Supporting community-responsive Peacekeeping in South Sudan and Somalia

This project through Save the Children Canada with Canada’s support aims to increase the effectiveness of United Nations (UN) peace operations to prevent the recruitment and use of child soldiers. It does so firstly by enhancing coordination between UN peacekeepers and other child protection actors to continue child protection efforts after the peacekeeping mission ends and secondly by improving the UN member states’ understanding of how to implement the Vancouver Principles (VPs). Project activities include: (1) conducting research on child protection needs in Somalia and South Sudan; (2) revising and strengthening the national child protection policy and reporting mechanism in Somalia and South Sudan the African Union (AU) and local non-government organizations (NGOs); and (3) coordinating workshops between UN missions the AU and local NGOs on best practices for leaving armed groups and reintegration of current and former child soldiers.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased evidence on barriers to advancing the VPs; (2) enhanced awareness and engagement amongst UN Troop and Police Contributing Countries regarding barriers to advancing the VPs; (3) strengthened national and community level gender-responsive monitoring reporting and documenting mechanisms on the recruitment and use of Children Associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups (CAAFAG); (4) enhanced capacity of mission personnel and child protection actors in Somalia and South Sudan on the prevention of and response to recruitment and use of CAAFAG; (5) enhanced engagement among UN Missions the AU and community actors in monitoring reporting and early response interventions regarding the recruitment and use of CAAFAG; and (6) increased participation of affected groups in the community in representing children’s interests. The expected ultimate outcome of the project is to increase the effectiveness of UN peace operations to prevent the recruitment and use of child soldiers.