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Joint monitoring assessment and documentation on evaluation of
results for Child Protection Pre-deployment training for UPDF
Troops (UGABAG XXV and UNGU V)
Evaluation of Results for Child Protection Predeployment Trainings for UDPF Troops
– August 2019
Project Title Integrating Child Protection within African Peace and Security Architecture
(2017 – 2019)
Duration January 2017 to December 2019
Geographical scope Peace Support Training School – Singo, Uganda
Assignment Dates 5th – 13th August 2019
Contact Information Anthony Njoroge
Senior Programme Manager – Protecting Children in Conflict (PCiC)
East and Southern Africa Regional Office
Tel. +254701484653/+254726012779
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Acknowledgements
This report has been compiled by Joram Kibigo, the Regional Knowledge Management and
Learning Specialist with support from Edgar Indasi, the Regional Monitoring and Evaluation
Coordinator. The report has benefited from contributions of ICPAPSA Project Staff and Uganda
Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) representatives who have been involved in the implementation
of the “Integrating Child Protection within the African Peace and Security Architecture
2017 - 2019” Project.
The evaluation of results on child protection predeployment training assessment and
documentation with the UPDF involved various individuals whose efforts are highly
acknowledged. Special thanks go to the Lead Facilitator, Brig (Rtd) Charles Wacha Angulo,
Deputy Chief of CIMIC Col Nelson Ahebwa, UPDF Director of Human Rights Maj Jackie
Nakayenze, UPDF Human Rights Officer Catherine NATUKUNDA, Ministry of Defence
Information Officer Stella Sarah, and Lead Instructors at the PSO School Singo Maj Mugaga, Maj
Obita and Maj Mungatihe who played critical roles in the planning and implementation of the
project. The evaluation process was convened under the leadership of the Senior Programmes
Manager, Protecting Children in Conflict, Anthony Njoroge and coordinated by the Regional
Knowledge Management and Learning Specialist Joram Kibigo with support from the Regional
Programming Unit Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator, Edgar Indasi and the CIVMIL
thematic advisor, Mans Welander.
Sincere gratitude also go to respondents, key informants, focus group discussants and all people
who provided the much needed information and support to make the evaluation process a
success. Their open and candid responses and views form the substance of this report.
Joram Kibigo,
Regional Knowledge Management and Learning Specialist,
Protecting Children in Conflict (PCiC) Programme,
Regional Programming Unit - ESARO
Feedback contact:
Joram Kibigo
Email: [email protected]
Contacts: +254710233890
East and Southern Africa Regional Office, 2nd Floor ABC Place, Waiyaki way, Westlands
P.O. Box 19423-202,
Nairobi, Kenya
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List of acronyms
AMISOM African Mission in Somalia
CP Child Protection
CIMIC
DHR
Civil Military Cooperation
Directorate of Human Rights
EASF East Africa Standby Forces
FGD Focused Group Discussion
PSOTC Peace Support Operations Training Centre
RPU Regional Programming Unit
TOT Training of trainers
KII Key Informant Interview
ICPAPSA Integrating Child Protection in Africa Peace and Security
Architecture
UGABAG Uganda Battle Group
UNGU United Nation Guard Unit
UN DPKO
United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations
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Executive Summary
Towards assessing the outcomes of child protection predeployment trainings carried out for
UPDF troops, the ICPAPSA Project in collaboration with the Department of Human Rights
(DHR) carried out an evaluation of results assessments on troops returning from the AMISOM
mission in August 2019. The evaluation assessment provided an opportunity to assess and
document the effects contributed by the child protection predeployment training conducted in
June 2018 for approximately 1624 military troops who were trained and deployed for mission
in AMISOM in July 2018.
The assessment incorporated the use of social impact assessment evaluation design framework
that majorly utilized two methods of data collection approaches, including key informant
interview (KII) and Focus group discussions (FGD). During the assessment, key informants
interviews conducted targeted key focal points who were involved in planning and executing
the trainings as well as key informants who were involved in protection children in AMISOM
mission. They included Director(s) Human Rights (UPDF), Battle Group commanders, training
instructors, CIMIC Officers, legal officers among others while two focus group discussion were
held with selected female and male combatants who had been deployed to the mission.
Assessment findings reveal that there has been increased awareness amongst peacekeepers on
child protection practices. This is anchored on the successful roll out of child protection training
curriculum within the PSOTC School during their preparation for deployment in June 2018.
Interactions with combatants demonstrated attitudinal shifts in protection of children, cited by
several peacekeepers during a focus group discussion expressed the need for children to be
supported to attend school and are protected while in school to minimize opportunities for
them to be associated with armed groups in context of conflict. Adherence to laid down
standard operating procedures by peacekeepers enhanced their interactions with children
during mission, some of the combatants noting that prior engagement with children was marred
with suspicions on hearsays that children are used as suicide bombers. These are elements of
knowledge cited from the child protection training they were taken through before deployment
to the mission.
