CAAFAG - barnsoldater, phase 2

From 2013 to the end of 2018, Swedish funds have contributed to the governance of the child protection sector by improving the protective environment for 26,437 children (13,937 girls and 12,500 boys) affected by armed conflict in the east, south, west, and Kasai regions of the DRC. This number includes: CAAFAG: 7,104, including 927 girls and 6,177 boys Unaccompanied and separated children (UASC): 3,975, including 1,826 girl and 2,149 boys Children receiving psychosocial assistance through child-friendly spaces: 26,437, including 13,937 girls and 12,500 boys Almost 30% of all CAAFAG and 26% of all UASC assisted by UNICEF and its partners from 2013 to 2018 were reached through the contribution of SIDA. Activities related to the release of children from armed forces and groups, transitional care, family reunification and support to socioeconomic reintegration have been carried out by various partners through transit care activities consisting of placement in temporary centers (CTO) or in foster families. During this phase, specialized educators conduct psychosocial, educational, and recreational as well as documentation and family tracing activities. In terms of family reunification, the SIDA funds contributed to reunifying 7,104 CAAFAG, of which 927 are girls and 6,177 are boys, in North Kivu, Ituri and the Kasai provinces throughout the project period. The majority of children have been reunified in North Kivu (in Masisi, Rutshuru, Beni, and Lubero Territories), Ituri (in Irumu and Mambasa Territories), and the Kasai region (Dibaya and Luiza). The SIDA funds also provided support for socioeconomic reintegration, which is provided to an average of 40 to 45% of children identified as separated from an armed group every year. In 2018, for example, it supported the reintegration of 993 (327 girls and 666 boys) out of the 2,327 children identified through SIDA funding as separated from armed groups and other vulnerable children affected by armed conflicts (girls and boys). Throughout the project’s lifespan, 3,975 unaccompanied and separated children (1,826 girls and 2,149 boys) were identified, cared for in foster families or transit and orientation centers, and reunited with their biological families. The Swedish also funds supported the gender mainstreaming in child protection and sexual and gender-based violence programming and the promotion of positive masculinity within child DDR activities in transitional care structures. The project also contributed to strengthening the implementation of the MRM 1612 and MARA 1888 mechanisms in the Eastern Zone and supported the capacity building of community networks in the monitoring and reporting of grave violations of children’s rights at the grassroots level in conflict settings. Results over the project period include appropriate reintegration measures and quality services being made available to affected children, which is still being piloted and developed; and a surveillance mechanism on Sexual and Gender Based Violence SGBV (MARA 1888) has been operationalized and contributes to improving the prevention of and response to grave women and girls’ rights violations. The project has strengthened the protective community approach on both prevention and response by reinforcing local capacities responsible for protection. The community-based child protection committees (RECOPEs) has provided a frontline response to child protection problems. The protective communities approach has created a framework for concerted action between families, civil society, and Government authorities to address patterns of child protection problems.   

By end-2018, prevention and protection against all forms of violence, child abuse, and exploitation, as well as access to civil registry services and legal protection will have been significantly and equitably strengthened. The component of Governance for child protection will help protect children’s rights by reinforcing the safety networks for vulnerable children (victims of violence, exploitation, child abuse, neglect, stigmatization), by ensuring access to services for child victims of, or affected by, armed conflicts, and by promoting positive social standards. It will support capacity building for planning, following up on and coordinating interventions, including surveillance, monitoring, and up on and coordinating interventions, including surveillance, monitoring, and reporting of all forms of violence, child abuse and exploitation.