Project profile — Strengthening Community Protection Systems for Children and Youth in Kinshasa

• Congo, Democratic Republic (100.00%)

• Basic Health: Health education (12261) (20.00%)
• Reproductive health care:
Reproductive health care (13020) (10.00%)
Family planning (13030) (10.00%)
STD control including HIV/AIDS (13040) (10.00%)
• Human rights:
Human rights (15160) (15.00%)
Ending violence against women and girls (15180) (15.00%)
• Other Social Infrastructure And Services: Social services (incl youth development and women+ children) (16015) (20.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (significant objective)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (principal objective)
• Youth Issues (principal objective)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Nutrition (significant objective)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

The project aims to improve the well-being of children and youth in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through the prevention of violence against children and youth, and the improvement of services for street children and at-risk families in five communes in Kinshasa. To do so, the project supports outreach activities and programs that focus on improving services offered at protection and health centres, taking into account the particular needs of girls and boys. The project also seeks to improve key public policies for child protection and strengthen respect of their rights. The project uses mechanisms such as inclusive consultation committees to allow children and youth to actively participate in, and influence, the decisions that affect them and the type of services available to them.

The expected outcomes for this project include : (1) local institutions are more effective at preventing violence and protecting children and youth, taking into account gender-based differences; (2) families and communities adopt gender-equitable practices that better respect the rights of children and youth; and (3) increased participation of children and youth in gender-specific and equitable violence prevention and protection activities and services.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (December 2021) include: (1) 19 shelters (of which 8 are for girls, 9 are for boys and 2 are mixed) were fit up; (2) 1,717 children and youths living on the street (634 girls and 1,083 boys) were reunited with their families; (3) 35,727 children and youths (20,051 girls and 15,676 boys) were educated about sexual and reproductive health; (4) 16 local communities in Kinshasa and 6 local child protection committees were strengthened; (5) the violence prevention skills of 4,218 families were expanded; and (6) 596 peer educators (299 girls and 297 boys) were educated about issues that concern them, such as sexual and reproductive health, children’s rights, substance abuse, and sexual and gender-based violence. As a result, they have the knowledge they need so they can, in turn, educate children and youths living on the street. The project made it possible to fully care for 14,724 children living on the street (5,642 girls and 9,082 boys), or 147% of the initial goal of 10,000 children.

• Proactive disclosure