Despite efforts to prevent and protect children from violations, weak structures and
unresponsive systems in context of conflict continue to pose challenges to adequate protection
of children in situations of conflict. Lack of existing accountability mechanisms to address child
rights violations have resulted to use of informal community based structures mostly
perpetuated by religious and community leaders considered mostly to be male, situation that
may constrain participation of girls in accountability mechanisms. Siting examples of children
who are exposed to manual labour within the operational bases for military peacekeepers, a
key informant interview with UPDF officers highlighted the need to strengthen legal frameworks
that clearly articulates roles and responsibility of children highlighting forms of violations that
constitute child labor and mechanisms to address such violations. The assessment also noted
that weak government structures in conflict context continues to pose significant challenges
owing to the fact that most social services are nonexistent in situations of conflict, resulting to
overburdening the support provided by the peacekeepers to the extent that poses a dilemma
between security to the community versus providing humanitarian support to host community.
The report recommends various interventions towards addressing some of the challenges
highlighted during the evaluation process. These includes: continuous CP predeployment
trainings for peacekeepers especially around psychosocial support, integrating CP trainings
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within the Somalia National Army and peace actors including the community leaders as well
deployment of training instructors into mission for continued monitoring and assessment on
the application of the knowledge gained during CP trainings. The assessment established lack of
a monitoring mechanism in mission that identifies and documents key lessons, challenges and
best practices that would be relevant in responding effectively to child rights violations and
experiences. It is the evaluation postulation that addressing this lack of effective monitoring
framework should inform effective training and programming for children affected by armed
conflict. This will in turn improve the delivery of CP predeployment trainings and better
responses for children affected by armed conflict based on their needs. Similarly, this will inform
the review of the CP curriculum and tool kit ultimately contributing to ensuring that children
affected by armed conflict are adequately protected.
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1. Introduction
In 2018 the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF), through the Directorate of Human Rights
in partnership with Save the Children (SC) implementing the ICPAPSA Project (2017 – 2019)
embarked on a capacity strengthening effort for the UPDF troops being prepared for
deployment to active missions in the region. This followed a Master Training workshop held in
Musanze, Rwanda in 2017 that saw at least four representatives (two males and two females)
from Uganda being trained as Master Trainers of Child Protection.
Subsequently, the UPDF embarked on the process of integrating the AU Child Protection
Training Curriculum and Tool Kit into their military school syllabi in response to the directive
from the East African Standby Forces (EASF) to its member states. This was a long and
consultative process that begun with securing approval from the UPDF army leadership to
embed the training tool kit and curriculum into the military training architecture. Successively,
joint UPDF-SC field visits were conducted to selected military schools to foster buy in on the
adoption and implementation of the standardized CP training curriculum and tool kit in May
2018.
In light of the above processes, there was approval and commitment gained to begin the
institutionalization of the standardized EASF curriculum and tool kit that recommended a
Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop for instructors with training mandates across the 10 UPDF
military institutions in the UPDF. With support from Save the Children through the ICPAPSA
Project, the first ToT training was held on 4th – 15th June 2018 in Jinja that benefited 24 training
instructors (2 females, 22 males) who were equipped with knowledge and skill set aimed at
advancing child protection trainings within the institutions. The intended outcome was that
UPDF troops and specifically peacekeepers are equipped to address child rights violation in
armed conflict and post conflict situations.
Timely follow up and joint monitoring support visits in respective military schools were carried
out to support delivery of CP predeployment trainings for peacekeepers and troops, as well as
document highlights and experiences during the roll out of the standardized curriculum and
tool kit. These efforts resulted in successful embedding of CP modules in the training military
programs, most notably, the Peace Support Operations Training Centre (PSOTC) in Singo
where over 6000 military personnel have been trained so far for deployment to active missions
in the region.
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Assessment with trained personnel during monitoring support visits revealed that CP
predeployment trainings have been relevant to contribute to enhanced knowledge, skills and
attitudes for military peacekeepers in UPDF on how to protect children in situations of armed
conflict.
1.1. Objective of assignment
Towards assessing the outcomes of child protection predeployment trainings carried out for
UPDF troops, the ICPAPSA Project in collaboration with the Department of Human Rights
(DHR) sought to carry out evaluation assessments on troops returning from the AMISOM
mission in August 2019. The assessment aimed to provide an opportunity to measure the effects
contributed by the child protection predeployment training conducted in June 2018 for
approximately 1624 military troops that were deployed for mission in AMISOM.
Specific objectives of the assessment are twofold:
a) To document experiences on the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on the impact
of the CP Trainings amongst the deployed UPDF troops from AMISOM.
b) Highlight and capture audiovisual significant change stories and success stories from
troops’ on issues of child protection in context of missions.
The evaluation assessment process was carried out from the 5th – 14th August 2019 in Peace
Support Operations Training Centre in Singo Uganda.
