This report covers SPL project planned activities for this month of November. CPAs conducted community sensitization, mobilization, and awareness on child protection; and promotion of community approaches to protection of children in 10 communities in five regions mainly (Banadir, Middle Shabelle, Lower Shabelle, Hiiran and Galgadud regions) during the first month of the second quarter.

Child protection trainings were conducted for 90 CPC members, and 200 school and madarasa teachers. The training participants learned more about children’s basic rights and how to identify child protection concerns. The training also provided the participants the knowledge and skills to address child protection issues.

The CPAs/CPCs performed public awareness on child rights and promotion of community approaches to protection of children in the 10 districts. The awareness raising sessions were attended by 2, 238people, of which 374 were children (see Annex 1). The rest of the participants were from different community groups including religious leaders, teachers, FGM practitioners, social workers, women and youth groups.

The CPA/CPC conducted a series of FGM awareness-raising sessions, various community groups such as local leaders, religious leaders and school teachers were mobilized to participate in influencing other community members to change their behavior regarding FGM. These awareness raising strengthened the knowledge of parents, health workers; and religious and community leaders, for the benefits of eliminating the practice of FGM/C at a local level.

Approximately 1151 people of whom 374 are children attended the community sensitization, mobilization, and awareness on FGM (see Annex 2). 43 girls have so far been saved from FGM by the CPCs after attending capacity building session on FGM prevention. This figure was obtained for the CPCs in the different project locations and was documented in Child protection data sheet.

In this month, Community based child protection committees identified and resolved 252 cases, and also referred 313 with different child protection concerns to service providers, as was reported from the communities worked with in this month by the CPAs in different project locations.