South Sudan’s long struggle to independence and the country’s recent conflict incited by the December 15th crisis and other additional new growing tensions a long tribe lines has resulted in massive displacement. Based on OCHA August 7th and the current Strep, there are 1.1 million people internally displaced with an estimation of 587,400 plus children where 78% of the conflict related IDPs are in
Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile States with a total 84,400 plus children reached, therefore actors needs to extend child protection services to outreaches. In Malakal PoC, 20,282 persons are seeking protection in the site; of this total, 7,017 are children ages 5 17 with an estimated 2,800 falling in the adolescent and youth category, In Panyikang, 20,000 persons are displaced from their homes and taking refuge in Wau shiluk, Lalo and UNMISS POCS, 3000 are children, with estimated 1,780 unaccompanied and separated children without protection services according to Malakal-UNICEF child protection specialist Madam Joy Cheung, instructed and advise on the SSSCO projects to be organize in line activities to supplement World Vision child protection activities in Wau shiluk to fill in the gap of children friendly space activities since only WVI is running two CFS in some part of Wau shiluk and its activities will cease in May which would create a vacuum for child protection services including PSS, CFS, FTR and Monitoring services and also on Panyikang County Commissioner, State Ministry of Social Development’s report and South Sudan Street Children Organization baseline survey conduct in July-2013 and the recent consultation and outreach verification survey conduct in Panyikang by SSSCO volunteers indicator that call for more actors intervention. SSSCO proposes to focus its activities targeting 1000 Vulnerable Street Children, Army Demobilized Children, adolescents and youth in Upper Nile (at Malakal town and Wau shiluk, and meanwhile Panyikang (At Pakwar-Nyiluk) and Baliet, Rengnhom and Adong CP activities would hold on for the second project phase and brief assessment would be conducted until the recent conflict tensions become normal) SSSCO will scale up in Malakal town by establishing psychological support programs and child protection care services including FTR and monitoring services and establishing one CFS and Child protection Monitoring services in Wau-shiluk for period of six month to address the gaps and in response to 2015 Strategic Response plans (SRP)
The most recent and ongoing crisis has left many of these adolescent children injured, distressed, and separated from their families or at risk, without access to basic needs as well as to educational and recreational opportunities especially for the children in Wau shiluk, they lack recreational activities, temporary learning schools and some unaccompanied children are living without caregiver as Ms. Regina a case worker delegated to verify and assess the situation of kids in Wau shiluk on 18-April-2015, Wau Shiluk would be second duty station of SSSCO because of the current and ongoing conflict tension between Shiluk verses Dinka and Neur which cause the movement of DPS in Panyikang and Baliet counties to Malakal Pocs and Wau-shiluk. Adolescent children and youths are particularly at risk for recruitment as child soldiers. According to the UNICEF CP specialist’s briefing following a visit to Malakal PoC on 12th of April and based on 3 days assessment of last year (2015) findings conducted by SSSCO volunteers in Malakal in mid of July, many adolescents, Vulnerable children (Street Children) and youth are idle and become engaged into anti social behaviors such as fighting, Ra**ng of girls or women at risk place at night and consumption of substances where stigmatization greatly affects social, physical, spiritual, and mental well being. Adolescent children and youth do not participate in the activities at the established child friendly space as these activities are targeted towards young children ages 4 10 year. Adolescents in South Sudan during times of peace have responsibilities such as cattle herding, farming and other activities that prepare them for adulthood. Therefore, it is important to target activities specifically for this age group to encourage them to contribute to their community and discourage anti social behaviors they are involved. The South Sudan Street Children Organization (SSSCO) has been working with vulnerable children and adolescents to provide emergency assistance, life skills training and improve the opportunities of orphans, unaccompanied and separated children as well as street children less than 18 years of age. SSSCO had organized youth to youth focus group, Drama and Livelihood clubs and traditional dance group from Street Children as one of its best and positive copying mechanism to alleviate and engage adolescent children into activity participation in Juba, Kuajok and Malakal, aim at focusing on life skills training as well as and sports activities e.g. Self sustainable, Street Children and adolescent traditional dancing program well known in Juba as “Atek Ki Lwak Acholi traditional dance, this initiate is one of SSSCO best method that have positive life changes on adolescent and Vulnerable street children. Given the organization’s experience working with this age group, therefore; SSSCO has developed this proposal to ensure the implementation with a goal to meet the needs and protection of the adolescents boys and girls with other actors working with young children to reached the maximum humanitarian target of Strategic Response Plan by 2015 and contribute to the overall Child Protection Cluster lead objectives one and two
Response. South Sudan Street Children Organization in consultation and collaboration with other child protection groups know as Child protection working groups (CPWG) currently being Chaired by UNICEF and Co-chaired by Intersos in case of, have organize, and design the following activities:
A. Family Tracing and Reunification(FTR)
1. Monitoring the up and down movement of children in town.
2. The works children are involved, and the risks of dangers they are likely expose to.
3. The influxes of IDPS and children number in Malakal town.
4. Developed outreach approach to SPLA units to identify and verifies a case of children seen wearing army uniforms and arrange the necessary report to the concern body (MRM task force /UNICEF).
5. Conduct trainings necessary to facilitate and provide the community and staff with knowledge and skills to run well the child protection concern activities or services. (This includes training of case workers and other stakeholders on FTR/IDTR, MRM, Child Protection Minimum Standards CPMS, importance of understanding and respecting child rights and consequent of child abuses in all forms, and training)
6. Apart from FTR services provision SSSCO would devote it effort in aiding other actors in team work to deliver services to the IDPS in cases of the time of influx of the IDPS in the POC or outside. Psychosocial Support
7. Identify target adolescents boys and girls for quality psychosocial support services delivery
8. Provide and organize youths and adolescents PSS activities in youth established clubs (i.e. including Drama, storytelling, organize inter-cultural dance and messages for peace published on posters )
9. Provide PSS and life skills training (PSS first aid and skills for life trainings)
10. Established two CFS in response to address the child protection gaps in Wau shiluk, and Malakal town
11. Organize in and outdoor recreational activities with youth, adolescents, children and some organize community members
12. Conduct hygiene and sanitation training for the target youth, adolescents’ girls, caregivers and organize sanitation and personal hygiene awareness campaigns. Monitoring and Reporting Mechanisms (MRM)
13. Conduct MRM training and orientation
14. Organize monthly monitoring situation of children in Panyikang and Baliet counties in (areas of Pakwar, Rengnhom, Adong and Baliet)
15. Monitor and report the identified and verified child rights violation to the MRM task force
16. Establish a network mechanism to coordinate the identified cases of forceful child conscription to army or group.
