Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, 2019 edition

Today, one in four children lives in a country affected by conflict or disaster. Girls and boys face daily risks to their lives and threats to their future physical and mental health. Evidence shows that illness, developmental challenges, and even early death are connected to childhood hardship and exposure to violence. Children’s survival, well-being, and healthy development are seriously jeopardized in humanitarian settings.

In order to address the urgent need to provide improved protection to children, the Child Protection Working Group (CPWG) launched the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action in Geneva on October 29, 2012. Since their launch, the standards have contributed significantly to the professionalisation of the sector. Widely known and used by child protection and other experts in humanitarian settings, they have markedly improved the quality of our work. As part of the Humanitarian Standards Partnership, they have strengthened our accountability to those we serve.

This second edition of Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action has been realised through the hard work of over 1,900 individuals from 85 agencies and 82 countries. It is a true example of inter-agency and inter-sectoral collaboration. This edition strengthens the standards’ emphasis on principles, evidence, and prevention and increases their applicability to internal displacement and refugee contexts.

Translations of the first edition are available in multiple languages on this page.