1
The Impact of COVID-19 on Child Protection Policy in Humanitarian Action
Case Study; South Sudan Internally Displaced People in Camps Settlement.Written by: Charlotte Wara
Communication for Development
One-year Master
15 Credits HT2020-2021
Supervisor: Josepha Wessels
2 ABSTRACT
The principle of child protection and the efforts to protect children from abuse and neglect in pre-modern societies have different notions. According to De Mause, the past was a barbaric place for children and the history of childhood is a nightmare (De Mause, 1995, p. 1). In 1989, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child outlined the fundamental rights of children, including the right to be protected from economic exploitation (Convention on the Rights of the Child: 1990). This study explores issues of Child Protection Policy in humanitarian settings, and focuses on how the outbreak of COVID-19 has affected its implementation in South Sudan Internally Displaced People (IDP) in Camp settlements. This study is underlined by the theory of Participatory Communication while making use of concepts like Communicative Competence and Community Engagement.
A case study and qualitative approach method is chosen for this research because it explores and captures the uniqueness and complexities of South Sudan IDPs Camp in “real life” contexts through systematic inquiry and data analysis (Geertz, 1973). The primary research tool of this study makes use of both primary and secondary sources of information. Qualitative research methodology through literature review, semi-structured interviews are used to gather data from respondents because qualitative research method aligns with the aim of finding out “how” and “why” (Kulothungan & Oham, 2019, p.12). Public statements, reports, policy documents and other resources are also used. Results from the empirical data suggest that Child Protection services in IDP camp settlements have been greatly affected by COVID-19 mitigating measures because schools and Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) are not operational as before and children are not getting the maximum support and services that they need. These measures have significantly affected the wellbeing of children in key areas including education, food and nutrition, gender and mental health. The study gives crucial insights into how stakeholders can address challenges in implementing Child Protection Policies during a global pandemic and in humanitarian settings.
Keywords: COVID-19 measures, Child Protection Policy, Participatory Communication,
3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This research project is dedicated to my children, Darryl-Elian and Kendyll-Eleora for being such an inspiration of hope and LOVE.
To my husband Romeo, thank you for supporting and pushing me to the end of this research. Without you and the kids, this research would have been completed a long time ago “Smiles”.
I would like to thank my parents, family and friends for all their prayers and for always believing in me. To you Evans, my little brother thanks for your love, support and prayers.
I also wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor Josepha Wessels for her valuable contribution to the realisation of this research. To all the ComDev staff and students, you all made my time at Malmö University a memorable one- thank you.
I am indebted to all my respondents in South Sudan who despite their tight schedules took out time to participate in the interview sessions. I am equally grateful for their openness and readiness to share their skills, knowledge and experiences with me without which this research would not have been realised. I would also like to thank my colleague Blaise Fofung for providing insightful comments on the earlier drafts of this research.
4 TABLE OF CONTENT
ABSTRACT
2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
3
TABLE OF CONTENT 4ACRONYMS
5
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
6
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
10
Protect a Child; the implications of COVID-19. 11
Children as Partners and Participants in Child Protection during COVID-19 12
CHAPTER 3: THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
13
Participatory Communication 13
Communicative Competence and Community Engagement 15
CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH DESIGN
18
The Outbreak COVID-19 20
Refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDP) 20
CHAPTER 5: METHODOLOGY
22
Selection of Participants 23
Ethical Considerations 24
Methodological and Research Challenges 25
CHAPTER 6: RESULTS FROM THE EMPIRICAL DATA
26
CHAPTER 7: RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
32
REFERENCES
37
APPENDIX: 41
5 ACRONYMS
Abbreviations Meanings
UN United Nations
FGM FGM- Female Genital Mutilation
UNOCHA Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs COVID-19- Coronavirus Disease 2019
UNICEF The United Nations Children's Fund BIC Best Interests of the Child
CP AoR Child Protection Area of Responsibility
CP Child Protection
HTP Harmful traditional practices CAR Central African Republic
DRC Democratic Republic of Congo
C4D Communication for Development
ICT Information and communications technology
GBV Gender Based Violence
CPMS Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action
PoC Protection of Civilians
WASH Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene IASC Inter-Agency Standing Committee
CCCM Camp Coordination and Camp Management
IASFM International Association for the Study of Forced Migration
IDP Internally Displaced People
CFS Child Friend Spaces
CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child
6
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Child Protection in Humanitarian Action refers to the prevention and response to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence against children in humanitarian action.1 From the 19th century onward until
the 1960s, the ambiguity about the role of protecting children persisted into the 20th century with discussions as to what constituted ‘social work’, with many believing that as they still do today, that social work is a much more wider entity or set of activities than ‘simply’ child protection work. (Hearn et al, 2004). In 1989, world leaders came together and made a historic commitment to the world to protect children, by adopting an international legal framework – the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1990).
The 1989 convention stipulated that children should not be objects to their parents for whom decisions are taken. Instead, children should be considered as individuals with their own rights. According to the conventions, childhood will last until the age of 18 (Ibid, 1990). The Convention on the Rights of the Child2 has inspired many governments to change laws and policies including making investments that
would help more children get the health care and nutrition they need to develop and protect them from violence and exploitation. Being a young person makes you vulnerable to abuse.
The purpose of child protection policy is to make sure that any actions carried out by an organisation working with children is to safeguard them. Child protection policy thus sets out common values and principles in protecting children and describes the steps taken to protect them. Some of the principles include the recognition of children’s best interests in all decision-making processes and establishing a safe environment where children can learn and develop. This has enabled the voices of more children including their participation in decisions that affect them (Ibid).
On January 23rd, 2015, South Sudan became the 195th State party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), though millions of children continue to suffer violations of their rights (Convention on the Rights of the Child: 1990). The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 in South Sudan has further exacerbated children’s vulnerability in South Sudan. The mitigation measures of COVID-19 like social distancing, facemask, school lock down, and the closure of other recreational events for children in IDP
1 The objectives of humanitarian action are to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity during
and in the aftermath of man-made crises and natural disasters, as well as to prevent and strengthen preparedness for the occurrence of such situations. Humanitarian action has two inextricably linked dimensions: protecting people and providing assistance. Humanitarian action is rooted in humanitarian principles - humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence see Child Protection Minimum Standards Glossary
2Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by
General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989 entry into force 2 September 1990, in accordance with article 49. For the purposes of the present Convention, a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years.
