Mapping Community-based Child Protection Mechanisms – Uganda

In diverse contexts, child protection mechanisms are the systems that protect children from exploitation, abuse, violence, and neglect and promote children’s well-being. Components of Community-based Child Protection Mechanisms (CBCPMs) include the people, groups, and networks that exist in communities to prevent and address child protection concerns and violations. The inherent value of CBCPMs lies in their creation in response to local child protection concerns. These responses are conceptualized and implemented by community members according to their existing beliefs and prior experiences in preventing and responding to child protection violations.

The goal of this research is to take a bottom-up approach in examining existing CBCPMs in Arua and Nebbi districts in Uganda. By understanding how communities currently define, prevent, and respond to child protection violations and how local systems connect (or do not connect) to formal protection systems, these mechanisms may then be supported, and enhanced, rather than ignored or undermined. With appropriate support, CBCPMs may be able to increase coverage and efficacy and even improve the implementation of locally appropriate strategies.