1.2. The Assessment Team
The assessment team led by the outgoing Director of Human Rights in the UPDF and Save the
Children Monitoring Team participated in the 10 day exercise to document peacekeepers
experiences and highlights around child protection during their deployment to AMISOM.
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The team engaged with the different categories of military personnel including battle group
commanders, section commanders, CIMIC and intelligence officers, political commissars (who
play the role of child protection focal point) female engagement team (whose role is focused to
engaging with women and children while in the mission), special investigative bureau, legal officer
among other categories of military personnel. These were soldiers who had returned from one
year mission in Somalia. The assessment utilized two main approach to information gathering;
key informant interview and Focus group discussion.
The assessment team was composed of the following participants.
Name Position Organization
Brigadier Charles Wacha
Angulo
Outgoing Director of Human right DRH - UPDF
Colonel Nelson Ahebwa Deputy Chief of CIMIC CIMIC - UPDF
Major Jackie Nakayenze Gender officer and Incoming Director of
Human Rights DRH - UPDF
Catherine Natukunda Human Rights Officer DRH - UPDF
Maj Herbart Obita Child Protection Instructor PSOTC UPDF
Maj Peter Mugaga Lead Instructor–Child Protection PSOTC UPDF
Maj Bernard Mungatihe Child Protection Instructor - PSOTC
Anthony Njoroge Senior Programmes Manager (PCIC) Save the Children
Joram Kibigo Regional Knowledge Management and
Learning specialist (PCIC)
Save the children
Edgar Indasi MEAL Coordinator (RPU) Save the Children
The assessment findings notes the successful roll out of the child protection curriculum in the
PSOTC school which was made possible the help of TOT trained under Save the Children
ICPAPSA project in June 2018. The participants engaged during the assessment shared on some
of the positive experience they had and how the child protection training conducted before
their deployment helped them while in mission in Somalia. The trained and deployed soldiers
also admitted to the fact that the child protection knowledge acquired was relevant not only in
peacekeeping contexts but also back at home as parents. One of the key notable achievement
with potential to enhance sustainability of the ICPAPSA Project initiatives within UPDF, was the
acceptance and adoption of the CP Curriculum and tool kit by the UPDF leadership to roll out
child protection training in all training institutions including recruit training centers. This was
mainly attributed to the efforts of the training instructors and the support offered to them
through the Directorate of Human Rights (DHR) and the ICPAPSA Project.
1.3. Evaluation Methodology
The assessment incorporated the social impact assessment evaluation design framework
(Devereux, Roelen, Béné, Chopra, & Leavy, August 2013). The framework is a flexible approach
that acknowledges the need for social protection as the ultimate basis of assessment for social
protection programmes by highlighting its fundamental objectives; in this case, to build capacity
for peacekeepers to prevent and respond to child rights violations in situations of armed conflict.
Additionally, this alternative design framework acknowledges the need for rigorous evaluation
methods, not only for credibility, but also building on political support for social programmes
towards improving the wellbeing of key actors and beneficiaries in the programme through
feedback and generated lessons.
Specifically, this alternative research framework seeks to strengthen and expand the evidence
base for social programmes in three distinct ways:
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a) By explicitly recognizing that programme designs and processes in themselves affect
programme outcomes, at least in the extent to which these design choices and
implementation features are empowering (or disempowering) to the 1programme
participants.
b) By incorporating the less measurable impacts indicators focusing on social benefits of
learning through implementation of the social programme to generate both intended
and unintended impacts amongst programme participants.
c) By explicitly considering two types of feedback mechanisms; an automatic feedback loop
– ‘recursive causality’- where programme impacts may reinforce or compromise
programme effects and a deliberate learning loop, aiming to incorporate lessons learned
into improved design and implementation of the social programme.
The selection of this evaluation design was informed by the need to adequately consider the 2social dimensions and social dynamics approach of the programme during its implementation
and the need to expand and deepen the evidence base identified in support of improved design
and implementation of future ICPAPSA project activities. Greater emphasis was placed on
identifying qualitative evidence and experiences generated through in-depth interviews and
focus group discussion as the main assessment methods employed to participants involved in
the evaluation assessment.
During the evaluation process, key informants interviews conducted involved sessions with
Director(s) Human Rights (UPDF), Battle Group commanders, training instructors, CIMIC
Officers, legal officers among other officers while two focus group discussion were held with
selected female and male combatants who had been deployed to the mission. The interview
schedule and the focus group discussion guide used are attached as Annex 1.
Given the current evidence gap and information available on assessment of impact on child
protection predeployment trainings for peacekeepers, it is the opinion of the evaluation team
that the findings generated from this assessment provide the basis for subsequent evaluation of
predeployment trainings for peacekeeper during training and in mission contexts.
