Protective Rapid Response for Displaced Children in Afghanistan Children are at the centre of the current, compounded crises in Afghanistan. Children in Crisis is requesting $495,887 for a rapid response to provide psychosocial support and protective services for 23,002 conflict and crisis-affected children across Badakhshan, Baghlan, Bamyan and Daikundi provinces. Protection programmes will be implemented in Baghlan-e-Jadid and Pul-e-Khumri districts in Baghlan Bamyan, Panjab, Shibar, Waras and Yakawlang districts in Bamyan Yaftal, Baharak and Faizabad districts in Badakhshan and Gezab and Nili districts in Daikundi. These areas are prioritized as having the highest proportion of vulnerable and poor populations in need of humanitarian assistance, including returned IDPs who have returned back to their places of origin. This include 3500+ families in Baghlan, 3000+ families in Bamyan and 1850+ families in Daikundi. 

The project promotes the protection of vulnerable conflict and crisis-affected children through (i) increasing access to psychosocial support services for children experiencing distress due to displacement (ii) increasing access to services including counselling and case management for children separated from caregivers due to displacement (iii) increasing access to recognized services including interim care, case management and family tracing and reunification for the children at extreme risk of exposure to exploitation and violence. 

The project uses a scaffolded intervention that intensifies support and services across categories of increasing vulnerabilities: 10,055 children at-risk and the care givers will receive psychosocial support services 2,530 Unaccompanied and Separated Children [UASC] at significant risk due to separation from caregivers will receive counselling and case management services and 5380 children at severe risk of exposure to exploitation and violence will receive specialized services including interim care, case management and family tracing and reunification. In addition a total of 6,944 persons (2,726 boys, 1,950 girls, 1,134 men, and 1,134 women) will be trained on child rights, PSEA, child marriages, illegal migration and case management and referral pathways. 

Children in Crisis is a protection sector specialist, recognized 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 and separated children – positions us to implement an intensive intervention over a six-month project period. The proposed project leverages existing, established education in emergencies programmes including Increasing Access to Community-Centered Education for 24 000 Children [$2.3M/1Y/ Global Partnership for Education] in Baghlan and Zabul and “Access to Education in Emergencies for 14 750 children” [$1.6M/1Y/ Education Cannot Wait] in Uruzgan and protection programmes including Protecting Afghan Children in the COVID-19 Crisis [$445K/3M/Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund] in Badakhshan, Balkh, Bamyan and Herat and Provision of Protection Services to 15 000 Children and Women in the Winter [$250K/3M/Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund] – each intervention includes integrated protection activities that underscore our sustained commitment and capabilities in child protection. The project also leverages the specific experience and expertise of existing personnel to ensure comprehensive coverage of all proposed activities in target areas, with optimal effectiveness, efficiencies, and equitable access for affected populations