Strengthening the child protection system in the DRC
It is by putting at the heart of the protection system a greater number of sectors that are too often neglected and by creating strong connections between all of its components that the child in the DRC will have better access to adapted and quality services.
Martin Causin, Director general of the International Bureau for children's rights (IBCR)
Project duration : 2022 - 2027 (5 years)
A partnership between the Congolese state, the International Bureau for Children's Rights, civil society and the children of the Democratic Republic of Congo to contribute to the improvement of the child protection system, through the mobilisation of the security, justice and social work sectors, but also of certain sectors traditionally less involved, such as the penitentiary sector, the labour inspectorate and the private travel sector.
To support the Congolese government's efforts to strengthen the protection of children in the country, IBCR is implementing a five-year and six-month project to help build an effective protection system that is able to cope with crises, conflicts, epidemics and rapidly changing contexts. The initiative also aims to strengthen the role and power of children in their own protection and emphasises equal rights for girls and boys.
By further mobilising children, this project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, reinforces the IBCR's commitment in the DRC since the "Tonga Mpo Na Bolamu Ya Mwana" project, launched in 2015, which enabled the police, justice personnel and social workers to be better equipped for child protection.
Our objectives :
- More empowered children, better equipped to prevent violations of their rights, but also to identify, report and denounce violations and access the services to which they are entitled.
- Professionals who know how to identify, prevent and respond to violations of children's rights, particularly in situations of economic or sexual exploitation.
- Improved quality of interactions between children and staff in the targeted sectors.
- Better prevention, identification, reporting, treatment and referral of situations of abuse, violence or exploitation in the prison, work and travel environments.
- Concerted, coordinated and effective handling of cases of child rights violations by the different sectors of the child protection system, from institutions to civil society to the private sector.
- Access by children to quality and appropriate protection services.
- A decrease in child labour and exploitative situations related to travel and national and international mobility, especially economic and sexual.
- Increased equal rights for girls and boys.
These changes will ultimately contribute to an environment where all children, especially those in situations of deprivation of liberty, victimisation or at risk of sexual or economic exploitation, are protected and can claim and exercise their rights.
Key-actions :
- Enhancing the role of children through the development of children’s own skills and leadership in decision making and implementation of initiatives for the respect and equality of their rights.
- The development of practices and the strengthening of professionals’ skills in children’s rights in the targeted sectors.
- Strengthening coordination between the actors involved, through the joint development of multi-sectoral procedures and the promotion of a dialogue between the sectors.
This project aims to contribute to the establishment of a child protection system with a more child-friendly governance, through the integration of sectors usually less considered and a better interconnection between these sectors and the more traditional actors.
Sectors involved :
In line with the participatory and interdisciplinary approach of the IBCR, this project mobilises :
- Congolese institutions: ministries, professions and vocational training schools of the three targeted state sectors, as well as project partners.
- Local and international organisations: working to strengthen the capacities of the targeted actors and/or for children's rights.
- Children in the DRC: actors in their own protection.
Through its global approach, this project seeks to place the actors of change at the heart of the transformation process at the individual, relational and societal levels, so that they can generate awareness, but also undertake concrete and sustainable actions in favour of the defence and promotion of children’s rights.
THE PROJECT STAGES
1- Assessment of the situation
2- Development of sectoral or multi-sectoral procedures
3- Design of training tools
4- Creation of a pool of certified trainers
5- Support for child-led initiatives
6- Monitoring the results of the project
This project is made possible by the financial support of: 
- Intervention locations : RDC
- Project duration: 2022-2027 (5 years and 6 months)
- Partners :
- Ministry of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Action and National Solidarity
- Ministry of Gender, Family and Children
- Ministry of the Interior, Security, Decentralisation and Customary Affairs
- Ministry of Planning
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security
- Ministry of Tourism
- Ministry of Transport, Communications and Public Works
- Highlights:
- Direct beneficiaries : About 6 700 girls and boys, women and men from RDC working in the project's key institutions and local communities.
- Indirect beneficiaries : More than 36 000 girls, boys, women and men from RDC.
- Fields of activity and expertise :
- Capacity building
- Tools, reference manuals and standards
- Training leadership
- Children in emergency situations
- Violence against children
- Child protection systems
