REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:
Activities to protect children continue to be scaled-up across the region, including investments in community-based protection and national systems to help build the resilience of refugees and their communities.
In Egypt, 4,966 children and parents have now accessed community-based psychosocial support services (PSS) and child protection services this year - a significant increase from the 780 children and parents who had accessed the same services by the end of March.
In Iraq, some 948 separated and unaccompanied children have been reunified with their families, or been placed in alternative care, since the start of the year. In April, 906 children accessed PSS, bringing the total number who have accessed PSS in 2015 to 15,749 - almost 80 per cent of the year's target.
In Turkey, during April alone some 6,062 children benefitted from PSS in 25 child friendly spaces (CFS), bringing the total assisted this year to more 17,656.
The implementation of the Lebanon Ministry of Social Affairs’ National Plan to Safeguard Children and Women began this month, with the endorsement of 31 local development action plans outlining implementation of prevention and response activities delivered through Social Development Centres (SDC). Multiple services aimed at mitigating risk and harm to children, and supporting parents and families will be implemented in 57 SDCs by the end of 2015.
In Jordan, two trainings on alternative care were organized for 58 NGO case workers and members of the Ministry of Social Development and the Family Protection Department. Alternative care was only recently institutionalized in Jordan and training was required to address basic definitions and processes related to unaccompanied and separated children, alternative care placement and best interest determinations.