Protection

Mapping Child Protection Systems in Place for Palestinian Refugee Children in the Middle East, August 2011

Palestinian refugee children growing up in the context of the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict are particularly vulnerable and in need of protection. This report aims at describing and analysing existing protection mechanisms available for Palestinian refugee children with a focus on Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). It is the result of a Save the Children Sweden research project conducted in partnership with Naba'a (for Lebanon), Defence for Children International-Palestine Section (DCI-Palestine) (for the West Bank, including East Jerusalem) and the Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution (PCDCR) (for the Gaza Strip) as implementing partners through the Manara Network: A Civil Society for Child Rights in the MENA Region.

Training Manual on Child Rights and Child Protection for UNIFIL Peacekeepers, June 2011

Military personnel and other armed groups in conflict situations are mandated by International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to protect the rights of children who are the most vulnerable during and after conflict. Therefore, Save the Children Sweden developed this manual as an easy tool to help UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon to promote and protect children's rights within their mission.

Contingency Guide for parents for children's safety

The Contingency Guide was prepared by Save the Children in cooperation with the Palestinian Centre for Development and Conflict Resolution in Gaza. It was a part of the Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP), which was developed by Emergency sub-committees within the frame work of the Community Based Child Protection Project in the Southern Gaza Strip. The project, funded by the Italian Cooperation, came as a response to the humanitarian crisis within the most marginalized communities of the villages of Al Qarara and Khoza’a , in the southern Gaza Strip.

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What are we learning about protecting children in the Community?

Community-based child protection mechanisms are at the forefront of efforts to address child protection in emergency, transitional, and development contexts worldwide. The mobilization of such grassroots groups has become a common programming response in many settings, particularly in areas affected by armed conflict or displacement.

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ARC Resource Pack

The ARC resource pack provides an essential collection of information and training material to strengthen people’s capacity:

to tackle the root causes of children’s vulnerabilities
to build effective child protection systems for use in emergencies and long-term development
to ensure that no activities inadvertently compromise children’s rights or safety.

	Keeping Children Out of Hamfull Institutions One of the biggest myths is that children in orphanages are there because they have no parents. This is not the case. Most are there because their parents simply can’t afford to feed, clothe and educate them. For governments and donors, placing children in institutions is often seen as the most straightforward solution.
	Never Violence – Thirty Years on from Sweden’s Abolition of Corporal Punishment This booklet was written by Save the Children Sweden in cooperation with the Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. Hitting a child is a betrayal. It is also a misuse of adult responsibility and physical advantage. As of 1 July 2009, Sweden will have had a ban on corporal punishment for 30 years. Sweden was first in the world to introduce legislation of this kind.
	Child Sexual Abuse: The situation in Lebanon Save the Children Sweden, KAFA, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Higher Council for Children, 2008 Arabic – English This study examines child sexual abuse in Lebanon by assessing the magnitude of the problem, identifying its predisposing factors and drawing a profile of children who may be at risk of victimisation, as well as exploring the effect of the July 2006 war on the prevalence of child sexual abuse.
	Let’s Work Together: Managing children’s behaviour – a resource for everyone who works with other people’s children Save the Children Sweden, 2008 Arabic This publication provides a trainers’ half-day workshop for those working with other people’s children to be able to: 1. Identify children’s behaviour which is challenging to adults 2. Identify the techniques adults use to control challenging behaviour 3. Identify the ways adults can reinforce positive behaviour in children The pack also provides guidance for tutors and a section for students to work through. It also provides details for further reading and resources.
	Progress or Progression: Reviewing Children’s Participation in the UN Study on Violence against Children, 2003 – 2006 Save the Children Sweden, 2008 English The UN Study on Violence against Children has illustrated that children are not only victims of violence – they are also social actors and partners in the fight against violence. Save the Children supported children’s involvement in the process of the study and believes that it is not only important to listen to children but also to act on what they say. This publication highlights the successes and constraints of children’s participation in the UN Study process. Accordingly it is hoped that children’s participation can be further strengthened in current follow-up processes, and those that will continue in the future
	We Can Work it Out: Parenting with confidence Manual & Booklet Save the Children Sweden, 2008 Arabic This manual is designed for those working with parents and provides material for a half-day workshop that gets parents thinking about ways to manage their children’s behaviour without resorting to emotional or physical punishment. There are activity sheets for tutors and parents. The manual comes with a booklet that gives advice on how to develop children’s cooperation and self-discipline without resorting to smacking. There are examples of situations where there may be a temptation to smack the child, with explanations as to why this would not help, what is better and a section on what to do and what not to do.
	Save the Children’s Worldwide Day of Action against Violence Against Children Save the Children Sweden, 2007 English This report highlights the activities taken by children in Africa, Middle East, Latin America, Asia, and Europe on the occasion of Save the Children’s yearly global Day of Action. This worldwide activity is organised by Save the Children with its partner organisations to campaign together in an effort to end violence against children, promote changes in laws as well as behavioural changes among parents, teachers, and decision makers. More than 30 countries marked the 2007 Day of Action which provided opportunities for public debates between children and governmental authorities, practitioners and NGOs.