7
like the Child Friendly Spaces has affected the behavioural change of children not only in South Sudan but also in the world at large.
The sudden lock down measures has created a sense of fear and anxiety especially in vulnerable communities like the IDP camp settlement where the community rely so much on the traditional community lifestyle of hand shaking and living in clusters. For a better outreach and visibility of information for the COVID-19 mitigation measures to reach a wider audience, sensitization, education and most importantly communication is needed. Communication is important because it is only through communication that important information and messages regarding the preventive measures of COVID-19 can reach a wider audience. This research would examine the impact of COVID-COVID-19 on child protection policy in humanitarian action while making use of Participatory Communication theory with concepts like, Communicative Competence and Community Engagement and a forward-facing conclusion.
Child Protection from a Discursive Standpoint, Policy Documents and Organizational Practices
Child protection discourse can be traced to the medical discovery and treatment of 'battered babies' in the 1960s (Gordon, 1997, p.668). In order to response and understand child abuse, a disease model was developed in the United Kingdom in the 1970s and 1980s which was typically medico-social in nature. It was based on the assumption that child abuse was a clearly identifiable phenomenon, which was the result of individual pathology and was 'both predictable and preventable' (London Borough of Brent, 1985, p. 287).
Following the growing awareness of sexual abuse, the nature of the discourse began to change, and a new discourse of child protection emerged which was socio-legal in nature. The legal framework placed a greater emphasis on the ability to achieve a balance between the protection of children from harm and the protection of parents' rights. This became the central mechanism for both informing decision-making and resolving disputes. (London Borough of Brent, 1985, p. 288). A little less than 7% of referrals for 'physical abuse' were classified as 'serious cases' with the majority concerned being minor punitive child rearing practice (Thorpe, 1994 and Wattam, 1996).
Similarly, it was found out in Western Australia that less than a quarter of children entering state care under the auspices of child protection had been abused. Protective actions were found to be associated with factors such as the parent’s lifestyle and child headed household. The child protection discourse is seen as a policy which was used to shape the development of inefficient systems that could affect children likely to be harmed within their own families (Gordon, 1997, p.66). These systems tend to
8
draw increasing numbers of families into their net, often based on moral judgements about family lifestyles, rather than evidence of actual injury, which consumes huge resources and creates an environment of child welfare discourse for preventive and supportive strategies (Gordon, 1997, p.66).
Problem Statement and Justification of Study
In December 2013, following a political struggle between Kiir and Machar, violence erupted between the presidential guard soldiers from the two largest ethnic groups in South Sudan. Over 50,000 people were killed and nearly four million people became internally displaced and fled to neighbouring countries3. According to the United Nations High Commission of Refugee (UNHCR) almost two
million people within the borders of South Sudan have been internally displaced, while more than two million South Sudanese refugees have left their homes and sought refuge in Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda.4 Many of them fear impending attacks and fighting as well as lack of food. Uganda currently
houses the highest number of refugees from South Sudan and has received more than a million people from neighbouring countries (UNHCR, 2019).
Even though South Sudan became the 195th state party to the convention on the right of the child, which is the most widely ratified international human right treaty, when children attain puberty, they are no longer considered children even when they have not reached the age of 18. Children living in conflict-affected areas in South Sudan do not have access to information, education and awareness of services that would benefit them. Children are still on the move due to the conflict, economic pressures and trafficking is still prominent in the country. This notwithstanding, culturally, in South Sudan, children are not allowed to sit and discuss issues affecting them with adults where they would have the possibility to contribute their opinion in matters affecting them (Global Conflict Tracker, 2019).
In South Sudan, more than 33 percent 5of children under-five are not registered at birth. Even though
this situation has improved slightly since 2010, children with no birth certificates face many difficulties registering for school and it is difficult to determine their age for marriage, which still poses a problem to human rights. Approximately 82 per cent of children aged 0–17 live in a family environment, while 3.5 per cent live with neither parent.6 These figures do not include children living on the streets, or those
in armed groups, engaged in child labour such as gold mining, or residing in institutions (Ibid, 109).
3 Council on Foreign Relation: Global Conflict Tracker. Assessed 2020-10-10 from Global Conflict Tracker
Sudan
4 UNHCR (2019) Refugees and asylum-seekers from South Sudan. Assessed 2020-12-20 from UNHCR Refugees
and IDPs Updates
5 Council on Foreign Relation: Global Conflict Tracker. Assessed 2020-10-10 from Global Conflict Tracker
Sudan
9
Harmful traditional practices (HTP) pose great risk on the physical and psychological health and wellbeing of children. HTP like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is still prevalence in Sudan. About 87%7 among women aged 15-49 years old and 31% among girls aged 0-14 suffer from
FGM. About 38% of women get married before 18 years while 12% were married before age 15.8
According to a report published by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) on behalf of the South Sudan Humanitarian Country Team and partners in 2019, since 2018, the situation of child protection is deteriorating with more children getting out of school. Three out of four children are missing educational opportunities; and as schools are being destroyed, it makes teachers flee from violence and economic stressors (OCHA, 2019). The number of children associated with armed force is estimated to be 19,0009. Nearly 1 million10 children under the age of five
are acutely malnourished. Nearly half of IDPs individuals in South Sudan are children, more than half of them 5 years of age or younger, raising concerns around the effect of displacement on children’s wellbeing and access to services. The impact of South Sudan’s conflict on children is devastating. Over half of the more than two million South Sudanese are living in exile, 300,000 South Sudanese refugees live in seven different camps in Ethiopia’s Gambella region. These children are mostly unaccompanied or separated from their families and are being exposed to violence, abuse and exploitation.
The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in South Sudan and lockdowns have further increased the vulnerability of children who are already suffering from other associated risks in the country. According to a global survey carried out by The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF, 2020), violence prevention and response services have been severely disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving children at increased risk of violence, exploitation and abuse. This means that children have been confined to the same space for months, which is further exposing them to the risk of violence. The goal of child protection policy is to promote, protect and fulfil children’s rights to protection from abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence as expressed in the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1990).