1 Includes all actors involved in the programme across genders and generations, beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries and
including participation in social institutions structures and systems. 2 Social dimension and dynamic approach treats human wellbeing as a dynamic state generated through ongoing conscious and
sub-conscious participation in social, economic, political, cultural and natural processes. So either people will or will not be able to acquire sufficient food to maintain their health (a physical outcome); they will or will not be able to sustain sufficient relationships with others to function effectively in society (a relational outcome); and they will or will not be able to feel satisfied about what they are able to do or to be in society (a subjective outcome)” (McGregor [forthcoming], 2014: 4). 7
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2. Evaluation of Results Findings.
This section of the report presents the key findings against the following evaluation criteria:
project’s relevance and strategic fit in the delivery of child protection predeployment trainings,
coherence of project design, effectiveness and efficiency of project delivery towards desired
outputs and impact, and lesson orientation towards scale-up and sustainability of the project
activities.
Relevance and strategic fit of the design and the training processes in enhancing
capacity for peacekeepers.
Successful roll out of Child protection training curriculum through a ToT model
The focus on strengthening child protection trainings through engagement of training
instructors was a considered approach by the UPDF to increase capacity for trainers within
UPDF training institutions towards a long term sustainable approach. The assessment made out
the intention to sustain child protection training by ensuring that instructors with a training
mandate were identified, equipped and tasked to roll out components of the child protection
training curriculum in line with the needs and requirements of peacekeepers at every level of
their training. The assessment established through an interview with outgoing Director of
Human Rights that a clear directive had been issued through the military leadership to embed
CP in all the training institutions within the UPDF.
While this approach seemed effective for Trainers of Trainees (ToT) in the Peace Support
Operations Training School (PSOTC) in Singo, very little had been achieved in other training
institution and especially at the UPDF recruit training school. At the point of the assessment,
most of the training conducted had only taken place at the PSOTC. The assessment notes that
despite a go ahead directive to roll out the curriculum in training institutions, other training
institutions are still struggling with the process of embedding the CP modules due to structural
challenges incumbent in the training institutions. While most of the trainers are still junior
officers, key decisions around prioritisation of such CP modules was initially identified as a
challenge in light of other competing trainings. With the directive issue through the military
leadership, the assessment notes that there is likelihood for a structured institutionalisation
process of CP trainings moving forward. However, the assessment also noted the need for
technical support from the project to help structure and streamline delivery of the CP trainings
as the process is being initiated in other training institutions.
Despite the prevailing structural challenges, the
evaluation established that the UPDF had demonstrated
strong commitment and will at the highest level of the
UPDF leadership to institutionalize child protection
trainings within the military training infrastructure.
Interaction with the outgoing Director of Human Rights
within the UPDF notes that the support to
institutionalize and roll out child protection
predeployment training within the UPDF has gained
traction over time to becoming one of the mandatory
courses to be facilitated within every military training
schools as part of proactive efforts to enhance
protection of children rights in the region.
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It is this commitment and will that had sufficiently translated to increased resource allocation
in terms of time and human resources to ensure that troops being prepared for deployment to
missions have been adequately trained on child rights and protection and especially at the
PSOTC. Budgetary allocation towards CP trainings remains low, but the assessment identified
that ongoing conversations had begun to even prioritize child protection training within the
military training and capacity building budget. The project’s advocacy focus on resourcing for
institutionalization of CP trainings is therefore regarded as appropriate and taking shape given
the progress and inherent structural challenges around financing child protection trainings in
the UPDF history. To date, more than 6000 military personnel have been trained on child
protection predeployment training. Over 4000 have been deployed to active missions in the
region.
Thus, the assessment notes that the design of the project capacity building activities and process
was found to be aligned with the UPDF’s training priorities as articulated by instructors involved
in conducting the child protection trainings. The assessment found that there has been
consistency in ensuring CP training for the last four deployment preparation trainings that have
been conducted within the PSOTC. This is considered a success attributed to the support of
the project with coordination from the Directorate of Human Rights. A key design feature of
the project was its ability to scale up the roll out of child protection training by building capacity
of training instructors (ToTs) mandated to offer trainings within the UPDF training institution.
This increased the demand for CP trainings thereby enhancing efficiency in the delivery of CP
training within the UPDF training schools. So far the roll out of the curriculum in the Peace
Support Operations Training Centre (PSOTC) was identified as a success.
Monitoring of training effectiveness still remains a design and process challenge. The assessment
found that while there is clear prioritization of child protection trainings in training plans within
the PSOTC, monitoring and field support to assess application of these trainings in nonexistent.
This is attributed to limited financial resources available to ensure proper monitoring and
assessment of trainings conducted in missions. The assessment findings recommends continued
support to monitor effectiveness of the CP training amongst troops in mission in two ways:
through supporting structured in mission follow up visits by the training instructors and the
project technical support team as well as building capacity of officers being deployed on effective
monitoring and evaluation of trainings and highlighting their roles at the mandate setting stage
within the UPDF code of conduct on child protection. The assessment notes that monitoring
conducted in mission is mainly on accountability for child rights violation and little on
effectiveness of child protection capacity building initiatives.
