UNICEF’s Executive Board adopted the UNICEF Child Protection Strategy at its annual June session. The strategy outlines the contributions of UNICEF to national and international efforts to fulfil children’s right to protection and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, within the context of the UNICEF medium-term strategic plan (MTSP) for 2006-2009. A shift is underway towards understanding child protection as strengthening systemic and societal support for protective laws, policies and social conventions. Specifically, UNICEF’s focus has shifted from a project-centered approach to a more comprehensive approach of supporting change in social and institutional environments. Small scale and short-term responses have saved the lives of many children and remain essential, but should form part of broader strategies with an emphasis on prevention, as outlined in the recommendations from the UN Study on Violence against Children (2006).
UNICEF's Child Protection Strategy advocates for placing its efforts and resources where they will have the broadest impact in securing a protective environment for children -- through building national protection systems, supporting social change and strengthening child protection in armed conflict and natural disasters. Priority cross-cutting issues in this endeavour include evidence-building and knowledge management, strengthening UNICEF’s role in convening and catalysing agents of change and leveraging results through the strategic use of resources. The strategy, which includes 77 strategic actions, was developed through intensive consultation with a wide range of key partners and UNICEF staff.
