Community Mechanism: The best mechanism for the protection of children in emergency

The Somali Region lies in the East and is the second largest of the nine Regions of Ethiopian. This context calls for interventions that should focus on strengthening child friendly customary protection mechanisms. Accordingly, Save the Children mobilized the community and established community child protection groups in October 2010.

The community group has been successful in responding to more than 100 reports of child abuse concerns the major ones being corporal punishment, early marriage, teachers’ negligence practice in teaching and teachers scolding children. This has contributed to the wellbeing of children by changing prevailing attitudes towards children. It has also alerted parents and teachers to be cautious of their abusive behavior towards children. Mosques have also started sensitizing the community about the wellbeing of children and the role of the community. This significantly contributed in changing attitudes to the best interest of the children.