Although the ToT model of the project and its outcomes for scale-up and sustainability strategy
is hinged on government and other partners replicating the project interventions so as to sustain
outcomes and impact, the project will consider supporting technically on training and delivery
of child protection sessions although to a limited extent to allow the UPDF to take lead on
these initiatives.
“…the training we received at ToT provided the opportunity for us to
practically deliver information and experiences that peacekeepers experience
when deployed to missions. Every so often, we keep backing our messaging
with the experience and learning we have drawn from our mission experience”
TRAINING INSTRUCTOR, PSOTC, SINGO
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The evaluation also looked at the prospects of scale-up and sustainability through interviews
with key informants especially those who had been involved in the training and roll out of the
training curriculum for peacekeepers, as well as peacekeepers who had been deployed for
AMISOM mission after the predeployment training. The findings were that some aspects of the
project activities had prospects of being replicated and sustained, for instance, CP
predeployment training for peacekeepers as they prepare for predeployment as well as support
from the Directorate of Human Rights and Chieftaincy of CIMIC on technical delivery of CP
trainings.
Additional ToT trainings for more instructors was a notable disadvantaged prospects
highlighted through the evaluation process that may hardly go beyond the end of the project
support, considering the limited budgetary allocation for CP trainings within the UPDF.
However, the UPDF is likely to replicate and sustain the aspects of the trainings that require
no or minimal resources and those that easily integrates within usual routine. Examples here
being monitoring support supervision and on-site coaching and mentorship to training
instructors by the DRH and CIMIC department. Interventions such as ToT curriculum-based
training and in mission support to assess the effect of trainings offered to peacekeepers will
depend on budgetary allocation within the UPDF and external support from partners.
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Assessing the learning benefits and social impacts identified through
implementation of capacity building programme activities within the UPDF
Improved knowledge and attitude on child protection and its effect to adherence
of laid down procedures by UPDF soldiers and other mission success.
The evaluation examined the extent to which the project activities translated to outputs and
achieved the intended results in the context of mission. The desired state was that
peacekeepers had adequate capacity in terms of knowledge, attitudes and skills to identify and
respond to child rights violation in situations of conflict.
Focus group discussions (FGD) with the soldiers who had just returned from the mission in
Somalia (AMISOM), pointed to the fact that their mission in Somalia has been widely successful.
Although not all the soldier who were deployed had received the child protection
(approximately 724 combatants and 240 officers received the training), the assessment noted
positive contribution amongst those who had undergone the training. Instances recorded noted
that trained combatants were especially way better in articulating the do’s and don’ts in mission
in matters concerning child protection. The trained soldiers attributed to the fact that, not
only was the training important for their mission in Somalia, but this training continues to be
important to them as parents back home.
An analysis with female
combatants identified an
innovative approach by the UPDF
in addressing some of the social
cultural challenges in engaging
with the host community in
Somalia. FGDs held with several
combatants noted the special
responses by the Female
Engagement Teams (FETs), female
combatants whose mandate was
focused on interacting with mostly
women and children in the
community as part of identifying and responding to their needs. This unique approach is
becoming a critical bridge that provides support mostly to children and women, enhancing the
objectivity of the CP predeployment training to respond to children rights as well as enhancing
learnings on areas of improvement in response to some of the violations facing children in the
region.
The session on unpacking children needs and legal frameworks that exist around protecting
children in situation of armed conflict came alive in the eyes on one female combatant whose
experience involved a child who had been sent to gather intelligence from the troops.
“…The training well prepared me as FET officer for the mission as now we
could be able to handle for instance some of the children who come to spy on
us” - (FET FGD Participant)
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In her words, she could probably not have handled such a case in the same way she did had she
not been trained on how to handle children. She remarks that her initial engagement with
children was suspicious and founded on information she had heard before, where children were
being used as suicide bombers and triggers targeting the peacekeepers. Learning how to
communicate with children has allowed her and the team to avert potential threats to peace
keepers as well as strengthen approaches to understanding and addressing challenges that
children undergo as they engage with armed non-state actors who may tend to take advantage
of them
Initial assessments during predeployment training with Musoki Rounny, a FET officer
interviewed during the training appeared to be a constant reflection for many of the combatant
who participated in this assessment. The evaluation indicate positive change in attitude for
peacekeepers who felt they would rather prioritize prevention strategies like ensuring children
are enrolled in school rather than responsive mechanism that seek to capture children involved
in war and rehabilitate them in the process of reintegrating them back to their community. The
assessment recognized the awareness
sensitivity amongst peacekeepers
attributed the trainings by highlighting
specific case scenarios that required
careful analysis by peacekeepers to
address specific cases around child
protection. Increasingly, there is now
demand for constant update of
security context during trainings to
bring training participants to date on
context and experiences in mission, a
reflection that the program plans to
take into consideration moving
forward.