Successful child protection work begins with prevention and seeks to address the root causes of child protection failures, which make children more vulnerable – for example, the case of COVID-19 and the preventive measures of social distance. A case study approach is therefore suitable for this research, as it will give the researcher the opportunity to undertake an in-depth analysis of the impact of the outbreak
7 United Nations, Children and armed conflict in South Sudan, Report of the Secretary-General, S/2018/865,
September 2018
8 Numbers from UNHCR Global Trends reports 2019 and IDMC Global Report on Internal Displacement 2019 9Humanitarian Overview, South Sudan, (2019) Assessed 2020-12-09 from South Sudan Humanitarian Needs 10 Ibid
10
of COVID-19 in South Sudan IDP camp settlement while considering the implementation of child protection policy during the response of the pandemic.
Since community, engagement provides and empowers beneficiaries to amplify their voices, and ComDev uses an evidence base approach and participatory process to facilitate the participation of children for social change, these concepts would be used in this research to analysis the level of child participation during the response of COVID-19 and the impact of COVID-19 on child protection policy. This will hopefully provide insightful results, recommendation and forward-facing conclusions of the research questions seen below.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Child protection in humanitarian settings has been explored by civil society, international/local, NGO, and UN agencies like UNICEF, UNHCR, and Save the Children amongst others. The author of this research found many existing resources on child protection and the impact of COVID-19 on children published by the Alliance for Child Protection, Save the Children, UNICEF and other international organisations. However, little or no direct resources focused on the impact of COVID-19 on child protection policy in Camp settlements. This could be because the pandemic is new, and research is ongoing within the sector. This literature review is based on similar research, with the aim of analysing the potential effect to add to existing resources in the sector.
Edwards (2020) predicted that more than 17,500 parents and 8,00011 children across 37 countries
suffered the impact of COVID-19. There is a huge loss of income in households due to COVID19, and 19% 12of children reported violence in the home, compared to 5% when there had been no loss of
income. The reported cases of violence in the household doubled the rate when schools were closed (17%) compared to when schools were open (8%). Assessing risk in child protection is a key challenge. Calder (2016) argues that risk now has to be recognized as a multi-disciplinary activity, which demystifies the complexity around risk and shows how to deliver effective risk assessment (Calde, 2016: p.16). Ayre and Calder argue that the response by state to child death and the failure of other systems is partly due to the bureaucratic solutions via the introduction of laws, guidelines and procedure. (Ibid, p.16) According to Caldes and Ayre, Child protection services are in danger of decline due to neglect of abuse. This concept sees child protection not as a distinct activity but as a range of issues affecting children's well-being (Calder, 2016: p.16).
11 Edwards (2020) Protect a Generation, The impact of COVID-19 on children’s lives in a comprehensive
survey by Save the Children International,
12 The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action. (2019). The Minimum Standards for Child
11
Protect a Child; the implications of COVID-19.
According to a report written by Save the Children, Edwards (2020) COVID-19 has had an impact on children’s health, nutrition, education, and wellbeing while increasing poverty. With the national lockdowns and social distancing measures to mitigate the spread of the virus, the COVID-19 health crisis has quickly turned into an economic crisis. Save The Children estimated that up to 11713 million
children are at risk of falling into poverty, with millions more at risk of going deeper into poverty. This means that more children will go hungry, become malnourished, face protection risks, and miss essential services. The closure of schools during the COVID-19 means that children do not have access to safe space, which can protect them from various forms of violence. Stressors related to COVID-19, including health, food security and financial concerns could exacerbate violence against children in the home, as over-stressed parents and caregivers can become violent and abusive. The COVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures are affecting children’s health, nutrition, learning, wellbeing, poverty and protection (Edwards, 2020).
Child Poverty and Social Protection
In a recent study carried out by The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (2020) and Save The Children International (2020), to mitigate the continuous spread of COVID-19, governments around the world resorted to stringent measures like lock down which caused economic recession in many countries. Child poverty can stop children from having access to vital services like health and education and can mean that they are more likely to suffer violence and would possibly resort to negative economic coping mechanisms like child labour and child marriage (Edwards, 2020). Schools often serve as one of the places where children experiencing abuse can request support from trusted adults outside their immediate family. For children living in Camp Settlements and residential institutions, the closure of schools implies a sudden shift to family-based care without considering the Best Interests of the Child14 (BIC). Since social protection serves as a critical element and a broader
strategy to ensure the protection of children, The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (2020) stipulated that a robust Social Protection system should address both economic and social vulnerability. Governments should support children, especially poor and vulnerable children with healthcare services, school, finance and meals so that children should not suffer from hunger (Edwards, 2020, p. 5).
13Edwards (2020) Protect a Generation, The impact of COVID-19 on children’s lives in a comprehensive survey
by Save the Children International. Resource can be found here; The Impact of COVID-19 on Children’s Lives
14 The right of the child to have his or her best interests assessed and taken as a primary consideration in reaching
a decision. It refers to the well-being of a child and is determined by a variety of individual circumstances (age, level of maturity, the presence or absence of parents, the child's environment and experiences).
12
COVID-19 has led to severe economic stressors such as a reduction in household income, increased debt, and increased barriers to access protective services. If family finances are taken into consideration, children will be kept safe and protected. To do so, there should be an increase in the work across the socio-ecological model that would strengthen child protection systems.15 This would include ensuring
that child protection is incorporated into the design, implementation, and evaluation of social protection16.For example, ensuring linkages with the social welfare workforce and strengthened referral
pathways, and mitigating measures, linkages with community-level child protection mechanisms.
Children as Partners and Participants in Child Protection during COVID-19
Nearly every country in the world is still facing unprecedented challenges caused by quarantine measures to mitigate the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Child-focused organizations are still finding it difficult to communicate with children, adapt their methods of hearing children’s voices and ensure children’s participation to virtual and “socially distanced” realities (Global Protection Cluster, 2020). According to a webinar delivered on the 29 September 2020, 3:00 – 5:00 pm by the Global Protection Cluster, despite the COVID-19 challenges, children have been taking the lead as activists to organise campaigns and respond to crises. To this effect, Coordination Groups should take this as an opportunity to acknowledge children’s agency so that children are seen as partners in co-creating change (Global Protection Cluster, 2020). Michael Copland, Global Child Protection Area of Responsibility Coordinator ( CP AoR) elucidated during his opening remarks that child participation17 programming
will give a better understanding of the situation, gathering insights on how to design responses, get feedback on the quality of response, and ensure accountability to children.18 As we are losing more
contact with children who are facing heightened risk during COVID-19, we need to re-examine how to ensure their participation during the pandemic he added.
