This case study tells the story of a child protection programme developed by a community-based organisation called Children of the World that works in villages in northern Uganda. The Children of the World programme was chosen for this set of case studies because of its focus on the importance of a personal psychological process for real sustainable child protection. It also has a carefully structured community process that works through Family Support Groups set up to reduce conflict at home and in the village and as a support and protection vehicle for children.
Discussions with villagers suggest that the model is a powerful example of a broad peace-building process in a traumatised post-conflict community that is catalysed by the issue of child protection. Children of the World is now applying the principles and approaches of this model in the Palabek Refugee Settlement, where thousands of refugees from South Sudan have recently been settled.
This case study is part of collection of work undertaken in 2017 to document interesting or promising examples of community-based child protection in Tanzania and Uganda. The examples can provide insight into how different understandings of and approaches to community dynamics in various contexts can help support deeper community engagement in child protection. A synthesis paper which draws out some of the key learning from the case studies is forthcoming (2018).