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Some of the knowledge and attitude change highlights attributed to the project activities
conducted amongst the troops before deployment for mission to AMISOM were identified
through the assessment. Engagements with key informants postulated that the project activities
had addressed knowledge gaps around challenges faced during handling children in situation of
conflict. For instance, some of these challenges as initially noted during training evaluations
included lack of awareness on children rights, poor communication with children in situations
of conflict, poor life skills in handling children during situations of conflict as well as inability to
address gender specific needs for boys and girls affected by conflict. Through the roll out and
institutionalization process of the Child Protection predeployment trainings, there was
observable knowledge and attitude change by peacekeepers who had especially gained
competence to identify gender specific needs for boys and girls in PSO and proactively
responding to them as identified.
The story of one male combatant serving at the United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU V)
articulates these sentiments further. Victor Omara (name altered for privacy concerns) is
excited to know that his role on child protection transcends the mission context to his
household role as a father where he now has an opportunity to practice what he learned
through the child protection training.
Read the case study below: (Annex 3 To be attached)
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Reinforcing programme effects through effective feedback mechanisms and deliberate
learning loops (recursive causality) in the implementation of the project activities.
Towards building an open and efficient accountability environment with peacekeepers in
addressing and responding to child rights violations in PSOs, the project has been keen to
support initiatives that establish efficient feedback mechanisms amongst actors in situations of
conflict. Through the evaluation assessment, the project is collating feedback and lessons
through the experiences of peacekeepers in efforts to strengthen delivery of child protection
interventions that are responsive to the needs of children affected by armed conflict.
Effective accountability for children requires integration of Child protection
awareness across all PSO actors and including host communities in mission
Interview with the troop commanders brought to the fore pertinent concerns over child right
violations present within the operation environment. While boys and girls security concerns
are apparent and known to peacekeepers during mission support, other forms of child rights
violations are persistent and evident in the mission, and beyond the control of peacekeepers.
Child labour for instance was identified as the most common form of violation witnessed where
children who have been contracted by local companies working around the operation
environment continue to be witnessed.
“…most of the children who come to our forward operation bases are in critical
need of either food or medical attention. They look malnourished and helpless.
Others have to work in casual jobs to get resources to buy food. This is
especially a major challenge” ~ BATTLE GROUP COMMANDER, UGABAG XXV
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The above sentiments were
corroborated by peacekeepers
through a FGD noting the
rampant use of children as casual
labourers working with
companies that have been
contracted to provide social
services around the operations
area. Through the interactions
with peacekeepers from the
mission, the assessment
identified lack of awareness by
the host community on children
rights, and including limited capacity by the host government to prevent and respond to children
violations, a situation that continuously pose challenges and concerns over security of boys and
girls in such situations.
These issues were identified as common violations that continues to pose challenges around
interactions with other peacekeepers during mission. Other child rights concerns sexual
exploitation of young girls within the host communities, child marriage, malnutrition and
recruitment of boys to protect and provide for their families within the community are
anchored on social cultural beliefs held by the host community that continues to challenge the
effectiveness of protecting children in such situations.
A case example mentioned was a situation that involved a young boy (12years) whose father
was a member of the Somali National Army (SNA), who upon his death, was recruited to
replace his father by serving in the same army rank as his father. The basis for joining the army
was anchored on the need to provide and protect the family, a situation that is widely approved
by the host community. One of the officers who identified this issues raised concerns over the
same through his seniors and upon consultations with the host military, there was a promise
to look into the matter. A close follow up on the identified issue by the said officer highlighted
livelihoods concerns and social cultural belied that anchored the decisions to maintain the child
in service. At the point of the assessment, the issue had been escalated for redress. These
testaments highlight enhanced skills and commitment to address child rights violations and
despite slow bureaucratic response in addressing these violations, the assessment opines that
positive attitudes on child protection have been enhanced amongst peacekeepers.
While efforts to sensitize the community through outreach programmes conducted by UPDF
peacekeepers in mission were mentioned, their effectiveness were considered questionable on
the basis of frequency of these outreach programmes and lack of resource to support such
initiatives efficiently. As a recommendation, the evaluation assessment gathered the need to
create awareness to the host community around child rights and child protection, with the
hope that this will complement the efforts by peacekeepers to adequately safeguard children
from all other forms of child rights violations not considered part of their mission mandate.
This can be made possible in several ways; through the innovative approaches of the FET who
are constantly engaging with women and children at service points on a regular basis, involving
and engaging the local CSOs working in the community and including working with community
gatekeepers around sensitization of child rights and protection through the child protection
actors on the ground in mission.