15 See also “A call for action for governments to expand children’s access to child-sensitive social protection in
the wake of COVID-19
16 Social Protection is “a set of policies and programmes aimed at preventing or protecting all people against
poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion throughout their life-course, with a particular emphasis towards vulnerable groups. According to the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, this definition was developed by B as part of Inter-Agency Social Protection Assessments (ISPA) tools development. SPIAC-B is an interagency coordination mechanism composed of representatives of international organizations and bilateral institutions to enhance global coordination and advocacy on social protection issues and to coordinate international cooperation in country demand-driven actions
17 The manifestation of the right of every child to express his or her view, to have that view given all due
consideration, to influence decision-making and to achieve change. It is the informed and willing involvement of all children, including the most marginalised and those of different ages, genders and disabilities, in any matter concerning them.
18 The recordings of the webinar can be assessed here: Maintaining and Adapting Child Protection during
13
According to a report published in September 2020 by UNICEF, before COVID-19, children were actively engaged in protection activities through children’s clubs, child-led projects, campaigns, or child-led organizations. Therefore, in working with children as partners, it is important to follow their lead, and engage them with issues that are important to them via lateral discussions (UNICEF, 2020). While organizations can also work to promote children’s ability to protect themselves from abuse, exploitation, violence, and neglect, they should be careful that their messages also indicate that children are not responsible for any harms or potential harms that occur to them (Vanessa, C,. et al., 2020, p. 43).
Children as Partners in implementation can increase awareness in their communities through art and play e.g. theatre, skits, community football games (Vanessa, C,. et al., 2020, p. 44). In monitoring, evaluation, peer review, and learning, children should be engaged as researchers for designing and implementing online surveys and participatory activities. This can be done via activities for the COVID-19 context like SMS surveys and online questionnaires (Ibid, p. 45). For better partnership and participation of children in programming, humanitarian aid organisations and practitioners should rethink on how to approach the task and adapt them in terms of how the activities are being done. Engaging children in understanding and creating solutions to challenges that they are experiencing with COVID-19 will lead to more tailored and contextualized approaches that draw on children’s strengths (The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, 2020).
CHAPTER 3: THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The theoretical framework for this research is underlined by the assumptions of Participatory Communication including the concepts of Communicative Competence and Community Engagement. Theories and concepts are important because they give the researcher the basic and underlying assumptions to clearly and accurately create knowledge and understanding around the research problem (Wesp et al. 2018, p.319). The theoretical framework also helps to make connections between concrete and reflective elements of the information gathered within the research process (Kivunja, 2018, p.47).
Participatory Communication
Participatory communication is defined as “a dynamic, interactional, and transformative process of dialogue between people, groups, and institutions that enables people, both individually and collectively, to realize their full potential and be engaged in their own welfare” (Singhal, 2003). According to Bessette, (2004), the practice of participatory communication in development is “a planned activity, based on the one hand on participatory processes, and on the other hand on media and
14
interpersonal communication”. This participatory process facilitates dialogue among stakeholders, around a common development problem and goal, with the objective of developing and implementing a set of activities to contribute to its solution (Cadiz 1999 cited by Bessette, 2004).
Humanitarian aid work involves a systematic use of participatory communication methods to facilitate information and knowledge sharing amongst stakeholders and beneficiaries that helps to facilitate the integration of local traditional media via the use of communication technology and ICT (Bessette, 2004). Stakeholders have considered participatory communication a crucial tool from the start of a development initiative. This is partly because many conflicts and obstacles can be prevented if addressed quickly.
Participatory Communication also increases the sense of ownership by local stakeholders and enhances sustainability (Tufte and Mefalopulos 2009, p.8). Development work thus involves engaging with partners and the beneficiaries in the learning process in alternating activities, evaluations or reviews of actions taken. I find this theory particularly relevant for this research topic because it explores how multiple stakeholders can communicate their views and also take part in the decision making process of every program that affects them. It ensures that participation reflects the inner nature of participants by communicating areas where they need assistance in a transparent manner (Koprowska, 2014). Communities need solutions that are adapted to their needs in order to be able to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Participatory communication approach via community engagement provides and empowers beneficiaries to amplify their voices and co-produce knowledge that would be part of a solution. As a result, participatory communication practices and dialogic spaces are fostered through the practice of citizen engagement, uttering the voices of local communities and inciting social change (Tufte, 2017, p.122). Specifically, horizontal communication appears to be a benchmark within any participatory development process, facilitating the emergence of new linkages and networks.
According to Heimann (2006, p.605), horizontal communication builds a field in which everyone communicates and interacts at an equal level, regardless of their context or status. For this to be achieved, a collective dialogical process must be applied within all stages of a participatory development project, empowering all stakeholders to be actively involved, shaping decisions and influencing the objectives and outcomes of the development initiative (Tufle & Mefalopulos, 2009, p.26). According to Waisbord (2005, p.78), the centrality of power and the integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches are key ideas for a communication for development approach. Thus, this process can be understood as a “social process based on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods” (Figueroa, Kincaid, Rani & Lewis, 2002).
15
During the implementation of the development project, community participation is done via four categories (Tufle & Mefalopulos, 2009, p.15). The categories are empowerment participation characterized by joint decision making, as well as open interactive community practices, knowledge exchange and ownership led by the local communities. The second category, participation by collaboration is a collaborative approach, which depends on outsider facilitators who pre-determine the project objectives. This category requires an active involvement of stakeholders in the decision-making process to decide on how to achieve the pre-set goals, which offers the potentiality to evolve into an independent form of participation.
The last two categories are participation by consultation and participation by information (Tufle & Mefalopulos, 2009, p.15). Participation by consultation consists of an advisory process in which stakeholders possess the power to make decisions and consult the primary local stakeholders to provide answers to the questions exposed. With participation by information, primary local stakeholders are informed about what the intervention consists of, barely having space to give their feedback and not influencing any decision-making processes. Thus, participatory approaches explicitly promote dialogue and strengthen relations within communities as they work together with stakeholders to identify and prioritize development needs (Herefordshire Council, 2015). Participatory communication is therefore a relevant theory for this research because participatory approach has gained increasing importance as a strategy within qualitative social research (Bergold, 2007; Bergold & Thomas, 2012; Gruber, 2016).
