Child Participation and Accountability for Children in Child Protection in Humanitarian Action

About the Initiative

Over the last decades, the humanitarian sector has made significant progress in improving participation and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP). However, in practice, AAP efforts typically involve mostly adults, leaving gaps in the participation of and accountability to children and adolescents (0–17) in humanitarian responses.

Similarly, the 2016 Youth Compact was established to generate momentum for more meaningful engagement with young people (10–24) in humanitarian action. Whilst several great initiatives have been implemented in various countries, most humanitarian responses still lack a consistent approach to meaningful participation of children and adolescents in the sector.

The Global Protection Cluster – Child Protection and Plan International are implementing the Strengthening Child Participation and Accountability to Children in Humanitarian Action initiative. 

Through this initiative, child protection practitioners at country-level, including coordination group members, are receiving technical support in developing context-specific strategies and adaptation and simplification of tools, to enhance integration of participation and accountability for children across the programme cycle. This support also includes tailored training sessions and access to vetted and recommended tools and resources that can be used in their respective humanitarian contexts.

This webpage is a go-to resource hub. It contains an online repository of interagency vetted, practical key guidance, tools, examples and training materials related to child and adolescent participation and accountability for children, available for child protection coordinators and practitioners throughout the Programme Cycle Phases (Preparedness, Needs Assessment & Situational Analysis, Design & Planning, Implementation & Monitoring and Evaluation & Learning), in addition to tools and resources that were developed through this initiative across different contexts.

Child Participation & Accountability To Children

Child Participation

Child participation refers to the safe, ethical, and active involvement of children, including adolescents in all their diversity, in decisions, processes, programmes, and policies that affect their lives. It is grounded in a rights-based approach.

Meaningful participation is ensuring there is better and quality participation of children and adolescents across different activities across all programme phases while promoting their right to participate in issues affecting them while promoting their inclusion in key decision-making processes. It goes beyond tokenism and ensures children’s voices influence decisions, shape programs and lead to tangible outcomes.

Accountability to Children

• The Inter-Agency Standing Committee guidelines define accountability as ‘a commitment by humanitarian actors to use power responsibly’.
• Accountability to children is informed by children's right to participation
• Accountability to children means listening to, acting on and responding to children’s feedback transparently and respectfully.
• Accountability promotes inclusion of children and adolescents in decision-making processes

What we can offer through the Help Desk

• Technical guidance on conducting capacity needs and gaps analysis on child participation and accountability for children
• Tailored training for practitioners and members of coordination groups
• Support on documentation of good practices and examples
• Guidance on reviewing and adapting child-friendly feedback mechanisms for children
• Sharing practical tools and resources, etc.