The Approach 

In situations of violence, civilians and communities engage in self-protection actions to keep themselves, their families and their communities safer. This can involve engaging with armed actors, as both perpetrators of violence and potentially providers of protection, resulting in both positive and negative outcomes.  

The humanitarian coordination system – and specifically, the Global Protection Cluster – offers an opportunity to support greater visibility of, enhanced practice and deeper learning related to community-based/community-led protection programmes as enablers in community-led protection. The GPC is thus committed to expanding the traditionally top-down, state-centric mode of protection work, recognising and promoting how protection is an activity done by affected populations, not just for affected populations. There is also an opportunity for sharing emerging and good practices, learning, strengthening networks and providing a platform for strengthening synergies between protection and peace action. 

GPC Community of Practice on Community-Led Protection  

In order to promote common understanding of community-led protection and exchange learning, best practices, and challenges for crisis contexts, a Community of Practice on Community-Led Protection has been established. 

It is co-led by Oxfam and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and comprised of a range of GPC partners, including NGOs, INGOs, networks, UN agencies, and others. 

You can find the Terms of Reference here.