TABLE OF CONTENTS
- CADEF COMMUNITY-BASED CHILD PROTECTION PROGRAM
- BACKGROUND
- LEADERSHIP ROLE OF LOCAL ACTORS
- WHY IT WORKED
- CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED
- HOW THEY WERE ADDRESSED
- OUTCOME AND IMPACT
- LOCALISATION AND CHILD PROTECTION LINK
- SCALE AND SUSTAINABILITY
- LESSONS LEARNED
CADEF COMMUNITY-BASED CHILD PROTECTION PROGRAM
The CADEF Comprehensive Child Protection Program is a flagship grassroots initiative implemented in Cameroon’s South West region in 2022. It was designed to safeguard children from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence. Recognising that formal child protection systems often fall short, especially in conflict-affected or rural areas, CADEF empowers communities to become the first line of defense for vulnerable children.
At its core, the program promotes a participatory approach, engaging children, caregivers, local leaders, and informal community networks in identifying risks and creating protective solutions. Children are not just passive beneficiaries - they are trained to recognize threats and advocate for their own safety and that of their peers. The program also works to shift harmful cultural norms, particularly those that perpetuate silence around sexual abuse and exploitation.
Goal: To protect children from violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation by empowering communities to take active roles in child protection. Philosophy: Child protection is everyone’s responsibility—families, communities, governments, and NGOs must collaborate.
The dimensions of localisation addressed in this program include governance and decision-making, participation and influence partnerships, funding, and institutional capacity building, showing how CADEF empowered local organisations to lead, share decisions, build equal partnerships, access flexible funding and strengthen institutions.
BACKGROUND
The Community-Based Child Protection Program was developed by CADEF in response to growing child protection challenges in Cameroon’s Southwest region. CADEF was founded in 2008 by a group of educators and child rights advocates who saw the urgent need for locally driven solutions to protect children from violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
In many rural and conflict-affected communities, formal child protection systems were either absent or overwhelmed. CADEF recognised that communities themselves—especially children, caregivers, and local leaders—were best positioned to identify risks and respond effectively. This insight laid the foundation for a program that would prioritise grassroots engagement, cultural relevance, and sustainability.
CADEF’s program sought to shift this dynamic by investing in localisation as a pathway to stronger child protection outcomes. The program is built on the belief that child protection is everyone’s responsibility. It aims to:
- Transform harmful community attitudes (e.g., silence around sexual abuse).
- Empower children to be active participants in their own protection.
- Strengthen informal networks like youth clubs and child protection committees.
- Link these networks to formal services such as government social affairs and NGOs.
LEADERSHIP ROLE OF LOCAL ACTORS
Local organisations played a central leadership role in this initiative:
- Governance and Coordination – Local NGOs, including CADEF, became active members of the National Localisation Working Group and co-led child protection clusters.
- Advisory Roles – Local actors influenced national child protection policies through advisory groups.
- Community Strategies – They developed community-based interventions such as child-friendly spaces and community watch groups to prevent child rights violations.
WHY IT WORKED
- Local ownership and leadership – The program empowered community members and local organisations to lead initiatives, ensuring relevance and sustainability.
- Inclusive participation – Children, families, and community leaders were actively involved in decision-making, creating trust and shared responsibility.
- Strong partnerships and resources – Collaboration with stakeholders, along with access to flexible funding, strengthened institutional capacity and expanded impact.
CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED
- Limited fundraising and resource mobilisation capacity.
- Gaps in risk management and leadership.
- Weak data collection and information systems.
HOW THEY WERE ADDRESSED
- CADEF strengthened local initiatives by delivering training and workshops on resource mobilisation, risk management, leadership, communication (guiding local initiatives), and information management.
- Offered mentorship and organisational support to 20 local organisations, enhancing their governance and technical capacity.
OUTCOME AND IMPACT
The initiative delivered measurable improvements in both child protection outcomes and localisation progress:
- Community watch groups reduced child abuse reports by 30%.
- Over 500 children accessed counselling and support, improving resilience and emotional well-being
- Child-friendly spaces and community-led education programs increased school attendance by 40%.
- Psychosocial interventions led to reduced levels of anxiety and depression among children
- 20 local organisations strengthened in governance, leadership, and technical programming.
LOCALISATION AND CHILD PROTECTION LINK
Localisation amplified the relevance, ownership, and sustainability of child protection efforts:
- Community Child Protection Committees brought together parents, youth, and leaders to monitor and act on child rights issues.
- Child-Friendly Spaces were designed by communities to reflect cultural norms, making them safe, welcoming, and widely used.
- Flexible Funding enabled rapid response to urgent needs such as emergency shelter or medical care.
SCALE AND SUSTAINABILITY
The program has laid strong foundations for scale and long-term impact, with the potential to be replicated in other conflict-affected regions of Cameroon. Institutionalised training programs ensure continued learning for local actors, while advocacy for increased direct donor funding helps reduce dependence on international intermediaries.
LESSONS LEARNED
Key take-a-ways for humanitarian and child protection actors:
- Local leadership is essential. Community-rooted leadership ensures interventions are trusted and sustainable.
- Flexible funding accelerates impact. It enabless local actors to respond quickly to children’s evolving needs.
- Partnerships must be equal. Shared power and decision-making drive better child protection results.
- Capacity building is long-term. Investing in governance, risk management, and data systems is as vital as service delivery.
- Community engagement works. Culturally grounded, locally designed programs resonate more deeply and achieve stronger outcomes.