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Summary: SOCPD and TPO work to increase awareness in communities and build safe enviroments for children
[7 July, 2008] The wide spread of violence, endemic poverty, continued civil strife and conflict have caused massive displacement from Mogadishu to the outskirts of Celasha. The continued ongoing fighting between Ethiopian/TFG alliance and ICU has deteriorated the already aggravated situation of child / women rights in this country and increased displacement that has resulted in a huge number of students who have missed school and witnessed traumatic events, including the loss of family members Activities: In June 2008, Somali Child Protection and Development (SOCPD) with TPO partnership trained 210 Community Education Committees (CECs) from tent schools around the Afgoi corridor. These committees were educated on pressuring parents to send their children to schools to increase school enrollment and reduce school dropouts. By the end the workshop participants should understand/be able to: • Emergency situation and its phases SOCPD/TPO's partnership has conducted five days training from 17/06/08-21/06/08 on 61 members from 9 IDPs. Each IDP camp has seven members on food management teams that were educated on: domestic violence, violence against children, GBV, corporal punishment in schools and family, psychosocial needs, roles and responsibility of community, HIV/AIDS, support of vulnerable groups in emergency, the rights and protection of children and women in emergency. After the training the participants developed an action plan in this regard. 'We (SOCPD) believe the establishment of child protection committees in IDPs will reduce the violation and increase the community’s participation in the project by teaching them how to respond effectively and know their roles and responsibility.' In addition to this, the organization has employed social workers that help the chairperson of SOCPD to identify community support structures. Although the war has effected the population, resulting in the massive displacement of community support structures, the community has its own resources including religious leaders, teachers, health workers, traditional leaders, women and youth groups. The organization has identified existing community support structures and has had meetings about the pressing problems, capacity gaps and training needed. The most important problems include: domestic violence, violence against children, GBV, corporal punishment in schools and family, psychosocial needs, roles and responsibility of community, HIV/AIDS, support of vulnerable groups in an emergency, and the rights and protection of children and women in an emergency. In this regard, the organization has developed IEC materials addressing the identified problems and developed and distributed 500 posters in public places and schools to reduce the violence against women and children as well as increase school enrollment and reduction of school dropouts. Radio programs are addressing the pressing problems of displaced community, focusing on violence against women and children and GBV. These radio programs are aired on Fridays and cover five regions, including SCZ, Mogadishu inhabitants and Somali Diaspora. The program is intended to address issues, bringing attention to the existing problems, participation and the understanding of the rights of women and children. The participants are changed each Friday and vulnerable groups including women and children participated. Their voices were heard to reduce violence directed at them because perpetrators fear being caught after hearing radio programs addressing protection concerns and violations documented. With regard to the two month plan, SOCPD has identified six schools to set up spaces and recreational activities but have only prepared one. There is a tented school in Jangoan that is a child friendly space/environment where children can spend several hours, feeling safe and comfortable. The space gives children the opportunity to socialize with their peers and makes it easier to detect and provide assistance to children with particular problems. The children and community in general requested a space to play football and design plays based on traditional stories, drawing materials, drama and traditional songs. SOCPD supplied the space inside the Jangoan IDP camp with recreational materials, leading to an increased school attendance and an added interest in sports and education. Further Information:
Somali Child Protection and Development (SOCPD) under partnership with TPO developed a strategy to implement the project and organized a coordination meeting among education, protection, psychosocial working agencies in emergency areas of Afgoi corridor.
• Recognize vulnerable groups in emergency situation and how they are vulnerable
• Impact of disaster in emergency
• Understand importance of community participation
• Formation of CECs
• Role and responsibility of CECs
• Understand importance of school sustainability.
• Bio-Psycho-Social
• Understanding the psychosocial needs
• Impact of psychosocial to individual, family and community
• Case study
• Action plan