Nigeria, UNICEF, Improved access to quality reintegration services for children and women formerly associated with non-state armed groups in Northeast Nigeria.


Thousands of children and women have exited areas controlled by non-state armed groups in Northeast Nigeria since 2021. The project provides temporary shelter and basic services and  longer-term socio-economic reintegration to this group of civilians and other vulnerable individuals through a package of  multisectoral  assistance.  The  successful  and  sustainable  reintegration  of  these  individuals  is instrumental towards peacebuilding and complements ongoing Swiss work on peace and security.

Pays/région Thème Période Budget
Nigéria
Aide humanitaire & RRC
Conflit & fragilité
Gender
nothemedefined
Protection, accès & sécurité
Enfants soldats
Violence sexuelle & sexiste
01.11.2024 - 31.10.2026
CHF  1’200’000
Contexte As  a  result  of  infighting  between  various  non-state armed  groups  (NSAGs),  on  the  on  hand,  and Government  efforts  to  encourage  surrenders  on  the other,  more  than  130,000  people  have  exited  areas under  NSAG  control  since  June  2021.  While approximately 4’000 individuals are estimated to have been  directly  associated with NSAGs  as  combatants, the  rest are internally  displaced civilians,  a majority of women and children, who were trapped in those areas. The Government of Borno State Northeast Nigeria has embarked on an ambitious and perfectible plan for the management of these “mass exits”, including the reintegration  of  former  fighters and  their families,  in  a context  where  large  swaths  of  the  State  remain inaccessible due  to  insecurity,  thus  forcing  those who exited the NSAG-controlled areas to settle in the state capital  Maiduguri  or  so-called “garrison towns” with military  presence  and  large  IDP  populations.  The proposed  intervention  seeks  to  ensure  quality temporary  shelter  and  basic  services  and  socio-economic  reintegration  for  children  and  women  that were part of the “mass exits”. 
Objectifs The overall goal of the project is for girls and boys and women affected by armed conflict to be better protected from grave violations and  receive  quality preventive  and  responsive child protection services. 
Groupes cibles
  • Children,  youth  and  women  formerly associated with non-state armed groups 
  • Separated and unaccompanied children
  • Other vulnerable children  in communities of reintegration 
  • GBV survivors  
  • Community  leaders  in  conflict  affected communities at risk of child recruitment and GBV 
  • Front  line  workers  (government  social welfare and child caseworkers)  
Effets à moyen terme

Outcome  1:  Children  affected  by  armed conflict  have equitable access to community-based reintegration services. 

Outcome  2: Capacities  of government social services workforce, child protection partners, and community-based groups strengthened to deliver  child protection  and  reintegration services. 

Outcome  3:  Vulnerable  children  have equitable  access  to  gender-responsive protection services

Outcome  4:  Grave  child  rights  violations monitoring,  reporting  and response mechanisms are functional and strengthened. 

Résultats

Principaux résultats attendus:  

  • 19,445  children  and  adolescents  reached  with psychosocial interventions 
  • 250 children formerly associated with NSAGs and other  vulnerable  children  in  vocational  skills development; 1,300 children enrolled in school and 250 enrolled in vocational training 
  • 2,000  children  and  women  receive  interim  care services such as temporary shelter, access to basic services, recreational activities and skills training  
  • 400  unaccompanied  and  separated  children reunified with their family 
  • 300 GBV survivors access at least one GBV service  
  • 200 community monitors trained on monitoring and reporting grave violations against children  
  • 245 Nigerian army personnel trained on child rights 


Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

  • More than 23,000 children and adults reached with psychosocial support interventions. 
  • 713 children and women (237  girls, 295 boys and 181 women)  released  from administrative custody and provided with essential reintegration services 
  • 137  separated  and  unaccompanied  children  (62 girls, 75 boys) reunified with their family  
  • Protocol  for  the  safe  handover  of  children encountered in the course of armed conflict signed  by the Government of Nigeria and the UN.  
  • Reports  on  grave  violations  against  children  in armed conflict produced quarterly and annually for the UN Security Council 


Direction/office fédéral responsable DDC
Partenaire de projet Partenaire contractuel
Organisme des Nations Unies (ONU)
  • Fonds des Nations Unies pour l’enfance


Coordination avec d'autres projets et acteurs Swiss Embassy peace and security work; Borno State Ministries of:  Women Affairs, Education, Justice; Nigerian army, local implementing partners 
Budget Phase en cours Budget de la Suisse CHF    1’200’000 Budget suisse déjà attribué CHF    400’000 Projet total depuis la première phase Budget de la Suisse CHF   2’381’000 Budget y compris partenaires de projet CHF   3’581’000
Phases du projet Phase 3 01.11.2024 - 31.10.2026   (Phase en cours) Phase 2 01.10.2022 - 30.09.2024   (Active)