Child protection systems strengthening to conflict affected children, youth and their families benefit from a strengthened child protection and MHPSS in Kabul, Maidan Wardak, Herat and Kandahar Provinces of Afghanistan This project will support 12,500 vulnerable children, including children with disabilities who experienced violence, with Child Protection (CP) response services. In addition, a total of 14,000 children and caregivers will be reached with awareness raising and information messaging on well-being. The 4 targeted districts of Maidan Wardak (Maidan Shar), Herat (Injil district), Kandahar (Kandahar city) and Kabul (Bagrami district) are rated high priority in the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2022, as there are limited child protection services and high numbers of children in need.

Through this project 8 CFSs will be established in the targeted locations as below: 
4 CFSs in Herat province
2 CFSs in Maidan Wardak province
1 CFS in Kandahar province 
1 CFS in Kabul province
Through these CFSs the MHPSS, case management, recreational activities for children, Awareness on CP issues and EORE and parenting training for caregivers will be provided. 

This project is designed in line with the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) Afghanistan 2022 strategy paper. Afghanistan is currently undergoing a hard time with Foreign troops withdrawal and Taliban is in power. A total of 32 out of 34 provinces had recorded forced displacement. Displacement affects all individuals differently with needs, vulnerabilities and protection risks evolving over time due to exhaustion of coping mechanisms and only basic emergency assistance provided following initial displacement. Inadequate shelter, food insecurity, insufficient access to sanitation and health facilities, as well as a lack of protection, often result in precarious living conditions that jeopardizes the well-being and dignity of affected families. Children and women are the worst hit. The situation warrants support system that keep their lives moving. 

Aschiana has designed a number of interventions and be of help to the struggling population particularly children and women and support them to be mentally strong in this trying period. The strategies adopted is relevant to the times since it makes their lives safer and to become strong to face the present challenges. Aschiana aims to support them through programmes such as EORE, psycho social support including Psychological First Aid, Case Management, creating child friendly spaces and Distribution of child protection key messages. 

The interventions will result in improving the knowledge and resilience of the affected population including children and their caregivers enabling them to build positive coping mechanisms against the current crisis and emergency conditions and better their psycho social wellbeing. Besides, creating child friendly spaces and disseminating key protection messages on how to protect children in distress will help ensure that vulnerable person with specific needs and/or reduced coping capacities have access to assistance meets their needs in their locations. 

Aschiana will utilize its networks with local authorities, UN agencies, donors, and other humanitarian partners to strengthen humanitarian coordination in regards to the humanitarian response.  Aschiana has a strong monitoring mechanism and the monitoring team will prepare a monitoring plan for the present programme and conduct regular monitoring and evaluation and modify the strategies if required. The staff members will maintain a stable presence in the targeted communities, will be conducting regular protection monitoring visits following an agreed upon methodology for data collection (focus group discussions, key informant interviews, household interviews, observations).

Ashciana also has an on-going project funded bu AHF in Kandahar and Nangarhar. This project does not have duplicate activities, while the existing project will help us and be supportive in identifying beneficiaries through case management referrals and those who need MHPSS and refers to CFSs.