Child Protection in the Somali Region of Ethiopia

Every child has the right to be protected from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation as stated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. However violations of this right take place in every society and are often related to poverty, social values, norms and traditions.This report aims to identify the child protection situation in the Somali Region of Ethiopia with particular focus on the education system in order to inform possible future projects in schools and communities. This study intends to provide information on the child protection situation in the Somali Region of Ethiopia with particular reference to the education system in order to inform possible future projects that aim to develop child protection mechanisms in schools and communities. More specifically this study intends to: • diagnose the current attitudes, behaviour and practices towards common child protection and identify gaps, needs and positive practices that exist; • investigate the degree, underlying causes and impact of child abuse in the community with particular reference to the school environment; • analyse existing protection mechanisms and other mechanisms in the community that may support improved child protection in the Somali Region.The report was produced under the BRIDGES Project, led by Save the Children UK in partnership with Islamic Relief and Mercy Corps, and funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development (DFID