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Unprotected: Analysis of funding for child protection in humanitarian action in 2023 [EN/AR]

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Executive Summary

In 2023, humanitarian needs reached unprecedented levels, driven by increasing armed conflicts, record levels of forced displacement, climate-induced emergencies, and disasters associated with natural hazards. By the end of 2023, 363 million people required humanitarian assistance, with 245 million targeted under UN-coordinated response plans — a 7% increase from the initial 2023 Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) figures. These escalating crises pushed humanitarian funding requirements at the end of 2023 to $56.7 billion. Despite historically high levels of funding, the funding rate for UN-coordinated appeals was only 43% — a record low. The brunt of this funding gap will be borne by children, who are disproportionately impacted by humanitarian crises.

Child protection needs and funding requirements continued to rise in 2023, with total child protection requirements across all UN-coordinated appeals reaching $1.5 billion. This included $1 billion under Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs) and $422 million under Refugee Response Plans (RRPs). Child protection accounted for 2.5% of total HRP requirements, though there was significant variation across responses.

A total of $505 million in humanitarian child protection funding was reported in 2023, including $412 million within UN coordinated appeals. Improved reporting on the Financial Tracking Service (FTS) and improvements to the Refugee Funding Tracker (RFT) have enhanced the visibility of child protection funding. Despite some increases, child protection in HRP contexts remained disproportionately underfunded, with average funding coverage of 29.2% compared to 46.9% for HRPs overall. In refugee contexts, child protection funding coverage was 30.8%, closely matching the overall refugee response funding rate of 31.5%.

Wide disparities in child protection funding rates between different responses, and fluctuations over time, have affected the ability of child protection actors to implement consistent, quality programming in line with the Child Protection Minimum Standards. Over 40% of child protection funding in HRP contexts in 2023 went to 3 responses: Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen, while the best-funded appeals in percentage terms were Guatemala, the occupied Palestinian Territories (oPt), Myanmar, and the Central African Republic. The least funded appeals were found in refugee contexts, including South Sudan and Ethiopia.

UN agencies and international NGOs continued to receive the vast majority of child protection humanitarian funding. Only 2% of child protection funding tracked on FTS went directly to local organisations. While increased direct and quality funding is vital for strengthening the role and capacity of local and national child protection actors, limitations in current reporting mechanisms makes accurate monitoring difficult. Overall, while child protection funding has increased, significant funding challenges remain. In HRP contexts, the sector remains disproportionately underfunded compared to other humanitarian sectors. In refugee contexts, RRPs overall are funded at lower levels compared to HRPs, which translates into a similar level of underfunding for child protection. Improved reporting and greater visibility of funding are steps forward, but securing consistent and adequate resources for a range of child protection actors across humanitarian contexts remains a critical challenge, forcing the humanitarian sector to sharpen its focus as the constrained funding environment continues in 2024.

The recommendations emphasise the importance of prioritising child protection in humanitarian responses by integrating it into all planning, advocacy, and resource mobilisation efforts. Humanitarian leadership should ensure that child protection is recognised as a life-saving priority and is adequately funded across all sectors. Donors are encouraged to provide equitable and quality funding, including multi-year models, to support and scale up effective child protection programmes, while requiring adherence to Child Protection Minimum Standards. Humanitarian organisations should advocate for child protection, mobilise new funding sources, and ensure that children’s needs and vulnerabilities are systematically considered in all programming.

Additionally, there is a call for enhancing support for local and national child protection actors through direct funding and capacity-strengthening efforts. Leadership structures must acknowledge the critical role of these actors, while donors and organisations should work to strengthen their institutional capacities and ensure their equitable access to resources.

Continued improvements to financial reporting mechanisms are also crucial to track child protection funding effectively, ensuring transparency and visibility across humanitarian and refugee contexts.