Protecting children in war affected areas

About the project

Since the beginning of the conflict an estimated 4.3 million people have fled their homes, of which approximately 3.3 million people are still displaced. Data analysis showed about half of the IDPs are women and 27 percent are below age 18. With limited shelter options, displaced women and girls are paying the heaviest price; they tend to suffer most from lack of privacy, threats to safety and limited access to basic services, making them even more vulnerable to violence, such as domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, child marriage, and forced marriage.

Through private funding, Helpcode is implementing an integrated child protection and education project for 7 months with aiming to reduce protection risks faced by internally displaced people, in particular, discrimination, S/GBV and specific risks faced by girls and boys in IDPs sites. The proposed intervention will occur in 15 IDPs camps / settlements and 5 host community villages in Lahj and Ad Dhale’e governorates.

The protection component has the Specific Objectives in reducing the risks of violence against children in IDPs sites. The project activity including:

• Identify and build the capacity of Child Protection Networks and involve them in GBV prevention activities at the camps and settlements level.
• Carry out community awareness sessions and campaigns activities that focus on violence against girls and boys. Positive engagement with women, men, girls and boys to enhance their role as key actors in awareness raising and behavioural change.
• Carry out qualitative and quantitative protection monitoring and vulnerability assessments at household and community level. Through integration with Municipality of Geneva funds, targeted the people of concern through income generating activities such as cash for work.

The education part has the Specific Objective in improving IDPs’ school-aged children access to quality education in a protected and safe educational environment.
In a country in such a dramatic humanitarian condition as Yemen, it is important to protect and invest in girls and boys. They are the main victims of this situation and it is only ensuring appropriate access to education and respect for their rights that we can guarantee a better future for the entire country.

The UN Education Cluster estimates that 8.5 million school-aged girls and boys (5-17-years-old) in Yemen need assistance, just over 2.5 million school-age girls and boys are out of school last year 2021; approximately 47 per cent of girls were out of school compared to 53 per cent of boys.

Helpcode aims at improving IDPs’ school-aged children access to quality education in a protected and safe educational environment through strengthening the quality of primary education in 3 IDPs camps schools in Lahj and Ad Dhale’e governorates. The project will provide three primary schools with stationery, teaching material and other materials, also will build the capacity of 12 social counsellors in existing schools and encourage involvement of teachers in promoting the safe environments in schools.

Project costs

24.300 €

Direct beneficiaries

• 1.678 households (11,747 individual) – 2.452 women (over 18 yrs), 2.482 men (over 18 yrs), 3.385 girls (below 18 yrs) and 3.428 boys (below 18 yrs).
• 3.430 students (1.785 girls and 1.645 boys) will benefit from learning materials
• 12 social counsellors and teachers will receive a training

Indirect beneficiaries

• 956 households (6.692 individuals) men, women, girls who will benefit indirectly from this intervention

Project backers

Private donors
Municipality of Geneva

Project leader

Mosa Moori

Country representative – Yemen