Summary of needs
Floods, conflict and insecurity in north-east Nigeria have led to an increase in child protection concerns and a decline in community-based safety networks and child protection systems. Children face multiple protection risks, including violence, child labour, early- marriage, abuse, neglect, exploitation, sexual violence, psychosocial distress and recruitment by non-state armed groups.
Cross-sectoral challenges such as limited access to food, WASH, quality education and health care, along with inadequate parental care, especially for children with disabilities, significantly impact their physical, mental, emotional and social well-being. This situation is particularly dire for 1.9 million children and their caregivers living in areas with little or no access to core child protection services and community-based prevention and response mechanisms.
Response strategy
The Child Protection (CP) AoR will continue to align with the protection sector strategy, child protection AoR strategy and the development plan of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development. To ensure sustainability, the AoR will continue to implement its localization strategy. This will entail strengthening the technical and institutional capacities of national NGOs, while enhancing their access to services and resources, including private sector financing. The leadership and strengthening of the line ministries for child welfare in the BAY states will be critical to the implementation of the AoR’s response plan and in optimizing opportunities for sustainability. Close collaboration with the other sectors, particularly Education, GBV, Health and Food Security, will also be required to address child vulnerabilities and to explore opportunities for cash transfers where appropriate.
The CP AoR will focus on prevention and response, utilizing a system strengthening approach that considers the interconnectedness of humanitarian and developmental efforts, in light of the evolving situation in the north-east. Interventions will
include comprehensive case management services, mental health and psychosocial support services, socioeconomic reintegration of children formerly associated with armed groups (CAAGs) and strengthening the capacity of communities to prevent and address abuse, exploitation, neglect and violence against children. Rapid assessment and response actions, particularly case management, key life-saving messaging and reintegration programmes will be integrated into the wider anticipatory action approach.
Targeting & prioritization
Response efforts will prioritize 497,000 IDPs, 326,000 returnees and 239,000 host community members in areas with severe child protection concerns. Special attention will be given to boys and girls, including children with a disability, and female-headed household caregivers. The geographical focus will be on conflict- affected areas in the BAY states, as well as areas impacted by flooding and disease outbreaks, ensuring equitable access to child protection services.
Promoting accountable, quality & inclusive programming
The CP AoR will prioritize interactive, child-friendly and confidential feedback mechanisms that foster meaningful engagement with both children and caregivers. Expanding upon initiatives aimed at enhancing programme design and implementation, the CP AoR will provide targeted support to child protection actors to help amplify the involvement of affected children and communities, and fortify safeguards, particularly in the context of PSEA, throughout the planning, implementation and evaluation phases of interventions.