Rolling out the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in
Humanitarian Action (CPMS)
Frontline, community worker’s training
Trainings on the CPMS can take place following a contextualization of the CPMS or as a separate
activity. In general, contextualization is the starting point for implementing the CPMS in-country.
The workshops that follow can then use the contextualized Standards as a reference, which will have
greater impact for participants. However, it is understood that some countries or coordination
groups may be unable to undertake the more intensive contextualization or do not feel they have
support from members to do so because they do not yet understand the CPMS. In these cases,
frontline worker’s trainings and briefings on CPMS are recommended.
What are the objectives of the training?
This training is usually led by the relevant child protection manager with the goals of :
 Raising awareness and generate understanding of the CPMS.
 Identifying existing contextual mechanisms that support implementation of the CPMS.
 Identifying contextual challenges to implementation of the CPMS.
 Beginning to identify indicators to implement the CPMS.
What is the training format?
The frontline worker’s training is composed of an initial 2 day workshop on the CPMS, followed by
additional ½ day session that uses field experience as a mean to share lessons learned and to refine
activities and indicators towards improved implementation of the CPMS.
Who organises the training?
The trainings are organized by Child Protection Managers and given to their front-line staff. Ideally,
the number of training participants would not exceed a ratio of more than 20 participants for each
trainer/facilitator. The training can also be adapted for inter-agency groups.
The trainers should:
 Adapt the agenda and plan of the workshop to suit the level of Child Protection in Emergency
knowledge of the participants and specific interest of the participants;
 Animate both the orientation workshop and the follow-up workshops within a two month
period; and
 Write a report on the follow-up and share with the CPMS Task Force. Any photos, videos and
results you want to share and put on the website are more than welcome and will serve as a
great example for others!
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Example from Burkina Faso
In August 2013, Terres des Hommes and UNICEF helped organize two inter-agency 2-day
"pilot orientation workshops" in Burkina Faso with funding support from UNHCR.
The first workshop took place in Ouagadougou at the national level in the context of flooding,
chronic food and nutritional crises and refugee influxes. The second workshop was organized
in Dori, a remote area bordering Mali and Niger, in the context of the Malian refugee crisis.
At both workshops, there were participants of the Government, international and national
NGOs, UNICEF, UNHCR and OCHA. Both events included participants working in humanitarian
and development settings and looked at elements of emergency preparedness.
The two days contained a short presentation on the development and purpose of the CPMS
and a reminder on some of the basics of child protection in emergencies. Participants
conducted group work and used the CPMS as a guide to look at priority child protection
standards as appropriate in their context and identified activities and indicators to practice
using the new tool. Then, participants were asked to continue to elaborate identified action
points into short term plans, which was a first step towards a more comprehensive
contextualisation exercise.
The action points were reviewed in a follow up workshop held in October, where
participants gave case studies of examples of where they had tried to apply the CPMS and
achieve the action plan developed.
Example of results of the workshops include:
- Immediate adjustments to improve the organization and functioning of the child
friendly spaces by one participating agency.
- Participants understanding child protection as defined in the CPMS.
- Integration of the CPMS into new projects developed by participating agencies in
the workshop.
- A follow-up briefing on the CPMS at OCHA coordination meeting for all
humanitarians by the workshop participants.
- An applied action plan for better community mobilization around child protection in
refugee camps.
- A perceived better management of data and reporting through the understanding
and application of the CPMS indicators.
For more information on roll-out support available to you or just to share your plans with the
global CPMS Task Force, please contact cpmstaskforce@gmail.com. You can also find
information online at www.cpwg.net/minimum-standard .
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