Deadline: 16-May-2026
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is seeking applications to strengthen regional and national child protection capacity for programmes addressing children associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG). The initiative focuses on institutionalizing expertise, improving gender-sensitive reintegration systems, and rolling out technical tools through Arabic training, inter-agency collaboration, and country-level implementation in selected regions including Kenya and Iraq.
What is the UNICEF CAAFAG Programme?
This UNICEF initiative aims to improve the quality and effectiveness of child protection programming for children associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG). It strengthens technical expertise, regional training systems, and the use of standardized tools to support prevention, release, and reintegration of affected children.
The programme is co-led by UNICEF and Plan International through the CAAFAG Task Force and focuses on building stronger, localized child protection systems across multiple regions.
Programme Objectives
The initiative aims to:
- Strengthen regional child protection expertise on CAAFAG programming
- Improve prevention, release, and reintegration services for affected children
- Institutionalize technical knowledge and training systems
- Enhance gender-sensitive child protection responses
- Strengthen inter-agency coordination and collaboration
- Improve access to justice and protection services
- Support localized implementation of global tools and guidance
- Build capacity for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) integration
Core Thematic Areas
Child Protection Systems Strengthening
- Child protection service delivery
- General protection support systems
- Protection in emergencies
- Registration and profiling of affected children
- Legal assistance and access to justice
Justice and Legal Protection
- Access to asylum procedures
- Birth registration systems
- Protection against arbitrary detention
- Freedom of movement protections
Violence Prevention and Response
- Prevention of crime and violence
- Gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response
- Protection advice and support services
Family and Social Reintegration
- Family reunification processes
- Community reintegration of children
- Reintegration of children formerly associated with armed forces/groups
Geographic Focus
The programme supports regional and national implementation in selected areas, including:
- Kenya (Meru region)
- Iraq (Muḩafazat al Anbar)
- Arabic-speaking regions for training rollout
Background: CAAFAG Task Force
The programme builds on the work of the CAAFAG Task Force, co-led by:
- United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
- Plan International
Key contributions include:
- Development of CAAFAG programme toolkits
- Technical guidance on girls associated with armed groups
- Global training resources for child protection practitioners
Key Challenges Addressed
The initiative responds to:
- Uneven access to technical guidance at regional level
- Limited localized training capacity in child protection systems
- Gaps in gender-sensitive reintegration programming
- Need for stronger inter-agency coordination
- Insufficient contextual adaptation of global tools
Key Activities
1. Regional Training of Trainers (ToT)
- Arabic-language training sessions
- Capacity building for child protection practitioners
- Development of cascading training systems across regions
2. Country-Level Implementation
- Roll-out of CAAFAG technical resources
- Adaptation of global tools to local contexts
- Support in Kenya and Iraq pilot areas
3. Toolkit Development and Testing
- Field testing of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) toolkit
- Refinement of child protection tools
- Integration of psychosocial support into reintegration programming
4. Inter-Agency Collaboration
- Coordination among child protection actors
- Strengthening joint programming approaches
- Harmonization of standards and tools across agencies
Expected Results
The programme is expected to achieve:
- Improved technical capacity of child protection practitioners
- Stronger regional expertise in CAAFAG programming
- More effective gender-sensitive reintegration systems
- Increased use of standardized child protection tools
- Enhanced quality of prevention and response programmes
- Improved inter-agency coordination mechanisms
- Finalized and tested MHPSS toolkit for field use
Key Implementation Approach
The initiative uses a structured capacity-building model based on:
- Training of Trainers (ToT) systems
- Cascading knowledge dissemination
- Localization of global technical tools
- Field-based piloting and adaptation
- Regional language accessibility (Arabic focus)
- Cross-agency collaboration frameworks
Why This Programme Matters
This UNICEF initiative is important because it:
- Strengthens protection for highly vulnerable children in conflict settings
- Improves reintegration outcomes for children associated with armed groups
- Builds regional self-reliance in child protection expertise
- Enhances gender-sensitive programming approaches
- Bridges global guidance with local implementation needs
- Improves coordination across humanitarian and protection actors
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CAAFAG stand for?
Children Associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups.
What is the main goal of the programme?
To strengthen regional and national capacity for child protection programming related to CAAFAG.
Which regions are involved?
Selected regions include Kenya (Meru), Iraq (Al Anbar), and Arabic-speaking regions.
Who implements the programme?
UNICEF in collaboration with Plan International through the CAAFAG Task Force.
What is a Training of Trainers (ToT) session?
A method where trained experts later train other practitioners to expand knowledge coverage.
Does the programme include mental health support?
Yes, it includes development and testing of a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) toolkit.
What is the focus of reintegration support?
Family reunification, psychosocial support, and community reintegration of affected children.
Conclusion
The UNICEF CAAFAG capacity-strengthening initiative is a specialized child protection programme designed to improve regional expertise, strengthen technical tools, and enhance reintegration systems for children associated with armed forces and armed groups. Through training, tool development, and inter-agency collaboration, it aims to build more effective, gender-sensitive, and locally adapted child protection systems in conflict-affected regions.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.