Interactions with combatants also reiterated the need to involve the community in protection
of children rights as most consultations affecting children are tackled together through the
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existing community structures involving mostly clan leaders and religious leaders. These
considerations feed into the evaluation recommendations. In enhancing accountability on
protection of children rights, there is need to enhance collaborations with civil society
organisations working with the host community especially around creating awareness on the
need to promote and protect child rights. These measure include working with the existing
community structures that are influential to contribute to the desired state of prevention of
such violations as child labour and sexual exploitation of boys and girls.
It means also reinforcing on reporting and responsive systems at the community level, capable
of addressing violations that are identified concerning children. Recommendations from the
United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU) highlighted the need to specifically develop polices centred
on an alternative set of addressing such child rights violations that included establishing set
standards operating procedures that will discourage involvement of children as casual workers
contracted by companies tendered to work within and around the operation environment. The
pragmatic approach of working with civil societies to involve community leaders and youth
leaders in addressing these kind of violations should be emphasised and especially in enhancing
awareness on the rights of children.
Reinforcing on the sentiments to sustain child protection predeployment trainings within the
UPDF, an interview with the outgoing Director of Human Rights revealed that child protection
will automatically be part of the training of soldier as the leadership of UPDF had agreed to
include child protection as part of the training, including at the recruitment training institutions.
Through his remarks, the assessment highlight the commitment by the UPDF towards enhancing
protection of children rights in the region.
Through the learnings generated, we hope that the ICPAPSA project will integrate lesson
highlighted through the evaluation to improve support and implementation of child rights
interventions that address the needs of children affected by armed conflict. The assessment also
found out that advocacy initiatives at the national level can be sustained through the existing
multi-stakeholder learning events held annually within the UPDF.
There was consensus among key informants that the community engagement component
around accountability for children in conflict operation areas will be the most unlikely to be
replicated and sustained. Whether the UPDF-supported community outreach programs will
continue on creating awareness around child rights and providing support and access to
humanitarian services at the community-level will depend on personal motivation and level of
support from their local leaders and community members and the mission g funders (UN and
AU). On their part, the UPDF through the DRH and CIMIC arms should make it a policy that
any future trainings in the UPDF entails coordination activities that engages the current training
instructors and support from DRH/CIMIC rather than doing trainings afresh. This should also
include setting up a system where the current and active Trainers themselves continue training
new trainers so as to build continuity and sustainability. To bolster this prospects of
sustainability, respondents were of the opinion that Save the Children through the ICPAPSA
Project should ensure a well-coordinated exit that include a final curriculum based review and
training of ToTs in light of the findings of the impact assessment conducted.
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3. Conclusions and Summary Recommendations
The goal of the ICPAPSA project with regards to troops contributing countries (UPDF) was to
contribute to enhanced capacity for peacekeepers to prevent and respond to child rights
violation in situations of conflict. Approximately three years after the intervention was initiated,
the expected outcomes identified were (1) increased awareness on child rights and child rights
violation in situation of conflicts (2) enhance capacity for more than 6000 troops on child
protection in conflict situations as well as (3) enhanced commitments by the UPDF to prioritize
the roll out and institutionalisation of the child protection trainings.
The applied evaluation design and approach was informed mainly by the need to generate
learnings through ‘recursive causality’. Due to limited baseline data and lack of appropriate
counterfactuals at the start of the trainings, it was impossible for this evaluation to determine
whether the expected outcomes and related impact was only attributable to the project
intervention. However, efforts to estimate the highlighted outcomes and impact through
explored information from peacekeepers during the assessment seem to suggest positive effects
in terms of enhanced capacity and knowledge on prevention and response to child rights
violations. While information on the situation of conflict on boys and girls in Somalia could be
an underestimation of the impact of the trainings conducted to UPDF peacekeepers, the
information gathered on experiences from peacekeepers provide useful insights, including
possible trends on capacity enhancement of peacekeepers, with potential to inform
development of robust capacity building and prevention programmes.
Conclusions
Drawing from the findings presented in this report, the evaluation made a number of
conclusions as outlined below:
1. Firstly, the ICPAPSA project was certainly relevant to the needs of children in situation
of armed conflict by extension and appropriate for enhancing capacity of peacekeepers
to ensure these needs (prevention and protection from harm) are meet and upheld. The
project also focused on key capacity gaps for peacekeeper within the UPDF that
constrained understanding, capacity and even skills to address and protect children in
needs
The project design and processes (the ToT model) adopted were aligned with UPDF
priorities and training infrastructure, particularly use of lead instructors in PSO training
centre and other training institutions to accelerate achievement of capacity development
for peacekeepers. This is/was in line with Sida ambition and strategy both globally and
regionally as well as the objectives of Save the Children breakthrough; to survive, learn
and be protected.
2. Secondly, building up to the successes identified, the project had implemented most of
the capacity building activities and almost all the planned outputs had been achieved.
