UNICEF, Support to the protection of children in armed conflict, 2020-2023 UNICEF, Skydd av barn i väpnad konflikt, 2020-2023 Unicef har ansökt om projektstöd till ”Evidence Based Prevention and Response for Children Associated with Armed Forces and Groups” om 40 MSEK under åren 2020-2022. Stödet bygger på insatsen ”Enhancing the Protection of Children in Armed Conflict” (2017-2020, insatsnummer 11559) och kommer fortsatt implementeras i CAR, Somalia och Sydsudan där direkt stöd ges till frisläppande och återintegrering av barn som associerats med väpnade styrkor och grupper (CAAFAG) samtidigt som lokala och nationella system stärks i dessa tre kontexter med möjlighet att inkludera fler länder för att föra arbetet vidare genom specifika verktyg som Unicef tagit fram under första fasen. Unicef HK kommer även ta fram ett globalt program för återintegrering av barn som sträcker sig över humanitära-, utvecklings- och fredsinsatser (trippel nexus). 

Projektet genomförs utifrån fyra målområden: 1) Framtagande och implementerande av robust, anpassningsbart ramverk för återintegrering av frisläppta barn från väpnade styrkor och grupper i åtminstone tre länder, 2) Berörda skyddsaktörer besitter kunskap och verktyg för att utforma och implementera samordnade program av god kvalitet för att förebygga och bemöta rekrytering av barn samt stödja frisläppande och återintegrering av flickor och pojkar som associeras med väpnade styrkor och grupper, 3) Samhällstjänster av hög kvalitet finns tillgängliga för barn som frisläppts från väpnade styrkor/grupper samt från godtyckliga anhållanden i Centralafrikanska Republiken, Somalia och Sydsudan, 4) Ny evidens om programmets långsiktiga resultat och uppföljning och rapportering av grova förbrytelser av barns rättigheter är tillgänglig för att vägleda påverkansarbete och programmering. 

Programmet implementeras i de tre utvalda länderna genom Unicefs partners och a 50% av medlen vidareförmedlas till dessa. UNICEF has applied to Sida for funding of 40 million SEK to carry out the project ”Evidence Based Prevention and Response for Children Associated with Armed Forces and Groups” during the period 2020-2023. The intervention builds on the project ”Enhancing the Protection of Children in Armed Conflict” (2017-2020, #11559) and will continue to be implemented in the Central African Republic, Somalia and South Sudan where direct support is provided to the release and reintegration of children associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG) while local and national systems are strengthened in these three contexts with possibilities to include more countries to carry the work forward through specific tools developed by UNICEF during the first phase. 

The outputs aim towards: 1) A robust adaptable programme framework for reintegration of children exiting armed forces and groups is in place and being implemented in at least three countries; 2)  Program practitioners have the knowledge, skills and tools to design and implement quality and coordinated programmes to prevent and respond to child recruitment and support release and reintegration of boys and girls associated with armed forces and armed groups; 3) High quality, community-based reintegration services are available for children disassociated from armed forces/groups and children released from arbitrary detention in the Central African Republic, Somalia, and South Sudan; 4) New evidence on programme impact and monitoring and reporting on grave violations of child rights is available to inform advocacy and programme planning. 

The project will be implemented in the three selected countries through UNICEF’s partners and approximately 50% of the intervention budget will be forwarded to these partners. PROGRAMME RESULTS 
To account for contemporary conflict contexts and to address the identified key challenges, this project will support children exiting armed forces and armed groups through a formal or informal process to receive higher quality, sustained, evidence-based reintegration services through the four following outputs:
Output 1: A robust adaptable programme framework for reintegration of children exiting armed forces and groups is in place and being implemented in at least three countries.
UNICEF will
1. Hold internal and external stakeholder consultations to support development of a global framework on child reintegration.
2. Develop foundational documents for a programme framework:
- Outcome(s) and Output(s) that are realistic, adaptable and evidence based.
- A Theory of Change for child reintegration programming based on the identified comparative advantages of UNICEF and other key partners and stakeholders.
- A results framework for child reintegration that can be used across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus and in a variety of contexts, including in the context of counter-terrorism
Output 2: Program practitioners have the knowledge, skills and tools to design and implement quality and coordinated programmes to prevent and respond to child recruitment and support release and reintegration of boys and girls associated with armed forces and armed groups.
UNICEF and partners will pilot test and roll out Capacity Building and Programme Resource Toolkit for reintegration to children formerly associated with armed forces and armed groups in at least three countries with a special focus on girls.
Output 3: High quality, community-based reintegration services are available for children disassociated from armed forces/groups and children released from arbitrary detention in the Central African Republic, Somalia, and South Sudan.
UNICEF and partners will use the developed programme framework and toolkit to deliver high quality reintegration services in at least three countries.
Output 4: New evidence on programme impact and monitoring and reporting on grave violations of child rights is available to inform advocacy and programme planning.
UNICEF will strengthen the monitoring and reporting mechanism on grave violations of child rights and build evidence through monitoring and evaluation on CAAFAG programming.