Communicative Competence and Community Engagement
Good communication plays a very important role in child protection. Communication is the process by which thoughts or feelings are conveyed either verbally, non-verbally, or virtually, across different persons or groups of persons. Ellis and McClintock (1990) defined communication as a linear, one-way process in which a sender intentionally transmits a message to a receiver guided by the intent to ensure comprehension. Trevithick (2005) added that communication could be tied to all ways through which knowledge is transmitted and received. In order to protect children suffering from abuse and implement child protection policy, a high degree of communication skills set is required be it a complex situation or just talking to the child to understand their problems. One of organisational practices to support children is embedded in their abilities to communicate well.
Herberma´s theory of communicative competence addresses discourse of speech act in relation to normative structure of speech that allows individuals to communicate. According to this theory, a “rational consensus can be reached only if there is a systematic distribution of chances to select and employ speeches” (McCarthy, 1978,p.306). Using the notion of ‘performative utterance’, Herberma elucidates the role of dialogue‐constitutive universals as part of the formal apparatus required of a
16
speaker's capacity to communicate (Habermas, 2008). Habermas “Theory of Communicative Competence” serves as a critical standard as communication is very important for development especially in Africa and for children though the practical problems of striving towards ideal speech are immense. (McCarthy, 1978, p.37).
Also related to participatory communication approach, voice and active listening are recognized as two key factors that need to be embedded within any participatory development and communication practices for a long-lasting commitment towards empowerment and social change. Couldry (2010, p.15) defines voice as a value and process that provide accountability for personal stories and experiences to be told but also be listened through storytelling, dialogues, discussions and communication. On the other hand, Lacey (2013, p.14) observes that: “without a listening public, opened to give those voices a hearing, there can be no guarantee of the plurality of voices or the exercise of freedom of speech”. In this framework, Tufle & Mefalopulos (2009, p.20) remarks the significance of providing reflective time and space for local communities to communicate and define their problems, voice their concerns, articulate their needs and formulate solutions.
The participatory approach to communication, also known as community engagement approach, is described by Manyozo (2012, p.18) as a fundamental component of Communication for Development that allows for the articulation and incorporation of multiple voices and interests in the development intervention. Through community-based and bottom-up approaches, the participatory community approach conceives communities as agents of change and not subjects of aid, developing strategies that place the local citizens at the heart of each development process. According to the core principles for public engagement, participation begins when stakeholders, conveners and process experts engage together, with adequate support, in the planning and organizing process.
With this concept, local individuals are actively involved in the design, planning, management, implementation, and evaluation phases of projects that affect their lives, and their own interests (Manyozo, 2012, p. 194). In this way, the role of communication is not to disseminate information in order to change individual behaviours, but to promote the inclusive expression of the communities’ needs and wishes (Scott, 2014, p.49). It has the capacity to stimulate citizen-driven social change processes by empowering individuals to be engaged and act (Tufte, 2017, p.40).
According to the core Principles for Public Engagement,Participation begins when stakeholders, conveners and process experts engage together, with adequate support, in the planning and organizing process. Community engagement is the active participation22 of local residents and
community groups in the decisions that affect their lives (Herefordshire Council, 2015). To this effect, the participants have equal status and a sense of ownership in the discussion as their views are welcomed, heard, and responded to (The Core Principles for public Engagement, 2002). Article
17
12 on the convention on the Rights of the Child, now ratified by over 100 nations, has significant implications for the improvement of young people’s participation in society. It makes it clear that children are independent subjects and hence have rights to participate in the decision process (UN convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989). Thus, the suitability of the chosen theories to this research cannot be overemphasized.
The concept of engagement is the process of working collaboratively with relevant partners who share common goals and interests beyond community participation. This involves “building authentic partnerships, including mutual respect and active, inclusive participation; power sharing and equity; mutual benefit or finding the ‘win-win’ possibility” in the collaborative initiative. (Tindana et al., 2007). Community engagement is critical to preventing, mitigating and responding to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence against children during the COVID-19 crisis. Community members, including children and youth, are well-placed to identify and respond to risks because they know how to strengthen and maintain protective environments for their children and families. By working in collaboration with community members across all sectors, children will be at less risk, and communities can sustain their commitment of safety (The Alliance, 2020).
Thus, the central focus of Participatory Communication, Communicative Competence and Community Engagement is the empowerment of citizens through their active involvement in the identification of problems, the development of solutions and the implementation of new strategies. This is done through a two-way communication and grassroots process-focused approach, which enhances structural change and collective action (Tufte, 2017, p.157). IDPs have the right to be informed about issues and decisions affecting their lives. Access to accurate information and available means of communication via community engagement allows people to make informed decisions to protect themselves and their families.
18
CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH DESIGN
As of 30th November 2019, according to UNHCR Global Trend, (2029) , over one million individuals were estimated to be living as refugees and asylum seekers in South Sudan. This includes refugees from the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, who have arrived in search of safety from violence and persecution from their countries of origin. The South Sudanese refugee emergency remains the largest refugee crisis in Africa. IDPs in South Sudan are living in camps settlements like Bentiu, Juba and Wau areas in about 104 localities across 18 States (UNHCR Global Trends Reports, 2019). Many of which are in remote and underdeveloped areas, where resources, infrastructure and basic services are extremely limited.
For the purpose of clarity, there are three different types of IDPs living in South Sudan: IDPs living in PoC sites; IDPs living in collective sites; and other IDPs living in camp-like settings. This research will focus on IDPs living in Camp settlement. By situating the research within the above-described context, the researcher aims to research the following questions: -
What is the impact of COVID-19 on the implementation of Child Protection policy in IDPs Camp settlement in South Sudan, as guided by humanitarian actions?
● What are the COVID-19 control measures on household level in IDPs camps in South Sudan? ● How has children’s rights been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
● How has child participation in programming changed after COVID-19 control measures were implemented in the camp?
