WUNRN
Section on Sexual Abuse, Exploitation & Violence notes particular gender risks. ECPAT
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In emergency situations, quite naturally, effort is focused in rescue attempts and in providing relief to the population. Given their vulnerable position generally and the fact that their principle carers may be missing or dead, children are at increased risk of harm. For this reason it is essential to ensure that measures are put in place both to protect children from further harm and abuse, and to ensure that the effect of the trauma itself and the further consequences of it are minimised.
For this reason ECPAT International advocates that
specific measures be adopted in order to ensure that children are adequately
protected.
Careful assessment of children’s needs is important to ensure
that these needs are met. However it is recognised that in the immediate
aftermath of an emergency this may be virtually impossible to carry out
systematically. Nevertheless, following on from meeting basic survival needs,
there are a number of specific measures that should be taken in relation to
children:
The most convenient way of ensuring that these needs are met is
to establish a number of ‘CHILD FRIENDLY SPACES’, areas within which the
wellbeing of children can be promoted. These are not places for the children to
live necessarily, but place where children can come on a daily basis. In
addition they can serve as a network / communication point for relevant NGO /
agency responses by having an adult who is able to report on the situation for
children using that particular Child Friendly Space. This includes following up
with other agencies where necessary (for example when additional services or
support is required).
Child Friendly Spaces need not be elaborate or
complicated – a tent and / or covered area can suffice.
•
IDENTIFICATION OF “SAFE ADULTS’
This needs to happen as a
priority. In practice this will probably be NGO workers or well known and
trusted members of the community, such as teachers. Their roles should be to act
as a focus for care of children. Other adults should not have unsupervised
access to children, however well meaning they seem. Adults that are concerned
with the protection of children will appreciate the needs for such measures.
• REGISTRATION, TRACKING & MONITORING
It is
essential that children are registered – especially if they are unaccompanied.
Basic information (such as name, age, height etc) should be recorded together
with family details. This information may be difficult to obtain, especially
where a child is non verbal either because of age, disability or trauma.
Photographs can be useful as can information from any accompanying adults who
are not necessarily related to the children.
Ideally such information
should be shared between agencies, and a central register established so that
children can be reconciled with family members as they are identified. This
central register will also help in identifying whether ‘disappearances’ of
children are occurring.
It is essential to ensure that if people present
themselves as being family members and wish to take children with them that this
is verified. Unfortunately unscrupulous adults can use emergency situations to
gain access to children. An older child should be able to recognise their family
members – for younger children check with members of the community for
confirmation.
Regardless of where children live, or even if a child is
looked after by a family member, there needs to be a system in place to ensure
that children are being looked after adequately and that people know were they
are. Identifying one or two people to act as a ‘link’ for each child can be a
way of ensuring that monitoring of the child takes place, as the adults can be
more familiar with the child’s individual situation.
Be aware of children
who are at special risk of abandonment, exploitation or abuse, such as those
already living apart from families, children with disabilities and those with
special needs.
• FAMILY PRESERVATION
Ensure that
there are measures in place to prevent accidental separations of children from
family members at points where they are likely to occur (e.g. loading points for
transport, health facilities, distribution or registration points).
There should be a process established to ensure that if a separation
does occur then ‘lost’ children can be quickly reunited with their carers. For
example, this could be reporting to a ‘Child Friendly Space’ if nearby, or
identifying a specific location as a meeting point.
•
PROVISION OF SUBSTITUTE CARE
Many children may be
unaccompanied and may need care. The principles for quality substitute care are
that it should be, wherever possible, community based. Children should be cared
for within their extended family wherever feasible. Where this is not possible
children should ideally be looked after in small groups (as a guide 4 -
6).
All care solutions, apart from return to parents or established
family members who are able to provide safe and suitable care, should be deemed
as temporary until relief and recovery operations are complete (this may take
some months). Formal adoption (where it is culturally and legally sanctioned)
should not be considered for any child for at least one year as it may take many
months for relatives to be located if people are dispersed.
•
ESTABLISH SENSE OF NORMALITY
Children find an enormous
amount of reassurance in routine and certainty. As quickly as possible
re-establish as many ‘normal’ aspects of the child’s life as possible (such as
attendance at classes etc) with, ideally, adults already known to the children
(such as teachers). Where this is not possible establish routine to create a
sense of safety (e.g. lunch at a certain time, followed by a particular
activity).
Remember that children had lives before the disaster struck,
and they need opportunities for lives (although changed) to continue. Education
and recreational facilities, appropriate to the age and development of the
child, should be provided.
• PROMOTE
RESILIANCE
Help promote children’s own resilience (that is their
ability to cope and thrive) by giving them a sense of control over their
situation. Wherever possible include children in decisions that affect their
lives, although do not burden children with the responsibility for making
decisions that are inappropriate for their age and development as this can leave
them feeling even more helpless.
• PROVISION OF PSYCHOSOCIAL
SUPPORT
Remember that distress and disorientation following trauma
is normal. Many children will not need specialist help in coming to terms with
their experiences, and it is not necessary to provide psychological services
immediately for all children. Instead, allow children the space to share what
they are feeling and thinking, without putting them under pressure to do so.
This is best done with adults that are already known to the child and can speak
the child’s language. (It should be noted that adults may be severely affected
by the situation themselves and may need additional support so that they can
respond to children appropriately).
• CONTACT WITH FAMILY /
COMMUNITY
Wherever possible maintain links with the community.
Children need to feel secure about their place in the world, and maintaining
connections with people from life before the disaster (including friends) can be
reassuring and comforting.
• MEDIA
CONTACT
Respect the dignity of children, however young, and their
wishes in relation to involvement, or not, with media coverage, including
filming and the taking of photographs.
• SEXUAL ABUSE,
EXPLOITATION & VIOLENCE
As members of the ECPAT network, we are
only too aware of the risk factors of sexual abuse to children following an
emergency. Young separated girls are at particular risk, though boys are
sexually abused as well. Risk flash points may occur where children acting as
‘heads of households’ are not entitled to ration cards and in turn have to
prostitute themselves in order to get food; separated children not able to
access proper care and support; and shelters experience poor camp management.
Women and girls may be particularly vulnerable when crossing police or
military check points; and where they have to move in relatively isolated,
unprotected or dark surroundings (such as when using sanitary facilities).
ECPAT International Secretariat
328 Phaya Thai
Road
Bangkok 10400 Thailand