Training Course on Child Protection in Armed Conflict (GPC010)
Training Course on Child Protection in Armed Conflict
This 5-day intensive training course provides participants with a comprehensive and practical understanding of the principles, legal frameworks, and strategies for protecting children affected by armed conflict (CAAC). Participants will explore the six grave violations against children during armed conflict and gain practical skills to monitor, report, and respond to child protection concerns effectively.
The course draws on international standards, humanitarian best practices, and real-world case studies to foster critical thinking and practical problem-solving. It emphasizes the legal, ethical, and gender-sensitive approaches necessary for effective child protection in conflict environments.
Course Duration
Online Training: 5 days (4hrs per day)
Classroom Training: 5 days (7hrs per day)
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the fundamental principles of child protection and their specific application in conflict settings.
- Identify and analyze the six grave violations and their short- and long-term impacts on children.
- Apply international legal frameworks including UNCRC, OPAC, and Geneva Conventions to real-world protection programming.
- Recognize and assess gender-specific risks and vulnerabilities faced by boys and girls in conflict zones.
- Develop effective prevention and response strategies, including risk assessments, referral pathways, and monitoring systems.
- Design and integrate child protection interventions into broader humanitarian programming.
Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Child Protection in Armed Conflict
- Definition and scope of child protection
- Key principles: Best interest of the child, non-discrimination, child participation, and survival & development
- Drivers and consequences of child vulnerability in armed conflict
- Overview of the child protection actor landscape (UN, NGOs, government agencies)
Module 2: Legal and Policy Frameworks
- International Legal Instruments:
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
- Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (OPAC)
- Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols
- Global Policies and Guidelines:
- Security Council Resolutions (e.g., 1325, 1612, 1820)
- Paris Principles and Commitments
- Kampala Declaration on Refugees and IDPs
- Accountability mechanisms and pathways to justice
Module 3: Mainstreaming Child Protection in Conflict Settings
- Introduction to the Child Protection Minimum Standards (CPMS)
- Strategies for integrating child protection in cross-cutting sectors:
- Education, Health, Nutrition, WASH, and Shelter
- Coordination with other sectors and the role of inter-agency collaboration
- Case studies on successful mainstreaming in field operations
Module 4: Monitoring and Reporting the Six Grave Violations
- Understanding the origin and classification of the Six Grave Violations:
- Killing and maiming of children
- Recruitment or use of children by armed forces or groups
- Attacks on schools or hospitals
- Rape or other forms of sexual violence
- Abduction of children
- Denial of humanitarian access
- Introduction to the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM)
- Tools and methods for data collection, verification, and confidentiality
- Developing credible reports for advocacy and response
Module 5: Gender Dimensions of the Six Grave Violations
- Gender-based differences in the impact of violations
- Role of Gender Analysis in child protection planning
- Addressing the specific needs of girls and boys during and after violations
- Promoting inclusive and equitable protection responses
- Gender-sensitive indicators and monitoring tools
Module 6: Comparative Analysis of Grave Violations through SRSG-CAAC Reports
- Introduction to the role of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for CAAC
- Comparative review of recent SRSG reports:
- Country case studies and trends
- Lessons learned and best practices
- Group exercises:
- Analyze and present regional variations in violations
- Develop advocacy briefs and recommendations
- Final reflections and synthesis of course learnings
Note: The specific content, activities, and duration of each session may be adjusted based on the target audience, learning objectives, and available time.
Course Language
English
Training Methodology
Presentations are well guided, practical exercise, a plenary presentation, and group work. Participants are encouraged to bring any data relevant to their job responsibilities. This is hands-on, product-oriented training and will mostly involve practical exercises. Each participant MUST bring along their own working laptop and android phone.
Certification
Upon completion of training, the participant will be issued with a certificate of Completion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the Training Course on Child Protection in Armed Conflict course.
Child protection in armed conflict is the specialised field of humanitarian protection that addresses threats to children caused by war and armed violence — recruitment by armed forces or armed groups, killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access. It combines international law (Geneva Conventions, CRC, Paris Principles) with frontline casework, and its practitioners work in some of the most complex operational environments in humanitarian response.
UN Security Council Resolution 1612 (2005) designated six grave violations that trigger mandatory monitoring and reporting by the UN: killing and maiming of children; recruitment or use as child soldiers; sexual violence against children; abduction of children; attacks on schools or hospitals; and denial of humanitarian access to children. These six are monitored country-by-country through the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) and anchor accountability advocacy at the UN Security Council.
The Paris Principles (2007) are the international standard on the protection and reintegration of children recruited or used by armed forces and armed groups — known as children associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG). They cover prevention, release, reintegration and follow-up, with a strong emphasis on community-based reintegration over institutional care and non-discrimination between boys and girls. The course uses the Principles as the practical reference for casework.
Humanitarian protection officers, UN and INGO child protection staff, case workers and coordinators deployed in or supporting armed-conflict responses. Government child-protection personnel in fragile states also benefit, as do researchers working on children and armed conflict.
The six grave violations monitoring framework (UNSCR 1612), the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, the Paris Principles on children associated with armed forces and armed groups, and key IHL provisions protecting children. Coverage stays applied — focused on what field staff use in casework.
Some exposure to humanitarian programming or protection work is strongly recommended. The course moves quickly into scenario-based work — child recruitment cases, unaccompanied minors, attacks on schools — so participants get more out of it if they already understand basic protection concepts.
Live-instructor-led online or in-person at our training venues across Nairobi, Kigali, Mombasa, Lagos, Cape Town, Addis Ababa, Juba, Cairo and Dubai. Both formats are case-based and interactive, and both issue the Perk Group Africa certificate of completion with a verification code that employers can validate online.
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