Strengthening the protection environment for vulnerable IDPs, host community and returnees in under-served and hard to reach areas of Diyala and Anbar, through the provision of integrated protection and child protection services. The proposed project will focus on returnees, IDPs and host community in hard-to-reach and underserved locations in the Governorates of Anbar and Diyala. IHPF funding will be used to strengthen DRC’s existing programming in Amiryat al-Falluja and Ba’quba, as well as to expand protection interventions into the hard-to-reach and underserved locations of Khalis District (Diyala), and Falluja (Anbar). The proposed project integrates child protection and protection programming, and will take a three pronged-approach 1) protection monitoring 2) the provision of emergency protection assistance 3) capacity building with national actors to promote adherence for protection/child protection norms. 

Protection Monitoring 

DRC will expand on existing protection monitoring activities in Anbar and Diyala, by deploying mobile teams into Khalis and Falluja. Protection monitoring will be conducted through key informant interviews, household surveys and focus group discussions. Age, gender and diversity have been integrated throughout the monitoring tools in order to allow a deeper analysis of the threats, needs, gaps and capacity of the diverse groups of the communities.

Through protection monitoring, DRC will identify and document cases of Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC), as well as early marriage, child labor,  and men, women, boys and girls at risk of GBV. Individuals with special needs will be referred to specialized services – either internally to other DRC departments including cash, livelihoods and WASH or externally to I/NGO partners and Government agencies, using existing referral pathways. For urgent cases of unaccompanied or separated children (UASCs) in locations where no case management services are available, DRC will conduct full case management and support in finding alternative care arrangements UASCs. Critical protection issues will be shared directly with the relevant clusters and sub-clusters through bilateral reports, in addition to monthly protection monitoring reports. 

Tailored Assistance 

DRC will provide critical protection assistance through the establishment of community based mobile safe spaces, which will serve as a joint venue for child protection and protection activities. DRC will work with community volunteers and utilize existing educational service providers in order to develop sustainable community based psychosocial support structures. Mobile safe spaces will provide a range of protection activities including group PSS activities, in line with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, in addition to recreational activities, awareness campaigns and legal assistance. 

Individuals who face unique protection and child protection risks, and cannot be referred to alternative assistance, will be supported through one-off cash assistance under DRC’s Special Needs Fund (SNF). Additionally, DRC will distribute dignity kits (baby and child kits) to highly vulnerable households where child protection risks have been identified. SNF and dignity kits will be distributed in line with DRC existing vulnerability criteria, and UNHCR’s standard operating procedures on cash assistance. 

Capacity Building of National Actors 

In line with the 2017 HRP objectives, DRC will engage with local authorities and humanitarian partners to promote adherence to protection and child protection norms. DRC will train and mentor existing child protection services and link with established community-based protection/child protection structures. Non-protection actors will be provided with protection mainstreaming workshops and on-going mentorship. Finally, community groups will be empowered with information rights, including returnee and child rights, in order to increase overall access to services.