PROTECTION

Over the past decade, Côte d'Ivoire has developed and implemented a number of important child protection policies and strategies. These include the National Child Protection Policy (PNPE), the National Policy for the Judicial Protection of Children and Youth (PNPJEJ), the National Programme for Community Action in Child Protection (PNACPE), the National Child Protection Policy Action Plan (PAPNPE) and the National Action Plan to Combat Child Exploitation and Labour (PAN). 
The process of drafting the national strategy for the care of street children is being finalised.

Despite all these efforts, there is still one major problem facing the child protection system. This is the under-funding of social protection.
With regard to the eight components of a child protection system, much remains to be done in the following areas:
- Mobilisation of resources
- Significant coordination between the government, civil society and the various stakeholders
- Strengthening human resources in social work

Many cases of abuse are not dealt with, either because of a lack of resources or because they are not reported. Based on the 2018 VACs, it is clear that violence against children persists, with cases of exploitation including child labour and street children continuing to be major issues on which the state should invest more. 
In the face of these challenges, Save the Children is proposing common approaches covering the issues of violence-free education (positive parenting) and the step-to-protect approach to managing cases of violence against children, as well as our advocacy for the adoption of laws prohibiting violence against children in all institutions, from households to schools and beyond.

• Political and community advocacy for the adoption of laws prohibiting physical and humiliating punishment at home and in child protection institutions. 
• Capacity-building for state structures and communities 
• Revitalising the protection platforms of the Ministry for Women, the Family and Children 
• Strengthening community child protection mechanisms 
• Strengthening the care system by setting up One Stop Centres and training social workers in the Step to Protect approach.