Child Protection & Child Rights

Child protection refers to preventing and responding to violence, exploitation and abuse against children – including commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking, child labor and harmful traditional practices. Children subjected to violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect are at risk of death, poor physical and mental health, HIV and AIDS infection, educational problems, displacement, homelessness, vagrancy and poor parenting skills later in life. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international treaties, all children have the right to be protected from harm.

An estimated 300 million children worldwide are subjected to violence, exploitation and abuse including the worst forms of child labor in communities, schools and institutions. Protecting children from violence, exploitation and abuse is an integral component of protecting their rights to survival, growth and development. BRSP advocates and supports the creation of a protective environment for children in partnership with governments, national and international NGOs and UN agencies.

BRSP’s Child Protection Vision:

BRSP envisions Balochistan where every child is educated, protected, respected and valued, and grows up to turn the tide of poverty on the principles enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Priority areas

1. Awareness raising
2. Child survival and development
3. Basic education and gender equality
4. HIV/AIDS and children
5. Child participation
6. Reduction of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under five Mortality
7. Early childhood care and education for boys and girls
8. Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse
9. Policy advocacy and partnerships for children’s rights
10. Tackle issues i.e. child labor, Child trafficking, neglect

Strategy

• National advocacy and initiating dialogue
• Regional and international advocacy
• Societal behavior change, challenging attitudes
• Strengthening capacity to assess and analyze protection issues
• Using law-based approaches;
• Working for and prioritizing child protection in and after conflict and Instability;
• Working with communities for child protection
• Services for recovery and reintegration;
• Child participation and strengthening children’s own resilience

BRSP interventions on child protection so far

Response to flood in Balochistan in 2007

It has been learnt that in disasters the most vulnerable, endangered and exposed groups to exploitation, violence, sexual abuse and discrimination are children and adolescents. These groups need proper rescue, support, care and protection. If not provided on time, would lead them towards serious deterioration, inequity, depravity and other social problems as repercussions. The continuous rains from 24th to 30th June, 2007 resulted in a heavy flood in many parts of Balochistan, destroying Houses, crops, Livestock, Tub wells, Karezes, Flood Protection barriers and other governmental and non-governmental buildings, major infrastructure road, telecommunication system etc. have been seriously affected.

In the immediate aftermath of the disastrous flood, traditional community solidarity mechanism provides care and protection to almost all children, yet the emerging concern is that children and women are equally protected from abuse, exploitation and neglect.

BRSP joined hands with UNICEF for a project on child protection to intervene in child protection in the affected areas. The project aimed at creating a comprehensive and integrated protective environment for children against violence, exploitation and abuse and to increase vulnerable children’s access to relief assistance, shelter, health and education facilities. Here is a glimpse of major project activities:

• Formed mobile child protection teams to facilitate children and adolescent groups and other EVIs access to government compensation packages and to basic relief support;
• Established 11 child friendly spaces in district Bolan and Khuzdar where children were provided with recreational activities, psychosocial support, Life Skill Based Education and referral services;
• Identification and registration of children and adolescents to make sure that they are well protected and access facilities and services provided by Govt and NGOs.