Protection response in underserved areas of Southern, Western Oromia and Benishangul Gumuz region with serious human right issues The project seeks to reinforce the protection of human rights in a humanitarian context for internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and other communities facing a humanitarian crisis caused mainly by conflict and political restiveness resulting in human rights concerns in South and West Oromia as well as BGR. Considering the vast nature and socio-political human rights and humanitarian complexities in Oromia, 
Through, its 23 human rights monitors located in 10 duty stations in six regional states and a city administration, OHCHR, the mandated UN entity for human rights effectively monitored the human rights situation of IDPs and returnees located both in IDP camps, collective sites and in host communities reported regularly and advocated for better redress, accountability and assistance. The Office has been constantly updating the National Protection Cluster, the HCT and other partners via its flash (147), weekly (98), monthly (12) reports and Note to Files (96). Being a member of the NPC, SAG and PMAM WG, OHCHR effectively ascertained through various advocacies, analysis’s’ that human rights remain central and inform humanitarian actions and activities. Besides, referring over 967 cases to service providers, OHCHR effectively advocated on 520 cases where redress was observed e.g. provision of IDs card, release of detained IDPs, registration of IDPs, tackling discrimination of the elderly, and PWDs who often face discrimination, including in terms of access to information and services.
OHCHR field monitors are also involved in advocacy with national authorities, protection partners, and across sectors to address observed human rights issues and sectorial gaps ensuring human rights mainstreaming in humanitarian action and leaving no one behind in the course of attaining the SDGs. Anchored on the 2030 agenda for SDGs and African Union agenda 2063 focusing on early warning and prevention, this project seeks to strengthen the timely identification of protection concerns through the systematic and regular monitoring, documentation and reporting of protection issues and advocacy to address the observed human rights issues. 
Additionally, OHCHR will engage in awareness raising at different levels, including among the affected communities and vulnerable groups e.g. PWDs to strengthen their capacities to claim their rights. The project also seeks to enhance the capacities of duty-bearers to enable them to discharge their obligations. The project sets out to empower rights-holders to meaningfully engage in planning and decision-making processes in the context of humanitarian response through. The project will also facilitate programmatic response to emerging human rights and protection concerns in additional conflict-affected and politically tense areas in South, West Oromia and BGR consolidating the gains already made possible through prior EHF projects.
OHCHR’s historical cooperation with key monitoring actors like the EHRC, as evidenced by the 2021 Joint Investigations on human rights in Tigray reflects the cross-agency and organizational engagement of OHCHR through this programme which needs to be sustained.  
The project aims to cover 21 Woredas of 8 zones in two regional states where OHCHR has a physical presence, prior working experience in the area and has established working systems, early warning networks, partnerships with CSOs. OHCHR’S teams have wide experience in protection monitoring, advocacy, reporting and technical assistance, proficiency in the local language, gender parity and have rich experience in delivering effective awareness raising programs. Furthermore, the project will cover (remotely) other adjacent areas in neighboring regions affected by conflict and internal displacement including Konso, SNNPR, Gambella and Ilu Aba Bora zone. Latest socio-political and humanitarian developments continue to reflect the fragility of these regions with fallouts in area impacting its neighbor