to assist CPAs in their understanding and performance of their responsibilities. The two-week training incorporated a framework for presentations of child protection, techniques for disseminating Child Protection Study (2003) and guidelines for mobilizing communities in Puntland towards the protection of children.

The child protection project is exercised across all regions in Puntland.

Achievements

• child protection committees formed
• many children in need have been supported
• social attitude have been influenced to improve treatment towards children