Child Protection
The report found that the Child Protection component of the OMS programme under AfriKids is highly relevant to the context-specific needs of the target communities, directly addressing issues such as child labour, early marriage, teenage pregnancies, and low awareness of child rights.
By establishing and training Community Child Protection Committees (CCPCs), conducting school and community sensitisation, supporting child-friendly infrastructure, and integrating child rights education into curricula, the intervention has created safer, more inclusive environments for children. Community testimonies highlight growing knowledge among children about their rights, reductions in harmful practices, and improved personal hygiene. The intervention has also actively involved traditional leaders, parents, and teachers, fostering local ownership and gradually shifting community attitudes toward child welfare and protection.
In terms of effectiveness and efficiency, the programme achieved key outputs such as operational CCPCs that regularly monitor schools, follow up on absenteeism, and enforce local by-laws, leading to reductions in truancy, child labour, and corporal punishment. It has also leveraged local structures—CCPCs, PTAs, and traditional authorities—for lowcost volunteer selection, training, and monitoring, making the intervention resource-efficient and sustainable.
Overall, the intervention demonstrates strong relevance, tangible effectiveness in reducing child protection violations, and cost-efficient delivery through community-driven approaches.
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