Child protection

During humanitarian crises, children are more exposed to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Their protection may beweakened as families are put under additional strain191 and community networks break down. The impact on children with disabilities can be especially marked, because they are subjectto stigma and discrimination and may have less access to coping mechanisms. As a result, they are at higher risk of rightsviolations. According to the former Child Protection Working Group, “exclusion fundamentally affects the development of achild's full potential-Excluded children are more vulnerable to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect. Humanitarian crisesand responses can make cycles of exclusion worse or can offer opportunities for change.”192

Studies indicate that children with disabilities are three to four times more likely to be survivors of violence than childrenwithout disabilities.193 Further, some forms of violence are specific to children with disabilities. Examples include violence administered underthe guise of treatment to modify behaviour, forced sterilization of girls with disabilities, or enforced abortion.194

In line with the definition in Article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), a child is defined as a personunder 18 years of age.

The CRC sets out four principles on the rights of the child, which also apply in humanitarian action:

Child protection-related risks and impacts

The following guidance will support humanitarian actors working in child protection to identify and remove barriers facedby persons with disabilities, as well as their families, support persons and caregivers, when they try to access child protectionprogrammes in humanitarian settings.