1. Child Protection INFORMATION Sheet
What is Child Protection?
UNICEF uses the term ‘child protection’ to refer to
preventing and responding to violence, exploitation
HUMAN RIGHTS
and abuse against children – including commercial
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
sexual exploitation, trafficking, child labour and outlines the fundamental rights of children, in-
harmful traditional practices, such as female geni- cluding the right to be protected from economic
tal mutilation/cutting and child marriage. UNICEF’s exploitation and harmful work, from all forms of
child protection programmes also target children sexual exploitation and abuse, and from physi-
who are uniquely vulnerable to these abuses, such cal or mental violence, as well as ensuring that
as when living without parental care, in conflict children will not be separated from their family
with the law and in armed conflict. Violations of the against their will. These rights are further refined
child’s right to protection take place in every country by two Optional Protocols, one on the sale of
and are massive, under-recognized and under-re- children, child prostitution and child pornog-
raphy, and the other on the involvement of
ported barriers to child survival and development, in
children in armed conflict.
addition to being human rights violations. Children
subjected to violence, exploitation, abuse and ne-
glect are at risk of death, poor physical and mental
and civil society partners; developing children’s life
health, HIV/AIDS infection, educational problems,
skills, knowledge and participation; building capac-
displacement, homelessness, vagrancy and poor
ity of families and communities; providing essential
parenting skills later in life.
services for prevention, recovery and reintegration,
including basic health, education and protection;
and establishing and implementing ongoing and ef-
Facts and figures fective monitoring, reporting and oversight.
•
Approximately 126 million children aged 5–17
are believed to be engaged in hazardous work,
excluding child domestic labour1. Strategies to strengthen the
•
More than 1 million children worldwide are de- protective environment for children
tained by law enforcement officials.2 The work of UNICEF and its partners includes:
• It is estimated that more than 130 million women • International advocacy, often with the use of inter-
and girls alive today have undergone some form national human rights mechanisms
of female genital mutilation/cutting.3
• National advocacy and initiating dialogue at all
levels – from government to communities, fami-
BUILDING A PROTECTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR lies and children themselves – in order to promote
attitudes and practices protective of children
CHILDREN
Building a protective environment for children that • Inclusion of child protection issues in national
will help prevent and respond to violence, abuse development plans
and exploitation involves eight essential compo- • Law-based approaches, emphasizing the impor-
nents: Strengthening government commitment tance of knowing, understanding, accepting and
and capacity to fulfil children’s right to protection; enforcing legal standards in child protection
promoting the establishment and enforcement of
adequate legislation; addressing harmful attitudes, •
Community-based approaches that promote and
customs and practices; encouraging open discus- strengthen the capacity of families and communi-
sion of child protection issues that includes media ties to address child protection issues
