Ensuring the protection of children in the Yemen
Four objectives have been developed focusing on children’s access to professional, peer and community support, existence of national protection mechanisms, children’s role as active agents in their communities and towards duty bearers and strong role civil society and partner organization could play. Model building for an integrated approach where duty bearers and other actors including the community, parents and children will work together to ensure child protection will be documented and lessons learned drawn for sharing and learning at national and regional levels.
Violence, including gender-based forms and practices, legislation pertaining to juvenile justice, birth registration, street children, FGM will have more attention. The rate of birth registration is very low and has its catalytic effect on many aspects of child protection. Hence, it will be an important part of the strategy.
The work on child trafficking will not be continued in 2009-12 as UNICEF is investing more on it and works with the governments of Yemen and KSA to address it. SCS will not be able to scale it up in the appropriate way and hence decided to phase it out in the new planning period. SCS will work and cooperate with UNICEF, HCMC, other duty bearers and partner organizations.
Save the Children Sweden added value
SCS has a long history and high profile and reputation in Yemen. It has been one of the main driving forces for the UN Study on VAC and all its processes and has managed to build a constructive partnership with UNICEF, HCMC, UNHCR, MoSAL, CSOs, the Children’s Parliament and others. CRP, regional networking, focus on capacity building of partners and introducing SCS child protection protocol to the partner all constitute the main areas of SCS added value.
Approaches
Key approaches to be used are mainly derived from the four working methods defined in the Compass. Documentation of tested models in child protection systems/mechanisms and structures and drawing lessons learned. Regular disaggregated data collection and analysis acting as a basis for the evidence-based advocacy work to be undertaken by SCS and its partners. Institutional capacity development is very important as the realization of the objectives and sub-objectives includes NGO monitoring and reporting roles including child-led organizations and groups. Support to competence development in the areas pertaining to child protection, gender-based violence, child and family empowerment.. SCS child protection policies will be discussed and shared with all SCS partners. All relevant SCS and SCA child protection material will be available in Arabic including child friendly versions.