Improve access to child protection services, and promote physical, emotional and social wellbeing of  for  conflict and IOD drought affected boys and girls in Babile woreda, Fafan Zone, Somali Region. Ethiopia experienced one of the worst droughts in decades due to failure of the two main rainy seasons. The Somali Regional State is one of the regions of the country most significantly affected by the negative Indian Ocean Dipole. Most of the woredas (districts) in the region remain classified as hotspot priorities. The region is currently hosting 354,277 internally displaced persons (IDPs). The Somali Meher Assessment findings from December 2016 report a high concentration of conflict affected IDPs in in Babile/ Qoloji, Fafan zone. In addition to displacement related to conflict, the area also hosts a large number of IOD - drought related IDPs.

The Meher assessment highlights immediate concerns affecting the wellbeing of children in this zone. These include separation of children, psychological distress, child labor and GBV / domestic violence as main protection issues that need to be addressed urgently. More specifically the assessment refers to:

	Separation of children from parents or caregivers due to migration: 54% of respondents reported cases of children migrating alone (without caregivers) from rural to urban areas in search of livelihoods opportunities due to harsh economic conditions back home, and 11% of respondents reported that children were left behind by parents / caregivers who were migrating
	Psychosocial Distress: 83% of respondents reported children experiencing psychological distress as a result of displacement. The main behavioral changes noted include unusual crying/screaming, disruption in sleep patterns, sadness, and unwillingness to go to school.
	Child labor: The Meher Assessment reports that 97 % respondents report children being subject to child labour. The assessment also points out an increase in the number and proportion of children involved in harsh and dangerous types of work, including fetching water from long distances and livestock rearing.
	GBV and domestic violence: was also reported by 54% of respondents, and remains a main protection concern, including an increase in child marriage in some areas. 

In addition to the above, the overall psychosocial wellbeing of children was is reported to be deteriorating by 75% of respondents, with boys and girls appearing to be equally affected

Displacement as a result of emergency (conflict and / or drought) affects women, boys and girls disproportionately, and tends to increase the protection needs of women and children significantly. 
This project aims to prevent, respond and mitigate risks related to child abuse, violence, exploitation and neglect, including forced and early marriage and gender base violence, for boys, girls living in conflict and drought-affected IDP areas of Babile Woreda, specifically in Qoloji IDP site in Fafan Zone. In response to the problems identified above, the IRC plans to establish temporary safe healing and learning spaces (SHLS) and provide psycho-social support activities promoting children’s well-being and resilience strengthen community-based mechanisms for the identification and referral of at-risk children to appropriate service providers and enhance community capacity in responding to child protection cases, including for adolescent girls, unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) and other at-risk children in Qoloji IDP site. In order to strengthen the multi-sectorial capacity and coordination of service providers and government structures, targeted capacity building trainings and technical support will be provided in a coordinated manner. This will include building the capacity of the Woreda Women and Children Affairs Office to establish a mechanism of community-based support for UASC and other at-risk children. The intervention aims to promote the safeguarding of children through community-based alternative care arrangements for UASC and other support mechanisms ensuring that children are safe and protected.