	Positive Discipline: What is it and how to do it: A manual for facilitators, educators, and trainers (English) Joan E Durrant, PhD - Save the Children Sweden, 2007 Download Arabic version here This publication provides concrete answers to those who work with children on how to discipline without corporal punishment. This guide also illustrates to parents how to think through their responses to become better prepared for parent-child conflict.
	United Nations General Assembly: Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child United Nations General Assembly Sixty-second Session, 2007 English The UN voted towards the appointment of a UN Special Representative on Violence against Children. The 2007 Omnibus resolution was adopted by the 3rd Committee of the General Assembly by a vote of 176 to 1 – the only country voting against was the United States. The resolution establishes the mandate for the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children. This document is from the United Nations General Assembly highlighting the promotion and protection of children’s rights.
	Refugees in Lebanon: Palestinian children’s voices Save the Children Sweden, 2006 Arabic – English This report is part of a series of reports about Palestinian children’s rights. Palestinian refugee children residing in Lebanon tell in their own words what it is like to be a Palestinian refugee living in Lebanon
	Why are National Institutions to Protect Children Important? Save the Children Sweden, 2006 Arabic This publication looks at the UN Study on Violence against Children and the importance of national institutions in playing an active role to protect the rights of children.
	Corporal Punishment in Lebanon Save the Children Sweden, 2005 Arabic – English This publication examines the role of the public administration in Lebanon on implementing a ban on corporal punishment in schools and points out the inner discrepancies of the Lebanese legal system in dealing with corporal punishment. It analyses the current legal and administrative situations in addition to the present challenges that will have to be met in order to achieve a complete and non-discriminatory ban on corporal punishment in schools and the necessity of complying with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child that has been signed by Lebanon.
	Ending Physical and Humiliating Punishment of Children Save the Children, 2005 Arabic and English This practical Manual for Action is designed to guide the development of strategies to challenge physical and humiliating punishment. It incorporates examples of good practice from different country programmes and highlights key issues to consider, describes strategies that should be included in planning and implementing programmes, and provides lists of useful resources and contacts.
	When the Law is in Conflict with Children: Sexual abuse and exploitation of children in Syria Save the Children Sweden, 2005 Arabic – English This study depicts the reality of sexual abuse and exploitation that children in Syria are falling victims of, as well as their types and causes. The report all describes the available legal protection measures for children in order to define the needs and determine necessary legal and procedural reforms in addition to effective mechanisms for preventing children from harm, whatever its type or source.
	Woman or Child? Voices of teenage girls in the Middle East Save the Children Sweden, 2005 Arabic – English This study investigates the situation of teenage girls aged 12-18 years old in the Middle East with particular emphasis on the issues of participation and non-discrimination. Teenage girls in Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen have been interviewed for this purpose
	Work Book Child Labour: Rights-based situation analysis data collection and report writing Save the Children Sweden, 2005 English This workbook provides tools for collecting and combining information on children’s work at a national level using a systematic rights-based process. The tools presented can be used for national research to make meaningful contributions to understanding children’s work and the ways in which political, economic, and social contexts improve or erode children’s rights and well being.
	I Miss My House and My Pink Dress: Palestinian children’s voices Save the Children Sweden, 2004 Arabic – English This report interviews families from the West Bank and Gaza Strip whose houses have been demolished by the Israeli army. The children talk about how their homes and belongings were destroyed, describe their fears, feelings of loss and insecurity.
	One Day in Prison – Feels Like a Year: Palestinian children tell their own stories Save the Children Sweden, 2003 Arabic – English This report presents a series of reports by Palestinian children from the West Bank under the age of eighteen that talk about the serious violations of their rights to which they were subjected in Israeli prisons and military camps, in addition to how they view their future.