Participant's 2023 Handbook

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Welcome

Live Session 3

PART 1

UNICEF: In Session 3a, you specifically focused on CPHA programming within UNICEF. During the live session, you continued designing an UNICEF CPHA programme, reflecting on how the suggested approaches aligned with anticipated results. You also practiced contextualizing a training session that’s responsive to performance gaps. And finally you continued with your self-care and capacity building plans.

List of Session Resources

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Powerpoint presentation⁠

Handout (

word version⁠

)

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UNICEF Child Protection Strategy⁠

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UNICEF Child Protection Systems Strengthening paper⁠

(see high impact interventions section)

Training and e-learning resources from

The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action⁠

on key areas, including case management, Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC) programming, SGBV, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), SGBV, Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC)

Global Alliance for CPHA

Prevention Initiative⁠

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Evaluation Form for Session 3⁠

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Session Schedule

Learning Objectives

Identify which performance outcomes staff and partners are struggling to achieve in target locations.

Determine whether these performance shortfalls are due to lack of skills, knowledge, motivation or environmental factors in target locations.

Utilise results from performance gap analysis to identify appropriate strategies for addressing performance shortfalls in CP programming in target locations.

Contextualise a training session.

Develop simplified CPHA programming aligned to key UNICEF frameworks, guidelines, standards and areas of priority intervention to address CPHA risk and protective factors of target locations.

Plan and implement a self-care plan as part of their capacity building plan.

Session Notes

At the start of the session, participants were reminded to complete their Session 2 evaluation if they hadn’t done so.

We did a quick session of self-care which was a visualisation exercise of being hugged. Science has proven that hugging changes the chemistry of our brains by releasing endorphins, helping us to feel comforted. By holding yourself and visualizing a loved one hugging you, you can calm down your nervous system and get the benefits of an in-person hug. Participants reported feeling relieved, loved, cool, relaxed, a deep inherent happiness, calm, quiet and comfortable after the activity.

Several participants were able to meet to discuss their development plan with their accountability partners. They shared that it was useful for them to discuss with their colleagues. Participants discussed the advancement of their development plan and demonstrated a skill they have been working on this past week. One participant shared that he had been working on his wellbeing and was trying to reduce his workload in order to spend more time with his family. He did have a talk with his supervisor and together they looked into hiring additional staff. Another participant explained that he is working on his advocacy skills and has reviewed positive practices to improve own advocacy skills.

Then our facilitator from UNICEF presented the case study on Afghanistan which has resulted in new challenges for children and increased restrictions for humanitarian actors. The participants were asked to identify which 3 Child Protection programming priorities. The 3 priorities highlighted by participants were:

1. Leadership and coordination;

2. Strengthening of child protection systems;

3. Children associated with armed forces and groups and detention of children in the context of armed conflict.

The key areas that were prioritized by the UNICEF operation in Afghanistan were:

1. Psychological First Aid (PFA) and MHPSS;

2. Support for highly vulnerable children;

3. Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) and Victim Assistances;

4. GBV;

5. Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) / Consultations on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC).

The faciliator explained that it can be hard to target system strengthening when working with national authorities who do not support international child rights frameworks. But that it could be developed later once the situation has stabilised. UNICEF aims at maintaining continuity of services, through both their regular and emergency programming.

Coordination was already set up and functioning. UNICEF and Save the Children are co-leading the Child Protection sub-cluster. Authorities are not yet a member of the coordination, but they could in the future. Coordination is important in itself for many reasons, including for the programme strategy, case management and many other activities, which can only work through a well-functioning Child Protection coordination.

UNICEF presented their Theory of Change:

The well-being of children, including adolescents, women, and families in humanitarian settings is improved through the prevention of and the response to violations of their right to family unity, protection from violence, abuse, and neglect via the establishment of inclusive child protection systems.

Through the ToC, UNICEF is working on response as well as prevention, and on long terms outcomes, through activities like positive parenting training, targeted messages on how to protect children during specific emergencies, case management and integrated services, the inclusion of refugee and IDP children in national Child Protection systems, working with communities managing Child Protection safe spaces, access to education, birth registration, social workforce capacity building, etc.

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Participants then worked on a contextualization exercise. The following feedback was provided:

Engage partners from the beginning, assessing existing resources like already existing databases, and checking capacities.

Follow up on progress through field visits, key steps for monitoring, recording data, and making adjustments if necessary.

Develop SoPs and common tools like forms that partners will use to report CP data.

Understand the existing situation and the gaps that the training will aim to cover.

Understand your target and consider their socio-cultural practices, gender norms and gender roles.

Use local examples, and to use the right language to create linkage, but also to reflect on international guidance.

Identify the roles and responsibilities for the different aspect of the protection of children at national or sub-national level.

Field testing can also help ensure that the curriculum is adapted and works.

Look at good practices, by partners sharing their experiences of practices that work and doesn’t.

