Ensuring Child Protection and Welfare

Project title: Ensuring Child Protection and Welfare among marginalized communities in Rautahat Nepal.

Funding Partner: Islamic Relief Nepal

Project Duration: October 2020 to July 2023

Project Coverage Areas: Gujara and Katahariya Municipality of Rautahat District; Province 2, Nepal

Introduction of the project:

There are different root causes to the problem of Child Labour, Child Marriage and orphans in Rautahat district. Orphan children are affected by a trail of painful experiences such as economic hardship; lack of love and protection, attention and care; lack of resources to join school at all or school drop-out; malnutrition and illness; psychological distress; increased abuse and neglect; stigma, discrimination and isolation.

The project aims to provide supportive, protective and caring environment for orphans and address the issue of increased early marriage incidences and hazardous forms of child labour in Rautahat district of Nepal.  This is ensured by strengthening community-based child protection mechanisms, through engaging adolescent girls and boys, women groups and youths as well as formation/activation of Ward and Municipal Child Protection Committees. This project will also focus on capacity building of local and district committees on child protection in order to control early marriage and WFCL and provide essential services to orphans and their caretakers. Furthermore, this intervention aims to prevent and protect girls and boys at risk of early marriage and child labor and improves the existing condition of orphans through the provision of protection and education services, as well as livelihood support to the families of the needy children. The project further shall enhance the knowledge of vulnerable children and communities on child protection through community and media campaigns to reduce the ill practices.

Furthermore, this project will seek to address these global issues by contributing towards the SDGs 2016-2030, particularly Goal 16 that seeks to end all abuse, exploitation and violence against children by 2030, and Goal 5 that seeks to eliminate early and forced marriage by 2030.

Target groups: Vulnerable children, orphan, victims or at risk of child marriage and WFCL, caregivers and parents of orphans, child labored and early married child, women, men and community networks

Expected project impact:

Holistic development of children leading to engagement in productive activities in a conducive environment.

Project outcomes:

Ensuring supportive, protective and caring environment for vulnerable children specifically orphans, victims or at risk of child marriage and WFCL through provision of protection, educational and self-reliance services and community based integrated response mechanism in Rautahat District of Nepal.

1. Outcome 1: Establish and strengthen Community-based child protection mechanism to ensure protective environment for every child in the community.
2. Outcome 2: Vulnerable children are able to adequately access social protection schemes and need based support.
3. Outcome 3: Vulnerable Children and Communities have increased knowledge of child protection through community and media campaigns to reduce the practice.

Project outputs:

1. Output 1:
   1. Map the existing bodies/services at district and municipal level for orphans, victims of child trafficking and WFCL.
   2. Establish and strengthen Ward Child Protection Committees (WCPC), Municipal Child Protection Committees (MCPC), women’s association and youth groups.
   3. Capacity Building of WCPC, MCPC, Women’s Association and Youth Groups.
   4. Develop an action plan for ward, municipal and community-based child protection committees.
   5. Establish/Strengthen community alert, monitoring and referral system.
   6. Capacity building of District Child Welfare Board, Women and Child Service Centre, police and DoE on case management.
   7. Engage with district stakeholders for controlling early marriage, child labour and ensure protective environment for orphans.
   8. Develop policy brief to support for advocacy to mainstream child protection by local government.
   9. Local Disaster and Climate Resilience Plan (LDCRP) developed for both municipalities.
   10. LDCRP 2 most priority actions executed together with RM support (small mitigation).
   11. Training (first aid and Search and Rescue) for Municipal level DRR task force.
   12. Strengthen RM level Emergency Operation Center (RMEOC) by providing needs based support.
2. Output 2:
   1. Staff Capacity building.
   2. Identification and Assessment of vulnerable children (orphans, victims or at risk of Child Marriage and/or Child Labour).
   3. Support 8 existing community care and protection centres for its continuation based on needs assessment.
   4. Provide need based specialized support (Psychosocial Counselling, Education, Health, Skills Development, Livelihood enhancement) to orphans and children who are victims/or at risk of child marriage and child labour.
   5. Strengthening/Formation of Group of caregivers and parents.
   6. Provide parenting education session to caregivers and parents.
   7. Interaction with the local government and stakeholders for the assessment of appropriate and relevant government entitlement.
   8. Construction of bathing cubicles.
   9. Strengthen/support District Child Protection cell (Garuda Cell).
3. Output 3:
   1. Conduct awareness campaigns on various issues of child protection.
   2. Formation/Strengthening of Child Clubs at 10 Schools.
   3. Meetings of Child Club/Awareness Classes at Schools.
   4. Mobilize community leaders (teachers, faith leaders, social workers) to sensitize local people as actors of change.
   5. Develop and disseminate IEC material (including broachers, flyer, documentary, children booklet) on child protection.
   6. Support youth and women led initiatives to create awareness among communities on prevention and response to CP issues.
   7. Awareness campaigns (Street drama, Extra-curricular activities (ECA), days celebration) at schools, etc.
   8. Visibility and publication of case studies/learning document.

Implementation methodology:

• Partnership Approach
• Child-centered Community Development (CCCD) Approach
• Community Based Structures
• Community Participation
• Advocacy and Networking
• Awareness
• Monitoring and Evaluation

Cross cutting themes:

• Livelihood and food security
• Self-employment and social dignity
• Child rights and child protection
• Strengthening Community Based Mechanisms

Key Achievement:

• 161 children supported with educational materials along with bag, shoes and uniform and their families with livelihood support with improved livelihood options.
• 28 community networks have been established with functioning alert and monitoring system.
• 15 child clubs have been formed in 10 schools at target areas.
• 15 bathing cubicles constructed and established at target areas for easy and safe access of bathing to women, girls and vulnerable to ensure respect and dignity.
• Supported to 2 municipalities in the development of policy brief and child protection action plan for advocacy and implementation child protection activities.
• 11 child marriages stopped, and family members were counselled.
• 61 awareness campaign on child protection issues like child marriage, child labour, violence against girls and women among vulnerable children and communities to increase awareness in the target palika.
• 12 child labour cases have been rescued from India and integrated in their families.
• 8 community care and protection center in target municipalities strengthen for the child protection mechanism.