Child Protection aims to prevent and respond to violations of children's right to be free from any form of violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect in times of emergencies.  Such activites are based on and take their guidance from international human rights and humanitarian law, in particular the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols.

During the initial stages of an emergency child protection actors often focus on preventing and responding to the most serious forms of threats facing children, such as family separation, forced recruitment, and exposure to sexual and gender-based violence. In the longer-term they also help to build and make sustainable national capacity and systems for the protection of children of all ages and backgrounds. 

To learn more about child protection please visit our Resource Library  (NEW ! Child Protection Coordinators' Handbook for Clusters)

The Child Protection Working Group (CPWG), which is one of the sub-working groups of the global Protection Cluster Working Group (PCWG), takes responsibility for coordinating the work of the Cluster in the area of child protection. This includes ensuring a more predictable, accountable and effective child protection response in emergency situations, including by leading global-level advocacy, standard and policy-setting, capacity building and development of tools.

The CPWG brings together NGOs, UN agencies and other international actors working on an equal basis in line with the Principles of Partnership, endorsed by the Global Humanitarian Platform. At present participants include the Christian Children's Fund (CCF), Columbia University's Child Protection and Care Learning Network, the International Rescue Committee, OCHA, the Save the Children Alliance, Terre des Hommes, UNHCR, UNICEF, the Women's Commission on Refugee Women and Children, and World Vision.

You can learn more about the CPWG by reading our Terms of Reference, our workplan 2009 and Minutes of our meetings.

 FROM THE FIELD

SAMPLE TOR, STRATEGIES AND WORK PLANS

• Terms of reference for the Child Protection Working Group (DRC)
• Draft Terms of Reference for Focal Points within the National Protection Cluster (DRC)

SAMPLE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES

• Minimum Standards and Guiding Principles (Uganda) 

REVIEWS AND EVALUATIONS

• Inter-agency Review of the Myanmar Protection of Children and Women Cluster Response to Cyclone Nargis: External Review, UNICEF / UNFPA / Save the Children, Oct 2008 (Summary / Full Report).
• Inter-agency Review and Documentation - Child-Protection Sub-Cluster Coordination in Uganda, May-June 2008 (New! Final Version)

TRAINING

• Child Protection Coordination in Cluster Approach Training - Geneva, January 2009

TOOLS

• Inter-Agency Child Protection Assessment Tool Kit, September 2009

• The Better Care Network 
• Child Protection and Care (CPC) Inter-Agency Learning Network
• CRIN - Child Rights Information Network