Cameroun : Strengthening the child rights protective environment in the Far North Region

In the Far North region of Cameroon, many community-based actors — including groups of children and youth, women’s associations, and child protection organizations — are actively engaged in promoting and defending children’s rights. They work, to the best of their ability, to prevent violence, exploitation, and child trafficking, as well as to provide support in emergency situations.

However, these grassroots actors often lack the knowledge, technical skills, and resources needed to carry out their efforts effectively. They also face challenges in raising awareness about child rights and in supporting children living in vulnerable conditions.

This project aims to strengthen the capacities of 90 local organizations on these key issues and to support them in implementing practical actions, with the goal of fostering a more protective and child rights–respecting environment.

Overall objective (Impact):

The project contributes to the sustainable protection of children and young people of all ages in the Far North region of Cameroon through coordinated actions led by local civil society organizations.

Project objective (Outcome):

90 local civil society groups strengthened across the 14 project municipalities have developed specific child protection skills and are implementing sustainable mechanisms to maintain a protective environment for children.

Specific objectives (Outputs):

1. In the departments of Diamaré, Mayo-Tsanaga, Mayo-Kani, and Mayo-Sava, 90 different local civil society groups have acquired professional skills and approaches that enable them to provide children with a protective environment.
2. Knowledge of children's rights and of what constitutes a protective environment for children is widely shared across the 14 project communities.
3. In each department, there is a functional network whose members know how to implement concrete measures to improve institutional and communal conditions for children and young people.

• 90 civil society organizations
• 18,000 children and young adults : 9,000 boys and 9,000 girls
• 56 administratives authorities 

Total project costs: 634,700 €

Financial partners:

• German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
• Kinderrechte Afrika e. V., i.e. donations

Cover picture: All together, let's protect children's rights! © ALDEPA