Protecting Afghan children during COVID-19 pandemic Children are one of the most vulnerable categories in the COVID-19 pandemic, as the current crisis compounds vulnerabilities arising from chronic conflict and crises in Afghanistan. Children in Crisis is requesting $447 603 for a rapid response to improve awareness of protection risks related to the current crisis and to increase access to essential information, supplies and services for 35 400 conflict and crisis-affected communities across Balkh, Badakhshan, Herat and Kunduz provinces. Protection programmes will be implemented in Balkh, Dehdadi and Mazar districts in Balkh, Argo, Fayzabad and Kishm districts in Badakhshan, Imam Sahib and Kunduz districts in Kunduz, and Guzara, Herat, Injil and Kuhsan districts in Herat. These areas are prioritised as highest risk Herat continues to have the highest number of confirmed cases to date due to the arrival of returnees from Iran, a global hotspot for the transmission of the virus 

The project promotes the physical and psychosocial protection of vulnerable conflict and crisis-affected children and their caregivers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic through (i) increasing access to life-saving, life-sustaining information that improves awareness of protection measures and mechanisms (ii) increasing access to essential supplies including health and hygiene kits and (iii) increasing access to essential services including counselling, case management and psychosocial support, as well as specialised services including interim care, case management, and family tracing and reunification for separated children. The strategic selection of these activities is intended to respond to protection risks in the immediate term, whilst increasing children and communities’ resilience to the health and humanitarian impacts of the current COVID-19 crisis. 

The project uses a scaffolded intervention that intensifies support and services across categories of increasing vulnerabilities: 40 000  parents and children will receive essential life-saving, life-sustaining information 4 500 children identified as at-risk of psychosocial stress and trauma will receive mental health and psychosocial support services 400 UASC children at significant risk due to separation from caregivers will receive counselling and case management services and 500 children at severe risk of exposure to exploitation and violence will receive specialised services including interim care, case management and family tracing and reunification. The proposed project pursues a multi-sectoral approach, integration of child protection with health, hygiene and sanitation to complement existing efforts to prevent and prepare for the pandemic. 

Children in Crisis [CiC] is a protection sector specialist, recognised as one of the “Top Ten NGO” actors by the Child Protection Action Network [CPAN] in 2019. Our extensive experience and expertise in protection programming – with proven approaches to working with incarcerated children – positions us to implement an intensive intervention over a three-month project period. At present, CIC also operates an Education in Emergencies intervention targeting 3500 conflict-affected children in Uruzgan under the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund approx. 20% of this intervention includes integrated protection activities that underscore our sustained commitment and capabilities in child protection.
CIC will work with Coordination of Rehabilitation and Development Services for Afghanistan [CRDSA], who will cover all activities in Herat province and with War Child UK, who will administer interim care for unaccompanied children returning from Iran, through the construction of 6 containers at the Gazergah Transit Centre [GTC]. The proposed project leverages the specific experience and expertise of each partner to ensure comprehensive coverage of all proposed activities in target areas, with optimal effectiveness, efficiencies, and equitable access for affected populations.