Call for EOIs: Strengthening Child Protection Systems to Address CEFMU (Philippines)

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is inviting applications to strengthen child protection systems and improve governance, coordination, and service delivery to prevent and respond to Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU) in selected regions of the Philippines. The initiative seeks to enhance local child protection mechanisms, improve access to survivor-centered services, and strengthen institutional capacity to protect children from harmful practices and related protection risks.

Implemented in partnership with UNICEF and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the programme focuses on building sustainable and coordinated child protection systems that can effectively prevent, identify, and respond to cases of child marriage and other child protection concerns.

About the Programme

The initiative supports the implementation of the Model of Intervention on Child Protection Systems Strengthening and Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions, known as KALINGA.

The programme works with national and local government institutions to establish stronger child protection systems that provide coordinated, accessible, and quality services for children who are at risk of or affected by CEFMU.

Through a systems-strengthening approach, the project aims to improve governance, policy implementation, service delivery, and referral pathways while promoting long-term sustainability and local ownership.

Programme Objectives

The initiative aims to:

• Strengthen child protection systems at local and regional levels
• Prevent Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU)
• Improve governance and policy implementation
• Enhance coordination among child protection stakeholders
• Build local government capacity for child protection
• Strengthen referral and response mechanisms
• Improve access to child-sensitive services
• Promote survivor-centered and trauma-informed approaches
• Support gender-responsive child protection interventions
• Document lessons and good practices for future replication

The programme seeks to create stronger protective environments where children can grow, learn, and thrive free from harmful practices.

Understanding Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU)

Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions refer to situations where children, particularly girls, enter marriage or similar unions before reaching adulthood or without full and informed consent.

These practices can result in:

• Interrupted education
• Increased risk of violence and abuse
• Poor health outcomes
• Economic vulnerability
• Social exclusion
• Limited opportunities for development and participation

Preventing CEFMU requires coordinated action across child protection, education, health, justice, and social welfare sectors.

Key Focus Areas

The programme focuses on:

• Child protection systems strengthening
• Prevention of Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions
• Policy and governance reforms
• Local government capacity development
• Survivor-centered service delivery
• Trauma-informed protection approaches
• Gender-responsive programming
• Referral pathway development
• Child Protection Unit establishment and strengthening
• Inter-agency collaboration and coordination
• Documentation and knowledge sharing

These areas contribute to stronger and more responsive child protection systems.

The KALINGA Model

The KALINGA Model serves as the programme’s framework for strengthening child protection systems.

The model supports:

• Institutional strengthening
• Coordinated service delivery
• Local government leadership
• Child-centered interventions
• Prevention and response services
• Community-level protection mechanisms
• Sustainable child protection structures

The approach seeks to ensure that protection services are accessible, effective, and aligned with national standards.

Expected Results

The programme aims to achieve several important outcomes.

Expected results include:

• Stronger legal and policy frameworks at sub-national levels
• Improved child protection governance
• Increased functionality of local child protection systems
• Better coordination among protection actors
• Enhanced access to quality services for vulnerable children
• Improved prevention and response to CEFMU
• Stronger local ownership of child protection initiatives
• Sustainable child protection mechanisms

These outcomes are intended to improve the overall protection environment for children.

Strengthening Governance and Policy Frameworks

A major component of the programme involves improving child protection governance.

Activities may include:

• Development of localized child protection policies
• Strengthening safeguarding frameworks
• Alignment with national child protection standards
• Adoption of child protection ordinances
• Policy implementation support
• Capacity building for local authorities

Strong governance frameworks help ensure consistent and effective child protection responses.

Improving Local Government Capacity

The initiative places significant emphasis on strengthening local government leadership and capacity.

Support may include:

• Technical assistance
• Training programmes
• Institutional development
• Child protection planning support
• Resource coordination
• Monitoring and implementation guidance

Local governments play a critical role in delivering child protection services and ensuring sustainability.

Referral Mechanisms and Service Coordination

The programme supports the development and operationalization of multisectoral referral systems.

Key activities include:

• Development of referral protocols
• Coordination among service providers
• Case management improvements
• Information-sharing mechanisms
• Service mapping and integration
• Strengthening response pathways

Effective referral systems help children access appropriate support quickly and safely.

Child Protection Units (CPUs)

The initiative supports the establishment or strengthening of Child Protection Units within local government systems.

These units are expected to provide integrated services through collaboration among:

• Health services
• Social welfare services
• Law enforcement agencies
• Educational institutions
• Justice sector actors
• Community-based protection mechanisms

Integrated services help ensure that children receive comprehensive and coordinated support.

Survivor-Centered and Trauma-Informed Services

The programme promotes approaches that place the needs and wellbeing of children at the center of all interventions.

Key principles include:

• Child-sensitive service delivery
• Respect for dignity and rights
• Confidentiality and privacy
• Trauma-informed care
• Safety and protection
• Participation of affected children where appropriate
• Gender-responsive support

These approaches help improve recovery, protection, and long-term wellbeing.

Documentation and Knowledge Sharing

The initiative also emphasizes learning and evidence generation.

Activities may include:

• Documentation of implementation processes
• Recording lessons learned
• Identification of good practices
• Development of case studies
• Knowledge products and reports
• Sharing experiences across sites

This information will support future scaling and replication efforts.

Sustainability and Local Ownership

Long-term sustainability is a central objective of the programme.

The initiative promotes:

• Government leadership
• Institutional strengthening
• Local ownership of interventions
• Capacity development
• Sustainable service delivery mechanisms
• Ongoing inter-agency coordination

These measures help ensure that child protection systems continue functioning beyond the project period.

Why This Initiative Matters

Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions remain significant child protection concerns that can have lifelong consequences for affected children.

This initiative contributes to:

• Stronger child protection systems
• Better prevention of harmful practices
• Improved access to support services
• Enhanced child rights protection
• Greater institutional accountability
• Stronger community and government responses
• Sustainable protection mechanisms

By strengthening systems and services, the programme helps create safer environments for children and supports their rights, wellbeing, and development.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the main goal of this UNICEF initiative?
  The programme aims to strengthen child protection systems and improve responses to Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU) in selected regions of the Philippines.
• What is the KALINGA Model?
  It is a child protection systems strengthening framework focused on preventing and responding to CEFMU while improving coordination and service delivery.
• Which organizations are implementing the programme?
  The initiative is implemented in partnership with UNICEF, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and national and local government units.
• What are Child Protection Units (CPUs)?
  They are coordinated service structures that provide integrated support through health, social welfare, education, law enforcement, and justice systems.
• What services are promoted under the programme?
  Survivor-centered, trauma-informed, child-sensitive, and gender-responsive protection services.
• Why is documentation included in the project?
  Documentation helps capture lessons learned and good practices that can be used for future replication and scaling.
• How does the programme support sustainability?
  By strengthening local government leadership, institutional capacity, governance systems, and long-term coordination mechanisms.

Conclusion

The UNICEF child protection systems strengthening initiative in the Philippines seeks to build stronger, more coordinated, and sustainable mechanisms for preventing and responding to Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions. Through the KALINGA Model, improved governance frameworks, Child Protection Units, referral systems, and survivor-centered services, the programme aims to enhance protection outcomes for vulnerable children while ensuring long-term institutional capacity and local ownership.