The research problem is relevant to Communication for Development because it shows the importance of communication theories during health emergencies. WHO considers communication and community engagement as central pillars in the fight against infectious diseases (WHO, Managing Epidemics, 2018). Berry (2007) and Waisbord (2001) conceptualised this as a top-down diffusion branch of the development communication (devcom) and the modernisation theories of development.
Participatory communication assumes that greater authentic representation of children’s voices in the decision-making process of programming will reinforce their voices, build a protective environment and plan best interest procedures (UNHCR, 2008). This is considered as valued knowledge that will support the development of improved practices in communication and community engagement and will ultimately keep people better protected from communicable diseases. (Gillespie et al. 2016).
19
In addition, ComDev uses an evidence-based and participatory approach, which is evident in this research to facilitate the engagement of children, communication and decision makers for positive, social and behavioural change. With an outbreak of a pandemic like the COVID-19, communication is very important because through communication, people would be able to access the right information that would help them to be safe. The concept of Community Engagement used in this research highlights community-centred solutions and promote ownership of the communication messages. Community engagement enhances the participation and awareness of the affected population and motivates communities to move towards positive social change.
The research is also relevant to ComDev because humanitarian organisations, civil society and government agencies employ development communication approaches to improve access to information and promote shifts in attitudes and practices at the individual, family, and community levels. A mixture of communication platforms and tools often used the C4D approaches in both developmental and humanitarian context to reduce harmful traditional (HTP) because C4D messages always focus on positive change. According to the World Bank, (2008) development communication initiatives can serve to “establish conducive environments for assessing risks and opportunities; disseminate information; induce behavior and social change” (World Bank, 2008 as cited in Communication, Participation, & Social Change).
Development communication includes a diverse array of approaches like edutainment, 19community
mobilization, behaviour change communication, communication for social change, and participatory communication. According to Mario (2014), participatory approach generates Communication between stakeholders and beneficiaries. This gives beneficiaries the chance to not only participate in developing initiatives that will meet their needs but also reflect on their perspectives and build ownership and commitment to the project. (Mario et al, 2014, p. 33). Mario Acunzo's concepts can be applied to this degree project as it defines C4D with a unique communication, participatory approach and the roles beneficiaries play in facilitating stakeholders in cooperation, which happened to be the central role, and the theory used in this DP thus making it very relevant for ComDev.
19 Edutainment combines the words "education" and "entertainment." It refers to any form of entertainment that
20
The Outbreak COVID-19
According to the World Health Organisation, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus first reported by officials in Wuhan City, China, in December 2019 (WHO, 2019). Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. People with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and older people are more likely to develop serious illness (WHO, 2019).
With an outbreak of a pandemic like the COVID-19, community engagement and communication is very important because through communication, people would be able to have access to the right information that would help them to be safe. The participatory communication theoretical approach used in this research helps to find community-centered solutions and promote ownership of the communication messages. Participatory communication and community engagement also enhances the participation and awareness of the affected population and motivates the communities to move towards positive social change.
Refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDP)
Refugees are people who have fled war, violence, conflict or persecution and have crossed an international border to find safety in another country (UNHCR, South Sudan Situation Emergency Response, 2015, p.9). Refugees are defined and protected in international law by the 1951 Refugee Convention20. Although East Darfur has received the largest influx, with more 47,000 refugees21. As of
mid-June 2016, most refugees are spread across the country and live-in camps settlements. Most refugees entering South Sudan are women, children and elderly people (UNHCR, 2015).
According to UNHCR, IDPs are persons who have fled from their home to find safety but have not crossed international borders but remain under the protection of their government. South Sudan’s conflict spawned one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises causing huge displacement. One year after the outbreak of the conflict in December 2013, some 1.5 million people remain displaced in South Sudan (UNHCR, South Sudan Situation Emergency Response, 2015, p.22).
20 The 1951 Refugee Convention is a key legal document and defines a refugee as “someone who is unable or
unwilling to return to his or her country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.” By the end of 2017, there were 25.4 million refugee men, women and children registered across the world.
21 According to UNHCR South Sudan Situation Emergency Response (2015), by the end of February 2015, South
Sudan was hosting about 255,000 refugees originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (over 15,000), Ethiopia (4,900) and the Central African Republic (CAR) (2,050).
21
At the end of 2019, approximately 45.722 million people were living in internal displacement, forced
from their homes by armed conflict and insecurity and an additional 25 million displaced due to natural disaster. IDPs are particularly vulnerable with several protection concerns. Out of the nearly 1.5 million IDPs in South Sudan, around 182,000 IDPs live in Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites and more than 59,000 IDPs in collective sites (UN Mission in South Sudan, 2020, p.31).
To protect refugees and IDPs from COVID-19, a massive prevention, preparedness and response programme has been rollout by UNHCR and its partners like WHO and UNICEF in spreading risk awareness by translating posters in refugee languages, briefing volunteers and IDP leaders, and the use of text messages (UNHCR, 2020). However, with an outbreak of a pandemic like COVID-19, the vulnerability and risk of IDPs is further exacerbated. The purpose of child protection policy is to make sure that any actions carried out by an organisation working with children is to safeguard and protect them especially in emergencies.
Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster
For the purpose of clarity, the global Camp Coordination and Camp Management cluster23 was
established in 2005 by UNHCR , co-led by IOM and it is related only to internally displaced people (IDPs) caused by conflict situations (UNHCR,2014). The coordination mechanisms of the CCCM cluster, like other clusters, are mainly relevant to situations of internal displacement and natural disasters. The overall goal of the cluster is to facilitate the effective and efficient delivery of protection and services at community level, to ensure that the rights of IDPs and other affected populations are protected (UNOCHA, 2014). In South Sudan, IDPs in camp settlements like the Upper Nile, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and Jonglei continue to face challenges in managing their own site coordination. IDPs living in camps and collective sites are most vulnerable because of safety, security and protection issues. (OCHA, 2018).
22 Numbers from UNHCR Global Trends reports 2019 and IDMC Global Report on Internal Displacement
2019.
