Individuals, families, communities, governments and organizations are all responsible for the protection of children. Many countries have minimal governmental capacity to protect children, including limited resources, poorly qualified workforce and inadequate local services for children. Since many governments do not fulfill their responsibility to protect children, communities need to build their own capacity to support children. Community-based protection programs are leaders in child protection and are an important part of the foundation for an effective national child protection system.
This paper provides examples of community-based child protection programs and stimulates conversations about the role communities, non-government organizations, donors and governments have in protecting children. Also included in this paper are challenges in supporting child protection programs and ways communities and their partners can be more effective and sustainable with increased impact.