The Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) have become one of the key resources for humanitarian workers since its launch in 2012. The CPMS have been developed to support child protection work in humanitarian settings by: Establishing common principles between those working in child protection; strengthening coordination between humanitarian actors; improving the quality of child protection programming and its impact on children; improving the accountability of child protection programming; defining the professional field of child protection in humanitarian action; providing a synthesis of good practice and learning to date; and strengthening advocacy and communication on child protection risks, needs and responses. Years of implementing the CPMS in diverse settings revealed the need for a more user-friendly version of the Standards that would reflect recent sector learning and evidence; improve guidance on prevention, gender and age inclusion, and other cross-cutting themes; and promote applicability to a broader range of humanitarian contexts. This revision benefitted from the input of over 1,900 individuals in 85 countries.

In September 2018, the Department of Operations and Emergencies (DOE) of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched its first Institutional Framework for Addressing GBV in Crises (GBViC Framework). The GBViC Framework builds on lessons learned and emerging good practices in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in IOM’s crisis operations worldwide documented over the past four years. The key objective of the GBViC Framework is to ensure that the safety, dignity, well-being and equitable access to services for all crisis-affected persons, especially women and girls, is prioritized, integrated and coordinated across all IOM crisis operations. It articulates why and how IOM tackles GBV in crises and defines IOM’s vision and scope through three institutional approaches: 1. Mitigating risks: by mitigating the risk of GBV in all crisis operations and doing no harm; 2. Supporting survivors: by facilitating access to survivor-centred, multisectoral services; and 3. Addressing the root causes: by contributing towards progressively transforming the conditions that perpetuate GBV.

Out of the 17 SDGs, trafficking in persons is specifically mentioned in three targets under three goals: 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and 16 (Peace Justice and Strong Institutions). However, many other SDG targets and goals are relevant to addressing trafficking in persons, an issue deeply rooted in development issues at-large including poverty, education, child labour, abuse and exploitation, gender inequality and discrimination, migration and the effects of climate change. This issue brief provides an explanation of these three specific targets as well as several other SDGs relevant to addressing trafficking in persons, and makes recommendations about what States can do to achieve them by 2030

Despite a significant scale-up of the humanitarian response by the United Nations and humanitarian partners since 2016, in support of the Government of Nigeria, the humanitarian crisis in the BAY states continues. Civilians still bear the brunt of a conflict that has led to widespread forced displacement and violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. New and protracted displacement, triggered by the conflict, continues to affect access to basic services and disrupts the livelihoods of millions of people. Acute malnutrition among children under the age of five is above emergency thresholds in many parts of the BAY states.

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis Response Plan is focused on life-saving and protection assistance for the most vulnerable people. The Plan targets 1.2 million people, including all Rohingya refugees, and 300,000 Bangladeshi host communities over the next six months.The plan prioritizes the provision of life-saving assistance, improving the conditions and management of settlement areas, as well as promoting protection, dignity and respect for the Rohingya refugees.

This booklet presents the status of knowledge on trafficking in persons in the context of armed conflict. It is based on an extensive review of literature and reports from regional and international organizations combined with primary information collected from areas where armed conflicts have been discussed by the United Nations Security Council. It draws on cases investigated by the international criminal tribunals and interviews with United Nations peacekeeping personnel based in field missions located within or in the proximity of conflict zones. A detailed methodology, interview questions and list of respondents is annexed to this booklet. The first section presents an overview of the main forms of trafficking that have been identified within and in the surroundings of conflict areas. The subsequent section describes commonly identified victim profiles and outlines the main factors impacting their vulnerability to trafficking. The third section identifies main perpetrators and analyses the ways in which trafficking in persons is used as part of their modus operandi. The final section presents examples of trafficking in persons in conflict scenarios on the agenda of the Security Council (where enough information was available).

In 2019, many more people needed humanitarian assistance than we had forecast, largely because of conflicts and extreme climate events. Donors provided a record $16 billion for inter-agency appeals between January and November 2019. Compliance with international law is declining. Armed conflicts are killing and maiming a record number of children, forcing them to flee their homes. They are becoming a lost generation. Women and girls are at higher risk of sexual and gender-based violence. One in five people living in conflict areas has a mental health condition.Highly violent conflicts are causing widespread hunger, displacement, death and destruction around the world. They are taking a heavy toll on civilians, who account for 90 per cent of the casualties when explosive weapons are used in populated areas. There were 791 attacks against health workers and health-care facilities in the first nine months of 2019, resulting in 171 deaths. In 2018, 131 aid workers were killed and 130 were kidnapped in 400 attacks. Attacks against health and aid workers are putting millions of people at risk by denying them care and aid.