23 Clusters are groups of humanitarian organizations, both UN and non-UN, in each of the main sectors of
humanitarian action (water, health, shelter, logistics, etc.). They are designated by the IASC and have clear responsibilities for coordination
22
CHAPTER 5: METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is a technique used in the research process to collect, assemble and evaluate data. It defines those tools that are used to gather relevant information in a specific research study. According to Kuada (2012), methodology describes the reasons underlying the choice and use of specific methods in the research process (Kuada, 2012, p. 59). The degree project follows a qualitative methodological approach to explore the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on child protection policy in South Sudan IDPs camp settlement. Since children in South Sudan face many protection challenges, with partial participation in programming, a case study approach will explore the uniqueness and complexities in “real life” contexts (Simons, 2009, pp.27).
Case studies usually deepen and enrich analysis, reduce bias, and reflect social phenomena’s complexities in an inductive and deductive process of data collection and analysis that occur simultaneously. It allows researchers to consider broader socio-cultural-political contexts and modify inquiries (Evers & Von Staa, 2010, pp. 749-751).
In depth interviews are used to gather data from the respondents because qualitative research method aligns with the aim of finding out “how” and “why” (Kulothungan & Oham, 2019, p.12). The research made use of both primary and secondary sources of information. Qualitative research methodology through literature review, open and semi-structured interviews provided a range of perspectives on the impact of the outbreak of COVID-19 on the implementation of child protection policy in camp settlement.
Open-ended interview methodology used in this case study also contributes to the external reliability of this research study. It gave the researcher a better understanding of the impacts of COVID-19 on child protection and the respondents the opportunity to give their personal reflections on their own terms (Brinkmann, 2008, p.1). This has helped to enrich the data gathered in this degree project and provided new reflections that the researcher did not anticipate before the interviews.
A total of 14 questions were asked during the interview session virtually via Zoom, skype and WhatsApp. The design of the interview guide consisted of open-ended questions, inciting the participants to shape the form and the content of what was said (Holstein & Gubrium, 1995, p.3), and thus allowing enough room for spontaneous answers and questions not initially planned to be explored (Brinkmann, 2008).
The interview questions were emailed out to child protection practitioners in South Sudan for them to provide “more meaningful” (Davis, 2008, p.62) information relating to the research questions. Since the respondents are key stakeholders in the study, the semi-structured interviews allowed them to be
23
experts to inform the researcher (Leech, 2002, p.668). Public statements, reports, policy documents and other online resources have been read and analysed to discuss the findings.
Questions 1 to 14 are shared as an appendix at the end of this research. The questions were both open-ended depending on the kind of information the researcher was trying to get. A general reflection question was asked at the end of the interview to give the respondents the chance to give a stance about their personal experiences as experts in the field. All respondents at the time of the interview were child protection officers working with national and international organisations in South Sudan.
Selection of Participants
About 20 participants were initially contacted to take part in the interview. Some of the contacts were referrals from colleagues, keyword word search on LinkedIn, UNOCHA South Sudan website, while others were obtained via a Child Protection in Humanitarian meeting that the researcher attended in October 2020 organised by The Alliance. Due to the current floods going on in South Sudan, and the nature of the research targeting CP practitioners working directly with IDPs in camp settlements, six participants have been interviewed for this degree project.
The respondents included but not limited to the Child Protection Sub-Cluster Coordinator for South Sudan, Child Protection AoR UNICEF LED, Child Protection Case Management Supervisor for Hold the Child - HCO, National Non-Governmental Organization, Assistant Director, Community in Need Aid (CINA). I selected them based on their location, area of expertise and their responses, as I was particularly interested to interview practitioners working directly with child protection in IDP camp settlement in South Sudan. Thus, all the respondents of this research have provided first-hand and in-depth information to the research question.
Even though the researcher initially aimed for a gender balance, the sample of interviewees were dominated by men with a 5:1 ratio. The interviews took an average of 60 to 90 minutes. Each interview was transcribed afterwards to allow for a comprehensive analysis. During the interview sessions, I was attentive to the cultural and linguistic identities of the participants, in order to ensure that the responses were fully articulated and represented throughout the study.
As a humanitarian aid worker with prior experience and background knowledge in child protection, the researcher had prior knowledge relating to the modalities in implementing child protection policies. However, this research remained free from personal opinions and biases as the researcher was very objective in analysing the data based on the information obtained from the respondents.
24
Ethical Considerations
According to the International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM), when carrying out research24 that directly involves vulnerable populations, researchers should address ethical issues.
This is because research of this magnitude always includes unequal power relations, legal precariousness, extreme poverty, violence, the criminalization of migration, and politicized research contexts, among others25. To help navigate these kinds of situations, the IASFM adopted a Code of
Ethics in 2018, which provides a starting point for active, critical engagement with ethical issues in forced migration research.
Though the researcher did not interview the beneficiaries face to face as initially planned due to COVID-19, the researcher respected and applied the key ethical principles of voluntary,26 informed
consent; confidentiality and privacy27 (Clark-Kazak et al., 2018). Throughout the research process, the
researcher carefully followed all steps to guarantee the ethics of the research. Informed consent to record and use the interviews for this degree project was obtained from each of the interviewees. The confidentiality of the interviews and the anonymity of the participants was guaranteed at all stages. In the result and analysis, the names of the participants have been anonymized. At the beginning of each interview, the researcher introduced the main subject of the study, the aim of the research, the researchers passion for child protection, as well as her interest to share the result of the research findings with practitioners working within the humanitarian sector. All the data collected during the interview was treated with diligence to ensure reliability of the study.
The transcribed interviews have been analysed qualitatively making use of thematic analysis. With this analysis, the researcher was able to identify common themes and find common patterns across the data from the respondent. The researcher started by listening to all the recorded interview sessions, reading through each transcript and textual data carefully and identifying common patterns and themes, which helped the researcher to hone on the important insights by highlighting the main findings, results and recommendation of this research.
24 In this document, research is defined as any activity that involves data collection and knowledge creation
with and by people in situations of displacement. This includes, but is not limited to, interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, experiments, observation, and access to case files and administrative data.
25 Clark-Kazak et al, “Ethical Considerations: Research with People in Situations of Forced Migration –
Executive Summary”, 2018. Assessed 2020-12-15 from Ethical Consideration; Force Migration
26 All research respondents must voluntarily and formally consent to participate in research after having been
informed of the potential risks and benefits of their participation. They must be able to withdraw from the research at any time with no discrimination, retaliation, or harm.
