In child protection in humanitarian action (CPHA) it is recognized that children are engaged in a dynamic process of development, while also being impacted by the adverse realities of a humanitarian crisis. Thus, the ultimate goal of any child protection humanitarian intervention is to promote the healthy development and well-being of children by preventing and responding to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence against children.

This work includes engaging with communities to:

• enhance the capacity of families to provide consistent, responsive care;
• protect children from the accumulation of distressing and harmful experiences; and
• promote or restore opportunities for physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual growth through connection, education, and participation that broadens and increases according to the age and stage of children’s development.

While significant progress has been achieved in developing guidance and standards to support child protection actors in responding to children in humanitarian crises, there is a lack of resources available to guide practitioners in their prevention efforts, particularly in understanding the risk factors that lead to harmful outcomes and the protective factors that help to outweigh them.