The challenge
Between 2019 and 2021 ChildFund Uganda through ChildFund Korea/KOICA implemented a project “Building Resilience and Protection Systems for the Well-being of Children in Palorinya Refugee settlement and Host Communities in Obongi District, Uganda”. The project aimed at address key child protection concerns that pose a threat the wellbeing of children as well as their parents, caregivers and household members in Palorinya refugee settlement. These include physical, emotional, social, and other forms of violence including trauma-related mental health issues. With Funding from KOICA, ChildFund Korea and ChildFund International – USA, the project has continued to provide psychosocial support using the Community Child Friendly spaces approach, awareness creation on child Protection prevention and response through the use Community Based Child Protection networks and strengthening the capacity of both informal and formal child protection actors in Zone three Palorinya refugee settlement. Establishment of the Male action groups to support in addressing the vice of SGBV in the community as well as routine engagement with their fellow men, awareness creation and advocacy on the rights of women and girls were achieved on a course of implementation.
Amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the situation of child protection in the settlement has worsen sharply. More than 2,900 child protection cases reported in the first half of 2021, accounting for 15% of total child protection cases of refugee in Uganda. Considering that the population of this settlement accounts for only 8% of total refugee population, the high rate of child protection incidents relative to the population indicates the urgent need to intervene preventing and responding to the child protection crisis.