The observed under-performance was mainly on follow up in mission to assess the
effectiveness of the training and it was clear from the evaluation that this had a lot to
do with fluid security situation in mission that posed threats to the projects team as well
as lack of resources within the UPDF to finance to the follow up activities.
Additionally, lack of a clear monitoring framework and capacity of peacekeepers to
conduct monitoring and follow up assessments contributes to lack of up to date
information on effectiveness of such capacity building interventions for peacekeepers.
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3. Thirdly, there is mixed prospects that the project interventions and related outcomes
will be replicated and sustained. Aspects that do not require financial inputs stand a
better chance of being taken up by the UPDF. However, more needs to be done to
increase financial commitments by the UPDF leadership towards capacity building and
follow up supports to assess effectiveness of child protection trainings and interventions.
4. Lastly, for lack of solid baseline counterfactual to compare with during this assignment,
made it difficult to pass a concrete judgement on the extent to which the project has
achieved its intended outcomes and impact. It is clear, however, there’s been significant
positive effects in terms of enhanced capacity and knowledge on prevention and
response to child rights violations.
Recommendations
A number of recommendations can be derived from the findings and conclusions of this
evaluation. They are organized into two categories, (1) recommendations to UPDF regarding
the scale up and sustainability of the projects outcomes in future (2) recommendation to the
project (and donor) regarding improving comprehensive protection and accountability for
children in situations of armed conflict.
a) Recommendations to UPDF
I. The UPDF should sustain the interventions implemented by the ICPAPSA project by
ensuring sustained commitment and follow up on training sessions on child protection
predeployment trainings. There is need for further integration of the child protection
curriculum within the UPDF training infrastructure (schools) to further enhance
knowledge and capacity of peacekeepers. The training before deployment should be
more of sensitization on key mission experiences as well context challenges that CP
trainings should address. DRC and CIMIC arms within the UPDF should consider
motivating other schools to completely roll out the curriculum in the respective
schools
II. Monitoring support visits conducted as well as technical support through the DRH and
CIMIC arms of the UPDF should continue as they provide useful basis on which to
continue addressing the outstanding capacity and knowledge gaps around protection
of children rights during training and in mission.
III. The current level of budgetary allocation for CP trainings within the UPDF falls short
of resources envisaged to adequately institutionalise the CP course. More investments
are required from both government and partners to reinforce the institutionalisation
process. There is also need to leverage on the already attained traction of CP trainings
in PSOTC to enhance the impact around child protection. This report also
recommended more involvement of the DRH and CIMIC arms of the UPDF in
planning, executing and monitoring progress on delivery of CP trainings within the
UPDF. Some instructors may get transferred or committed to other duties hence an
institution may lack instructors to undertake the CP trainings.
More regular and structured CP training and supervision support by the already
trained TOTs is recommended. The UPDF should make it a policy that any future
programmes by any stakeholder that entails CP training activities should engage the
same ToTs rather than doing recruitment afresh. Technical support during CP training
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delivery by DRH and CIMIC should prioritize existing TOTs as a way of motivating
them and supporting them during delivery.
IV. Instructors should also be deployed into mission for continues assessment of how the
soldiers are implementing the training they learned in the field, this will enable them to
know how to deliver the training better. Regular assessment of the soldiers should
also be encouraged (during predeployment, in mission and post deployment.
V. The DRH and CIMIC arm should leverage on learning opportunities within the UPDF
calendar to share experiences that would enrich the delivery and application of child
protection knowledge and competence. Through learning events and knowledge
exchange fora held annually by the UPDF, the two departments should also act as
feedback mechanism to the UPDF leadership providing an opportunity to advocate
around policies and resourcing for CP trainings.
b) Recommendations to the ICPAPSA Project.
1. The UPDF model initiated through the support of the ICPAPSA project, has created
traction for demand to strengthening and improve capacity of peacekeepers to prevent
and protect children rights in situations. This model appears to bear good potential of
catalysing change around protection of children rights in peace support operations.
Design of similar future project should adopt and further refine this model amongst
other major troops contributing countries.
2. Technical assistance provided to UPDF by Save the Children through the ICPAPSA
project on delivery of CP trainings should be consistent and as well try to contextualise
the mission experiences and highlights for troops being trained for deployment. There
is need for more regular field visits and cross-learning with other country training
models including benchmarking trips is also recommended to offer exposure to the
instructors on effective delivery of CP trainings.
In addition support to UPDF on training should consider production of simplified pocket
cards in local language or Swahili for soldiers to continue familiarizing themselves with
CP standards and practice even while on mission.
3. To adequately address accountability for child rights violations, the project should
consider working with the host communities, this includes training the Somali National
Army on awareness and protection of children rights. The evaluation suggest working
with local CSO to build community awareness on child rights as well as strengthening
the country’s child protection and accountability mechanisms.
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Annexes
1. Evaluation of Results with UPDF – Terms of Reference
2. Evaluation of Results Tools
3. Case study (to be attached)
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