Introduction of Child Protection Unit

Afghan Independent Human Rights commission has been established in June 2002 based on the provision of the Bonn agreement. The mandate for the AIHRC is to support and facilitate the development of a sustainable independent national capacity for the promotion and protection of human rights in Afghanistan. By now the AIHRC has a strong legal identity through the Afghan new constitution (art.58)

The functioning Protection, (4) Monitoring and Investigation (5) Transitional Justice and (6) Unit for policy development and Research.

In addition to the programs mentioned above the AIHRC is undertaking wide range consultation and efforts to ensure the active presence of the commission over the different reform process at the policy level; i.e. constitution building, judicial reform, election process, demobilization process ..

One of the major tasks of the commission is to provide relevant protection for the child Right in Afghanistan and to assist Government and non Government organizations and associations to develop a joint policy for the protection of the rights of the children.

The child protection section of the commission is like the other programs of the AIHRC is not an implementing body, but more of a coordinating and supporting body for all other stakeholders to the subject and it basically focus on 2 main area of awareness raising and monitoring of the child rights.

The project cycle envisaged for the activities of this section is as follow:

Research: Collection of information and facts directly or indirectly through needs assessments and reports from other organizations about the situation of the children, capacities, needs, problems, possible solutions and available resources. Research report on situation of child correction and rehabilitation centres in Afghanistan
Advocacy: organizing advocacy campaign through media, meetings, etc. for bringing the issue to the attention of the public.
Capacity Building: based on the result of the research and the reaction of the advocacy programs the needs for capacity building will be identified and through a resource sharing mechanism the capacity building programs will be held.
Policy level suggestion: based on the results of the consultations and the whole process some policy changes might be required, which will be identified and consulted and will be submitted to the relevant authorities.

All the activities of the AIHRC in the child protection area is undertaking by close coordination and consultation with the coordination body of the child rights protection i.e. Ministry of education, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of interior, juvenile court, Save the Children US, UK, Sweden, Japan, AWN, UNICEF.

Major Activities undertake to Date:

(1) Networking:

Through the first days of its establishment the child protection unite of the AIHRC has tried hard to be part of any networking bodies in regards of child rights. As a result of the joint efforts taken by the AIHRC and other concern organization of the child right this unit now has a strong presence in the following networks:

GMC (Global Movement of Children) this network is consist of more than 20 Govt and Non Governmental organization;

Confronting Child Trafficking: this committee was set up by the presidential decree on late November 2003, which is leading by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and has a membership of senior level officials from more than 15 organization (Government and Non Government)

South Asia network on combating Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC): the representatives of the AIHRC, Child Protection unit through the years of 2003 have participate in the regional meetings at the south Asia level and have shown a strong capacity for an active membership. The reports available on line

Meanwhile AIHRC/ child Protection Unit has taken the leadership for establishment child protection networks in the provinces level, where they have a presence;

(2) Child Trafficking:

The AIHRC child Protection unit was the prime organization who called up on the Government and intl organizations to help confronting child trafficking in Afghanistan; the AIHRC organized media campaign and advocacy through Radio, TV and publications.

Meanwhile AIHRC/ Child Protection Unit organized and held a one day roundtable meeting with the high level officials of the Ministry of Interior; Chief polices from all provinces, boarder police, district level police officers of Kabul city, representatives of Ministry of Justice, attorney General office, Save the children alliance, UNICEF, Ministry of women Affairs to discuss strategies on confronting child trafficking.

AIHRC/ Child Protection section undertake a monitoring project for the follow up of the child trafficking issue and their reunification process with their families by the financial support from UNICEF, which was started by a monitoring and assessment mission to north east part of the country. (mission reports)

AIHRC/ Child Protection unit is now in the process of bringing in a consultant to help the unit with strategy development tools on confronting child trafficking.

(3) Publications

Book on CRC: AIHRC/ Child Protection Unit initiate publication of a book on CRC which consist of massages and information regarding the child right for the different relevant authorities i.e. police, court, teachers, parents, community concerning child rights with reference to CRC, Islamic principles and as well as civil laws and procedures.

This book is available Online in Dari.

Report on children in conflict in law: an assessment have been done by the AIHRC/ Child Protection Unit to find out the causes of crimes committed by children and the facilities provided by Justice System. The report is based on a assessment done in more than 10 provinces of the country and interviews with more than 300 individuals. The report is available in Dari Online.

Brushers: Number of brochures published by the Child Protection Unit to raise the awareness of the public regarding child protection issues and distributed to public.

Guidance chart : Guidance chart on how to prevent children from trafficking for the families and police is published and posted in the crowded public places for information. (Guidance Chart)

(4) Training and Capacity Building:

The AIHRC/ Child Protection Unit with the cooperation of the Human Rights Education Department of AIHRC has conduct a number of workshops in Kabul and more than 15 provinces all over the country; Reports/ agenda of the workshops will be available soon on line.