Protection
Mainstreaming
August 2024
Definition of protection
• ““… all activities aimed at ensuring full respect for the rights of the
individual”
• Protection is a rights-based approach that focuses on preventing and
responding to four human-generated threats: violence, coercion,
deliberate deprivation, and discrimination.
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Protection Mainstreaming (Safe & Dignified
Programming)
“The process of incorporating protection principles and
promoting meaningful access, safety and dignity in
humanitarian aid”
It does not mean changing what we do, but means we
should think about how assistance is provided:
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Definition of protection mainstreaming…
• Protection mainstreaming is also sometimes referred to as
“Safe Programming”
• Protection mainstreaming focuses not on WHAT we do (the
product), but rather on HOW we do it (the process)
• ALL organizations have a responsibility to mainstream
protection.
• The 3 key words are safety, dignity and access.
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Safe programing/ Protection Mainstreaming
Safety: being free from danger or risk
o Prioritising the safety of programme participants means
considering the forms of violence, coercion, deliberate deprivation
and discrimination they may face, and putting measures in place
to prevent or reduce these.
Dignity: feeling worthy of honour or respect
• Being safe is not enough if people do not have their dignity; the inner
experience of an individual is as important as their outward physical
needs. People need to feel valued, to have a sense of self-respect,
personal identity and autonomy. Respecting these can help carry
people through extreme physical suffering.
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Safe programming…
• Meaningful access: the right or opportunity to use and benefit from
something
• Access is defined as ‘the right or opportunity to make use of
resources’. But people also need control, ‘the power to decide how a
resource is used’. Although many people will access humanitarian aid,
this does not necessarily mean that it is reaching those most in need.
Equally, those most in need might not be able to control how
resources are used. There are many barriers preventing people from
using and controlling assistance.
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Protection Mainstreaming Principles
Prioritise safety and dignity and avoid causing harm (‘do no
harm’): prevent and minimise as much as possible any
negative effects from your intervention that can increase
people's vulnerability to physical and psychosocial risks.
Meaningful access (‘equality’): arrange for people’s access
to impartial assistance and services in proportion to need
and without any barriers (i.e. avoiding discrimination). Pay
special attention to individuals and groups that may be
particularly vulnerable or have difficulty accessing assistance
and services.
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Protection Mainstreaming Principles …
Accountability to beneficiaries: setup appropriate
mechanisms through which affected populations can
measure the adequacy of interventions or address
concerns and complaints.
Participation and empowerment: support the
development of self-protection capacities and assist
people to claim their rights, including—not
exclusively—the rights to shelter; food; water,
sanitation and hygiene (WASH); and education.
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Protection Mainstreaming Framework
• Principles
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•1. Analysis
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The protection Analysis is conducted
• To identify the needs and vulnerability of the community groups,
• To identify barriers,
• Safety and dignity concerns and
• To generate disaggregated data by sex, age, disability
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Questions in needs assessment includes about
vulnerabilities and barriers
To identify the needs and
vulnerability of the community
groups,
An analysis has been used to ensure assistance
does not create additional harm.
To identify barriers,
Safety and dignity concerns and
Safety and dignity issues are considered
throughout interventions
To generate disaggregated data
by sex, age, disability
Data has been broken down by sex, age, and
disability
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Targeting and Diversity of Need
• The specific needs, vulnerabilities, and capacities of
communities and people affected by the crisis are
identified and assistance is targeted accordingly,
taking into account the diversity within communities
including those who may be marginalized or
disadvantaged
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For example: provide
additional labour support in
shelter projects to households
headed by older people
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INFORMATION SHARING
• Communities and people affected by the crisis are
informed of their rights and entitlements and have
access to accurate and timely information
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INFORMATION: Accurate and timely
information is readily available to women, men,
boys, and girls on who we are, what we’re
doing, and what services are available
Members of the community, including those from diverse
groups, understand the role of the organisation and its work,
including the level of assistance that may be available to them.
Staff and partners use a range of communication methods,
appropriate for the context and target audience, to share
information.
Community members receive information so they understand
what they can expect in terms of behaviour of staff and
partners.
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For example: field staff
share written and verbal
information about the
project via leaflets,
posters, and community
meetings
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Minimum information checklist
[Link] the organization is
[Link] the project is
[Link] long the project will last
[Link] is being targeted
[Link] they can feedback or make a complaint
[Link] of activities/schedule
[Link] of staff behaviour; and
[Link] details.
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44. Community Engagement
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Community Engagement
• Communities have ownership, power, and control
over decision-making processes. This involves
consulting, informing, and making decisions together
with communities.
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FEEDBACK & COMPLAINTS
MECHANISMS
Communities and people are able to provide feedback and make
complaints in a safe, dignified and confidential manner, and receive an
appropriate response when they do so
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1. Program Quality
• Positive
• Negative but not-sensitive
• Suggestion
2. Sensitive complaint
3. Extraneous (not valid)
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• What FRM mechanisms do you have?
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Common FRM mechanisms:
1. Suggestion box
2. Hotline (phone)
3. Information kiosk/ Help desk
4. Village Complaints Committee
5. Informal face-to-face contact
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STAFF CONDUCT
• Staff should have appropriate knowledge and
organizational support to conduct themselves and
their work in a safe and appropriate way
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7. Mapping and Referral
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Staff collect information regularly on
existing protection services and how to
contact them.
Staff share information on available services
as appropriate.
Staff are trained on when, if and how to
refer cases.
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QUESTIONS