Improved and equitable prevention of and response to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect of children and participation of adolescents .

Output1 :

Enhanced support and increased capacities of children, adolescents, and families to protect themselves and to eliminate practices and behaviours harmful to children and adolescents

Output 2:

Increased equitable access to and utilization of child protection systems that prevent and respond to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect  in programme districts

The Child Protection programme strategy aims at steadily strengthening and enhancing children’s protective environment in Timor-Leste by focusing on the establishment of two key systems for children: child and family welfare system and justice for children system. The programme targets priority institutions and work at district and suco (village) levels to mobilize community engagement and children’s participation. Working with Ministry of Justice, the Juvenile Justice project aims to enhance access to justice for all children in contact with the law (victims, witnesses and offenders) through the development and implementation of an inter-agency, inter-Ministerial Justice for Children Strategy and Action Plan. The project strengthens the National Commission for Children to coordinate line ministries in policy making and budget allocation for children; the drafting of a comprehensive Children’s Code to encompass the legislative reform required for children’s justice. The project scales up efforts to increase birth registration through capacity building of civil registry officials and partnerships with community leaders, schools, hospitals and the Churches. UNICEF also continues to support the establishment of “child-friendly police stations” for the Vulnerable Persons Unit of the Police and Community Police thereby re-structuring law enforcement systems to deliver professional child sensitive interviewing, investigation and follow-up procedures. In 2013, UNICEF supports the preparation of the country report to the Committee of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) with a participatory approach. The Child and Family Welfare project focuses on continuous capacity development of the Child Protection Unit of the Ministry of Social Solidarity to professionalize child and family welfare services and allow for increased social welfare services to vulnerable children and their families. Research on priority child protection concerns (such as child exploitation and de-institutionalisation of children) will also be undertaken.