Kenya (Discontinued on 20 Oct 2020)

Situation Report

Sector Status

Protection (Child Protection)

230k
children targeted
12,000
children & parents received MHPS since Mar

Needs

  • Protection partners have reported an increase in emotional, physical and sexual violence against children, with cases of defilement, child labor and gender-based violence (GBV) on the increase as the children remain out of school and many adults out of meaningful employment.

  • A report by MoH, documents 5,000 cases of sexual abuse in Kenya since the COVID-19 pandemic of which 70 per cent are children below 18 years old. At least 79 girls aged 9-12 years have undergone genital mutilation (FGM) since schools closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Kenya.

  • Need to upscale case management support to children affected by COVID-19, including provision of mental health and psychosocial support. About 9 per cent of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kenya are children and adolescents aged 19 years and below.

  • About 650,000 children need assistance as a direct result of the recent floods and family tracing and reunification with partners calling for strengthened measures to prevent family separation.

  • Upscale advocacy against violence, abuse and exploitation of children especially now that they are out of school for the rest of the year. There is need to expand community level surveillance, prevention and reporting of child abuse cases.

  • Upscale case management support to children affected by COVID-19, including provision of mental health and psychosocial support.

  • Facilitating community support, by working with child protection volunteers and the link between volunteers and children officers, ensuring children at risk are identified, and provided with required support .

  • Provision of COVID-19 prevention supplies and social support to children in institutions.

Response

  • Child Protection sector continued to conduct awareness creation and sensitization campaign on COVID-19 pandemic through local radio at county level and in the refugee hosting areas.

  • Since May 2020, the Child Protection Sector has distributed 5,368 dignity kits in West Pokot, Turkana West, Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera & Marsabit counties to vulnerable households in Garissa, West Pokot and Turkana.

  • Since the first COVID-19 case in Kenya, a total of 25,288 children, parents and caregivers (13,939 female, 10,704 male, 983 gender undisclosed) have been provided with community- or individual-based mental health and psychosocial support by CSOs and Child Protection Volunteers.

  • Child Protection sector continues to conduct awareness creation & sensitization campaign on COVID-19 pandemic through local radio around the country, including in urban informal settlements and in the refugee hosting areas. For instance, the radio talk show at Ata-nayeche FM focuses on child abuse during COVID-19 and referral pathways and has a coverage of approximately 40,000 people within 30 kilometer radius in Kakuma Turkana West sub-county .

  • The Child Protection Sector has developed MHPSS flyers that were distributed with learning material through the Ministry of Education and reached approx. 15,000 children around the country .

  • To date, a total of 318 Child Protection Volunteers (194 male & 124 female) were deployed in June 2020 in 15 Counties to support case management during COVID-19 pandemic and have supported 10,423 children (5,902 Girls, 4,521 Boys). The 15 counties are: Baringo, Garissa, Homabay, Isiolo, Kisii, Kisumu, Mandera, Marsabit, Migori, Mombasa, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, Wajir, West Pokot.

Gaps

  • Case management is hindered by COVID-19 restrictions, limiting face-to-face interactions and movement.

  • Lack of dignity and relief kits, which are a high priority in counties affected by floods as people return since they lost their property.

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