27 Researchers have a duty to protect respondents’ personal information and not disclose any identifying
25
Methodological and Research Challenges
Scope of Research Area and Time Factor
Child protection in humanitarian action is a broad concept. Researching on the impact of COVID-19 on the implementation of child protection policy and producing an academic paper individually within a very limited timeframe was logistically challenging. Thus, the depth of this research work has been compromised based on the time frame.
Limited Access to Child protection Practitioners in South Sudan
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, it was very difficult to have access to a good number of CP officers working with national/international organisations in South Sudan. I wrote to a good number of them some of whom I was privileged to meet from the 1st -5th of October 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action hosted by The Alliance. Senior colleagues like the Child Protection in Emergency Specialist Coordinator for Save the Children South Sudan also put me in contact with Child Protection Officers working directly with national NGOS in South Sudan. Some of the practitioners replied and told me that due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, they were on a mission with limited access to the internet. Some of them never replied while others agreed on a date for the interview but never showed up even after several follow ups. To solve this problem, I emailed some of them the questionnaire and had them fill it in their spare time and send them to me for a follow up interview session. Though this made the research too rigorous for the informant, it was the only way out.
Remote Interview was a Big Problem
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the researcher adapted to alternative interview options and platforms including telephone/Zoom and Skype. Since all of my informants were based in South Sudan, there was breakdown in communication. Clarifications were also harder to execute over the telephone and were more demanding and tiring than face-to-face communication. The effect of this was that it made the interview shorter, which did not give room for the informant to answer all the research questions in detail. (Hermanowicz, 2002, p.497). Even though concerns about the more unnatural nature of telephone interview conversations are commonly raised, with the global pandemic, people have become more used to communicating on the telephone both informally and in settings that are more formal ( Annie, 2012, p.90).
The Outbreak of Floods in South Sudan.
It has been a truly difficult year for the people of South Sudan. The country has been hit hard by a second consecutive year of major flooding, as well as by widespread sub-national violence and COVID-19 related restrictions. This made it difficult for the Child Protection Officers to accommodate the time
26
for the Zoom interview session. I had to continually reschedule zoom meetings with the practitioners who were either on missions in the field and had limited access to the internet.
CHAPTER 6: RESULTS FROM THE EMPIRICAL DATA
All data gathered from the in-depth interviews have been analysed and discussed in relation to the theoretical framework and research questions. As mentioned earlier in the methodology, the researcher treated the data with diligence to ensure reliability of the study. The transcribed interviews have been analysed qualitatively making use of thematic analysis. Results from the interviews showed that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in South Sudan has affected child protection in IDP camp settlement in so many ways as seen below.
The results from 100 % of the informants show that national lockdowns in the country to mitigate the spread of the virus has affected child protection programming. The situation is particularly concerning for children who are displaced and living in camp settlement like in South Sudan. School closure caused by COVID-19 implies a sudden shift to family-based care without ensuring the best interests of the child. The effect of this is that the number of children at risk of separation and in need of alternative care increases. The literature review highlights that national lockdowns and social distancing measures to mitigate the spread of the virus, has quickly turned into an economic crisis with more children facing protection risks. Lack of essential protection services has exacerbated violence against children in their homes, as over-stressed parents and caregivers have become violent and abusive.
The results from 100% respondents show that reduced case management has led to more psychosocial distress for IDP children at camp settlement. Since COVID-19 was declared a global health emergency, more funding has been directed to the health sector. Child protection services like psychosocial support and case management services have been reduced due to lack of funds. With fewer caseworkers, many children at risk do not get home monitoring visits. This has led to an increase in mental health issues. The literature review in a paper titled “Social Protection & Child Protection” highlighted that COVID-19 has led to acute mental distress in children and increase in suicide (The Alliance, 2020). This has implications for 55,750 children at risk and 45,000 individuals with mental health and psychosocial support needs. (Margot T., et al, 2020). The impacts of public health measures include new and increased incidence of stigma, discrimination, gender inequality, overcrowding, lost livelihoods and poverty across various settings. These are exacerbated by the lack of protection support, which makes
27
children more vulnerable to psychosocial distress and maltreatment, including violence, abuse and exploitation (The Alliance, 2020)28.
According to 100% of the informants, before COVID-19, children could move freely within the IDPs camp settlements to visit their friends at home unlike during COVID-19 where they are restricted to stay at their various settlement sites and wait for the Child Protection Case Workers at home. They can no longer greet and shake hands because of the social distance measures put in place and they dread the numerous counts of washing of hands. Preventive measures such as lockdowns also restrict Child Protection Actors to offer the needed support on time. Children are also terrified when they see Officers dressed in protective cloth and using the personal protective equipment. However, at the early stage of any disease, health authorities may not have all the relevant facts readily available (ReynoldsetSeeger, 2012) Since COVID-19 is relatively a new pandemic, information control measures would evolve as more research, and scientific data becomes available. This impact relates to the theory of participatory communication as stated by Tufle & Mefalopulos (2009, p.15) in which primary local stakeholders are just informed about what the intervention consists of, barely having space to give their feedback and not influencing any decision-making processes. Communication and active participation begin when stakeholders, conveners and process experts engage together, with adequate support, in the planning and organizing process.
100% of the respondent noted that COVID-19 pandemic has also increased discrimination and heightened risks of all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence for children. Children’s rights have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as their right of well-being, right to play and right to education has been put on hold. Child best interest to say the least has been affected as most communications are now being done through radio talk shows, megaphones and other non-gathering channels, which restricts their participation. The theory used in this research highlights that ways in which communities are engaged in the participation of project design that affects them is one of the critical factors likely to affect the anticipated outcome and the realisation of a project (Morris, 2000). Children's Best Interest have been affected by the virus because the mitigation put in place to control the spread of the virus did not seek children's voices to participate in the decision.
Results from 100% respondents from the empirical data also show that children and most especially girls face additional protection risks during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in the camp settlement. With schools closer, it became difficult for girls to access health, hygiene, and protection services. The girl child who is reliant on humanitarian agencies for their sanitary supplies—including menstrual hygiene kits found out that those services are interrupted. Economic hardship prompted
28 The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, (2018) “Guidance Note: Protection of Children
during Infectious Disease Outbreaks,” Assessed on 2020-12-13. Online resource can be found here Protection of Children during Infectious Disease
