An Assessment of Child Protection Mechanisms during Conflict: The Case of DRC 2010:2021

Child protection during conflict is vital and can be a starting point in mitigating the risks faced by children during conflict by generating the will for de-escalation among parties to the conflict. Child protection has been particularly challenging during the conflict in the Congo despite the ratification of various international instruments on child protection. Child protection interventions in the DRC inevitably run into challenges like funding, being undermined by cultural practices, and impunity for those who violate child protection norms like the Convention on the rights of the child. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of child protection mechanisms in the DRC in the mitigation of conflict and the role played by the DRC government in the implementation of these mechanisms. It aims to achieve four objectives; to Investigate the effectiveness of child protection mechanisms in the DRC from 2010 to 2020 to analyze strategies put in place by both regional and international bodies in the enhancement of child protection during conflict, to examine the role of the DRC government and local communities in the protection of children during protracted conflict, to investigate what can be done to better enhance child protection within the context of the conflict in the DRC. This study will apply a case study research design to look at the trends in child protection in the DRC as well as challenges in the implementation of existing mechanisms and their effectiveness. The findings of the study show that while child protection mechanisms have been effective in mitigating the conflict to an extent, there is still much to be done in harmonizing policy to ensure lasting peace.