The Minimum Standards of Child Protection

Importance of Child Protection 

Children are the foundation of society, and they have to be protected in a very good way because abuse and neglect of children can lead to negative consequences such as;

• Depression.
• Developmental Delays.
• Risk of developing substance abuse during adulthood.

 In addition to the impact on the child, child abuse and neglect also has profound, broad implications on communities. 

Child Labor 

Is working for little pay and for long hours to contribute to the family income, and under dangerous situations.

Working prevents children from going to school, spending time with peers, and having opportunities for play and leisure.

Refugee children are falling into some of the worst forms of child labor – in seasonal agriculture, small-medium enterprises (textile or shoe workshops or auto-mechanics), and working on the streets. 

Child Marriage

Any formal marriage or informal union between a child under 18 and an adult or another child is child marriage.

Child prevalence has decreased worldwide, from one in four girls married a decade ago to approximately one in five today, but the phenomenon is still widespread. 

Globally, the prevalence of child marriage among boys is just one-sixth that among girls. This is probably because of entrenched gender inequality, making girls disproportionately affected by the practice. Child marriage robs girls of their childhood and threatens their lives and health. Girls who marry before 18 are more likely to experience domestic violence and less likely to remain in school. They have worse economic and health outcomes than their unmarried peers, eventually passed down to their own children.

Violence Against Children

All forms of violence against people under the age of 18 are violence against children. For infants and younger children, violence mainly involves child maltreatment (i.e., physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect) by parents and other authority figures.

Boys and girls are at equal risk of physical and emotional abuse and neglect, and girls are at greater risk of sexual abuse. Peer violence, intimate partner violence, and child maltreatment become highly prevalent as children reach adolescence.

Gender-Based Violence

Gender-Based violence refers to harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender. It is rooted in gender inequality, the abuse of power, and destructive norms, and it is a severe violation of human rights and a life-threatening health and protection issue.

It is estimated that one in three women will experience sexual or physical violence. During displacement and times of crisis, the threat of GBV significantly increases for women and girls.

Children Recruited by the Armed Forces

Thousands of children are recruited and used in armed conflicts all over the world. Between 2005 and 2020, more than 93,000 children were verified as recruited and used by parties to the conflict, although the actual number of cases is much higher. Often referred to as “child soldiers,” these boys and girls suffer extensive exploitation and abuse. Warring parties use children as fighters and scouts, cooks, porters, guards, messengers, and more. Many, especially girls, are also subjected to gender-based violence.

Family Separation During the Crisis

All children have the right to grow up with their families. But, some reasons force thousands of girls and boys from their parents and caregivers each year;

• Violent conflicts.
• Natural disasters and other crises.

Some children are separated from their families during the chaos of a humanitarian emergency. Others may be pulled away by parties involved in a violent conflict.

Children may be separated from their families for hours, days, months – even years. Those who receive early support in tracing their relatives are more likely to be reunified faster. Separation undermines children’s mental health, physical health, and development. What’s more, it leaves them vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and abuse.

Child Protection Minimum Standards

If child protection work is below standard or work in other areas does not meet child protection mainstreaming standards, it can be ineffective or even cause harm. So it is important to work on the standards of children’s protection.

There are 4 main standards for children’s protection;

• Standards to ensure a quality child protection response.
• Standards on child protection risks.
• Standards to develop adequate child protection strategies.
• Standards to work across sectors.

Importance of Child Protection

The importance of child protection is to build a healthy society.

Types of Child Protection

To Strengthening Families, there are five protection factors which are:

1. Parental resilience.
2. Social connections. 
3. Concrete support in times of need. 
4. Knowledge of parenting and child development. 
5. Social and emotional competence of children.

Child Protection Principles

There are four principles of the convention on the rights of the child:

• Non-Discrimination.
• Best interests of the child Children.
• The right to survival and development.
• The views of the child.

Child Protection Activities in Schools

To help protect your child, the school should have…

• Staff who are trained to identify signs of abuse, including what to do if they or someone else is worried about a child.
• A designated teacher is responsible for dealing with child protection.
• Procedures for checking staff before they work with children.
• A child protection policy includes procedures to be followed if a teacher or other member of staff is accused of harming a child.

Awareness of Child Protection

Protecting a child is important because, as vulnerable people, they are more exposed to problems of mistreatment, exploitation, discrimination, and violence.

Read More:

1. Childcare Grant
2. Eligibility for Childcare
3. The Amount You Can Get for childcare

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