By Lilian Museka
Nairobi, Kenya: Underfunding in child protection programs remains a critical issue in regions like Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Despite a growing need for child protection services, funding levels in Kenya remain critically low. In 2023, child protection received less than 10% of the resources required, highlighting a significant gap between the needs of vulnerable children and available financial support. This underfunding hampers the ability of organizations to implement effective programs and reach those in dire need.
In 2023, the global landscape for child protection faced an alarming reality as humanitarian appeals under UN-coordinated plans surged to $1.5 billion. Advocates highlighted the increasing vulnerabilities children experience in conflict and crisis zones, yet funding levels for child protection remained alarmingly low, comprising only 2.5% of the total humanitarian budget in Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs) and 3.4% in Refugee Response Plans (RRPs).
The report “Unprotected: An Analysis of Funding for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action in 2023” by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action and Child Projection Areas of Responsibility sheds light on the stark inequalities in funding allocations. In countries like Chad and Burundi, child protection funding they accounted for less than 1% of overall humanitarian needs. Conversely, nations such as Burkina Faso (8.2%) and Colombia (7.6%) demonstrated higher allocations.
In Europe, countries like Slovakia and Romania, impacted heavily by the Ukraine crisis, allocated over 10% of their refugee response budgets to child protection, with Uzbekistan earmarking an impressive 23.2% for its response to the Afghanistan crisis.
Despite a growing awareness of the need for funding, the report indicates a persistent shortfall. A senior analyst at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted, “While visibility has improved due to better reporting tools like the Financial Tracking Service (FTS), actual funding still fails to meet pressing needs.” In 2023, HRPs only covered 29.2% of child protection needs—a modest increase from 20% in 2022 but still significantly below the average of 46.9% for overall humanitarian funding. RRPs fared similarly, meeting only 30.8% of child protection needs.
Dr. Lina Makoni, a child rights specialist with Save the Children, expressed concern about the volatility of funding. “In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), we’ve seen fluctuations in funding for child protection—from 54% in 2021 to just 30% in 2022, then recovering to 39% in 2023. These inconsistencies directly affect our ability to provide consistent, high-quality programs for the children who need them most.”
While some countries secured better funding in 2023, such as Syria, Yemen, and Guatemala, regions like South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya remained critically underfunded, securing less than 10% of the required resources for child protection.
The primary donors for child protection funding continue to be institutional. The United States, European Commission, and Sweden are among the top contributors, with the U.S. providing $128.8 million in 2023, an increase from $109.4 million in 2022. However, pooled funds like the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) have seen a decline, contributing only 5.6% of child protection funding in 2023, down from 10% in 2021.
A UNICEF representative commented on the overall situation: “Despite some increases in funding in certain regions, global needs still far exceed available resources, leaving millions of vulnerable children at risk. While improved visibility is encouraging, much more is needed to ensure these children receive the protection and care they deserve.”
In 2024, the outlook remains challenging. Although the number of individuals needing humanitarian assistance had been projected to decrease by 18%, largely due to the discontinuation of some response plans, the need for child protection remains acute. The report forecasts an increase in the number of children requiring protection services, from 70 million in 2023 to 72 million in 2024. However, funding requirements for these services under HRPs are expected to decrease by 4%, from $1 billion to $970 million.
In Ukraine, 3.2 million children, including 10% with disabilities, urgently require protection amid ongoing conflict. Despite this, Ukraine’s funding for child protection in 2023 was relatively high, allowing services for over 1.93 million children. In stark contrast, countries like Yemen and Nigeria face significant declines in funding, jeopardizing their ability to respond effectively to the escalating needs of children in crisis.
Jordan, with its 3.1 million refugees, serves as a beacon of hope, achieving nearly 50% funding for child protection needs in 2023, enabling effective prevention and response programs. Mariam Zibari, a program coordinator with UNHCR, suggests, “Jordan’s model demonstrates how consistent funding can significantly impact. Its preventive initiatives, like youth empowerment programs, can be replicated elsewhere.”
The report’s recommendations stress the need to prioritize child protection in humanitarian responses to ensure that funding aligns more closely with overall humanitarian needs. Engaging donors for long-term support and advocating for new funding streams are essential to strengthening child protection systems in crisis-affected areas.
As 2024 unfolds, it is evident that while progress has been made in certain regions, funding for child protection remains insufficient to address global needs. Urgent action is required to ensure that vulnerable children worldwide receive the protection and care they desperately need