Within UNICEF, you can also get help from the Communication for Development (C4D) colleagues.

When working with communities, be mindful of their time and be reasonable in how much engagement is being requested from them.

Encourage children and adolescents to share their views and participate in your programme.

PART 2

UNHCR: In Session 3b, you examined the key resources that guide UNCHR’s approaches to CP-related programming, including A Framework for the Protection of Children, a Guidance Note on CP Programming in COMPASS, and Best Interests Procedure Guidelines, among others. Through a case study exercise, you identified CP programme activities across the six UNHCR strategic CP priority areas and practice making a pitch to UNHCR officers for CP programme funding. You also used the case study to reflect on UNHCR’s Best Interests Procedure and develop key messages for prioritising and resourcing BIP implementation. In the final activity of the session, you discussed best practices related to information management for case management in refugee and mixed settings and learn about ongoing global inter-agency efforts in information management.

List of Session Resources

⁠

Powerpoint presentation⁠

⁠

Handouts (

word version⁠

)

⁠

A Framework for the Protection of Children⁠

, UNHCR, 2012

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Guidance Note on CP Programming in COMPASS, UNHCR⁠

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UNHCR CP indicators list⁠

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UNHCR BIP Toolbox⁠

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ProGres V4 CP and GBV How to Video Series⁠

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ProGres V4 CP and GBV Module:

How to Video Series⁠

available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic

CPIMS+ and proGres V4 CP Module Interoperability:

Referral Functionality Demonstration ⁠

⁠

UNHCR PRIMES, proGres V4 and the modules:

PRIMES Support Page⁠

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Session Schedule

Learning Objectives

Identify key UNHCR programmatic frameworks, guidelines and standards related to CP.

Develop CP programming aligned to UNHCR’s key frameworks, guidelines, standards and areas of priority intervention.

Develop key actions to promote the application of UNHCR’s Best Interests Procedure for refugee and IPD children at risk.

Understand the key data protection principles that UNHCR applies to manage CP information ethically and responsibly within both refugee and mixed settings.

Session Notes

We practiced a short routine that can be used throughout the day to give your brain and body a boost of energy while also soothing your emotions. It was an exercise that mixes stretching and breathing, slow movements, to relax our bodies.

Facilitators from UNHCR presented information on UNHCR’s Child Protection programming. Participants heard the history of CP in UNHCR, that was first focused on assisting mostly unaccompanied and separated refugee children, and is now including children with specific needs. UNHCR works on Child Protection issues holistically to respond to the needs of vulnerable children. UNHCR is promoting the centrality of Child Protection, especially since in most emergency situations, children represent 50% or more of the overall refugee population. UNHCR tries to ensure that their activities across sectors are child-friendly and aim at helping with the protection of refugee children through CP mainstreaming. Participants were also presented with UNHCR’s Results Based Management history, which is aimed at adapting strategies in a fast-changing environment of emergencies. Compass replaced Focus as UNHCR’s planning tool. It is context-specific and linked to the situation analysis. There are four parts to complete:

Strategic Direction;

Results Framework;

Monitoring and Evaluation Plan;

Resources and Management Plan.

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Participants looked into the Child Protection Programme areas in Compass and pitched a plan for different activities to be developed. Facilitators explained that because children generally represent 50% or more of UNHCR Persons of Concern, it is recommended that operations select Child Protection as an area of work, especially through the integration of refugee children into the national child protection systems. UNHCR can help national CP systems by supplementing services for refugee children. It is also important to assess partnerships with community-based networks. UNHCR also support change in social behaviour through parenting classes. UNHCR alone cannot respond to the needs of all of the children. Working with other groups to ensure the protection of refugee children is crucial, including GBV colleagues. We need to make sure that their programming includes child protection issues. Finally other programmes, like cash-based programming need to be sensitive to children risks and aim at improving the protection of refugee children.

Facilitators introduced us to the Best Interests Procedures (BIP). We looked at the differences between BIP and the Inter-Agency guidelines for case management. There are many similarities, especially on the principles on which these processes are based.

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UNHCR explained that it is directly implementing BIP, most often with a limited number of NGO and/or the national authorities. Deployee will be involved in implementing BIP and also advocate for funding to ensure that resources are sufficient.

Groups looked at the training needs of different groups involved in BIP. When working with partners, child protection training is needed to ensure the quality of interventions. It is critical to have up to date referral pathways. Senior managers need to allocate resources to respond to the needs of refugee children and train staff. Support to staff is quite essential because they do case management and work directly with children. Durable Solutions & Complementary Pathways colleagues need to ensure the family unity of refugee children. BID needs to be aligned with national child protection legislations. CP actors working with IDP children need to harmonize processes between refugee and IDP responses.

UNHCR also presented the Information Management system related to case management, including the different components of the information management for case management. We look at risks associated with information management.

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