Tigray, Amhara, Afar , Metekel (IDPs) Gambella, BG (refugees) Protection and EiE (programme) SUMMARY
This action addresses needs of crisis-affected populations through integrated EiE and CP interventions, articulated under 4 results. R1 and R2 target conflict-affected populations impacted by the Northern Crisis in Tigray, Amhara, Afar, and IDPs and vulnerable host communities affected by inter-ethnic violence in Metekel (BG). This IDP response starts in June 2022, with the Metekel component kicking off in July 2023 once the ongoing ECHO project (ETH102313) is concluded, and ending in June 2025. R3 and R4 target refugees residing in Tsore (BG), Nguenyyiel (Gambella) and Alemwach (Amhara), with operations starting in July 2023 and ending in June 2025. R1 (Protection) and R2 (EiE) are implemented by Plan, together with its consortium partners Actionaid (12-month GBV response in Amhara and Tigray), World Vision (34-month EiE and CP response in Tigray), imagine1day (34-month EiE response in Amhara and Tigray). R3 and R4 are implemented by Plan alone (24 months). Ethiopia is dealing with large numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons, in addition to ongoing drought. While a peace agreement in November 2022 formally ended the northern conflict, high humanitarian needs due to the conflict remain and leave many people internally displaced. In Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz, there is a large number of South Sudanese refugees. The influx of refugees is expected to persist and might even increase, while the Regional Refugee Response Plan is severely underfunded. 

The deficit in funding coupled with high humanitarian needs has a direct impact on the delivery of assistance to at-risk populations, including unaccompanied and separated children, female-headed households, survivors and at-risk children of different forms of abuse, violence, neglect and exploitation. The high number of vulnerable children, coupled with the deterioration of the context due to Covid-19, the recent conflict, and the ongoing influx of refugees, place CPiE and EiE as high priorities in both the western regions of Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz, and the northern regions of Amhara, Afar and Tigray. 

See "O:\IP\4 Programma's\Projecten\ETH102368 ECHO 2022 Northern Crisis\Key documents\1. Proposal\HIP2023 MR\2022_00257_MR_03_03_17-May-23.pdf" p. 8 for more information. The principal objective of this Action is to promote access to basic services for conflict-affected populations, including IDPs, returnees and refugees, in Amhara, Afar, Tigray, Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz through integrated life-saving protection and education assistance. The specific objective is to provide age and gender-sensitive, inclusive and conflict-sensitive protection and education services to the most vulnerable conflict-affected IDPs, returnees, refugees in Amhara, Afar, Tigray, Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz regions of Ethiopia. The programme synergizes with several projects from consortium members, building on interventions in WASH, CPiE, Health, EiE, FSL and Nutrition. 

PIE’s EUD project will serve as an important long-term education intervention complementing this emergency
EiE and CPiE response, particularly in Afar and Tigray. The nexus links will be followed up to ensure that children, IDPs
and host communities, can attend in well-equipped formal schools, while also providing continued access to education
during displacement. In Tigray, this action also complements DANIDA, USAID projects respectively focusing on CP and Livelihoods, and FS. PIE’s BHA intervention in Tigray, Amhara and Afar will provided added value in terms of referral linkages particularly for students, given its multisectoral approach in CP, WASH, Health and Nutrition. This Action will further be implemented in synergy with the UNHCR funded project in Alemwach, which implements CP. In BG, the action will be linked to UNICEF, GFFO, LEGO Foundation and EU JOFA-funded projects, focusing on CP and SRHR, which complement the EiE and CPiE intervention under ECHO. For more details on each project, please see Annex 4 ‘Synergies’.

The EiE element in Waghemra will complement I1D’s My Home Project approach (MHP), which integrates EiE, CPiE and Life Skills as well as Plan’s BHA-funded intervention. The ECHO action will strengthen EiE, while providing referral linkages for other services. I1d is also
implementing several projects in Tigray, focusing on education through community mobilization, WASH,
entailing school-based WASH assistance, and on delivering non-formal education for crises-affected children and project with the aim of increasing access to protective and inclusive learning opportunities for crisis-affected children. I1D will complement PIE’s intervention, by
expanding the beneficiary reach through the addition of Waghemra, Geralta and Saharti, while maintaining a similar
approach to EiE.

The existing WV general food distribution in Subuha Saisi Woreda supported by WFP & JEOP prioritized teachers to
resume education, reduce absenteeism and children’s participation in their education. In Kilte Awlailo, a BHA supported project focusing on CP, Mobile Health, Shelter NFI and WASH also complements this action in connecting school based CP prevention and response activities of child protection concerns. The CP team working in the existing platform will integrate the CFS approach and referral system. Similarly, WASH sector in the same project is currently constructing communal potable water which will minizmize the effort to implement planned activities (school WASH and rehabilitation of latrines). WV is also working in Wukro and Kilteawlailo Woredas on providing scholastic materials for about 1500 children. MPCT intervention is also ongoing in its emergency response for registered children families contributes to increased enrolment.

For AA, the Action will complement 1)EU CFS-funded ‘Amplify Efforts for Equal Opportunity and to End VAWG’ in North Shoa; 2) SPA II 2022-2025, funded by DANIDA, focusing on life saving response (food and protection).3) Medicore Tigray Humanitarian support: funded by the DPRF, 2021 –2022, and focused on emergency needs (protection, food and NFIs). 4) Women's Rights Programme (WRP II)_DFAT Irish Aid Programme II, funded by Irish Aid, 2017 – 31 Dec 2022, aimed at strengthening the resilience of women and build a safer environment from violence. 5) Alborda project, funded by private funds, 2021- 2022. The project provides MPCT, dignity kits; sensitisation on GBV for IDPs and PSS trauma management training and service. Conflict, displacement and poverty make protection risks particularly high for adolescent girls, a specific target of the project. Other groups prioritized:
- Children separated from families
- Children and women-headed households 
- Out-of-school children
- GBV survivors 
- Pregnant women and lactating mothers
- Families with persons with disabilities and elderly The planned project consists primarily of lifesaving activities, but they all have a direct link with the current and future development initiatives. The project activities have strong capacity-building components for the affected community members, as well as national service providers, community structures, teachers, PTAs, local government agencies including health care providers, etc. These mentioned groups and institutions will be actively contributing to the community and government system, enhancing sustainably and supporting the current and future development initiatives. Further, by fostering children’s (re-)enrolment in schools, retention and ensuring basic primary education, the action will contribute to long-term strategies of reducing communities' humanitarian needs. Moreover, the psychosocial support interventions provided by the action will help beneficiaries develop adaptive behaviours and coping mechanisms within environments of existing and unforeseen humanitarian crises. By doing so this action contributes to other related multisector program objectives that aim to reduce communities humanitarian needs.