Coordination meeting is one of the key activities prior to a Child Protection Rapid Assessment. This document gives an overview of the Coordination meeting held by members of the team that embarked on the CPRA in Atani community, Ogbaru LGA, Anambra State, Nigeria

1. CHILD PROTECTION RAPID ASSESSMENT FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN
IN ANAMBRA STATE.
26th march 2013
REVIEW OF COORDINATION MEETING FOR GROUP ONE (1).
Subsequent upon the concluded workshop/ training on child protection in
emergencies for Anambra State child protection network partners and other actors,
the participants were divided into groups and given tasks to carry out child
protection rapid assessment in different communities with the aim of finding out
child protection issues in the communities under study. Group one (1) comprising
of 15 members were given the task to carry out a child protection rapid assessment
in a community (Atani) situated in Ogbaru LGA that was recently affected by
flood.
Prior to the group s coordination meeting scheduled for 26th march 2013, an
advocacy letter was written to the President General of Atani Progressive Union in
Ogbaru LGA. The letter dated 23/03/2013 with Reference number-
AnsCPN/OG/RCPA/001 contained an overview of the Anambra state Child
protection Network and stated the aim and modalities of the intended assessment.
The letter was duly signed by Mrs. Onyendilefu Lovet Uju, the Chairperson,
Anambra State Child Protection Network. It was delivered by Mrs. Udenuani
Felicia.
The group s coordination meetingheld as scheduled in VICLAF office situated in
Onitsha. Ten (10) members attended the meeting which commenced by1.00pm
with an opening prayer. The essence of the meeting was to discuss and deliberate
on the action plan as well as the modalities to carry out the intended rapid
assessment. The meeting was presided by Mrs. Onyendilefu Lovet Uju and minutes
were taken by Anumba Joseph Uche who was appointed secretary of the group.
Among the agenda of the meeting were:
- Report on the advocacy visit to the President General of Atani.
- Discussion on the intended modalities for the assessment based on the
content of the advocacy letter
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2. - Discussion on having broad and key objectives for the rapid assessment.
- Discussion on the tools needed for the assessment.
- Discussion and evaluation of the risks obtainable during the course of the
assessment as well as proffering ways to mediate / minimize such risks
- Code of conduct to be adhered to during the course of the assessment.
- Clarification on issues not understood by some of the team members
- Allocation of responsibilities to team members.
Report on Advocacy visit to the President General (PG) of Atani Community:
Mrs. Udenuani Felicia briefed the team members on how she went about the
advocacy visit to the PG. According to her, the letter was well received with an
assurance from the PG to make available those required to form the discussion
forum during the assessment. The fixed date for the assessment was Tuesday 2nd
April 2013. It was agreed with the PG that the team members would arrive by
11.am of the stipulated day to carry out the assessment.
Intended Modalities for the Assessment: Based on the advocacy letter, it was
stipulated that the modalities for the rapid assessment would include
1. Focal group discussion with four (4) groups in the community. The groups are:
i. Women group comprising 10 persons
ii. Men group comprising 10 persons
iii. Youth group (boys) comprising 5 persons and
iv. Youth group (girls) comprising 5 person
2. Group activities with a group of 20 children whose parent give consent to
participate.
3. An interview with 4 key informants comprising :
i. A man who can speak on behalf of the community
ii. A woman who can speak on behalf of the community
iii. A religious leader who has been working with children
iv. Another woman who has been working with children who can give us
information as it relates to children.
4. An interview with other persons from the community that could be of help in
providing information relating to child protection issues in the community.
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3. Broad and key objectives for the rapid assessment:discussions were made to
decide an acceptable objective as well as other monomer determinants for the
assessment so as to guide and streamline the team s activities during the course of
the assessment. The broad objective agreed for the assessment was: To access the
extent at which children were affected during the flood emergencies and propose preventive
measures to inform response . They sub-objectives were:
- To raise the awareness of the community on child protection issues in emergencies
- To ensure that children are given attention during emergency situations
- To find out the existing community s child protection system
- To enhance the community s mechanism to child protection
- To enhance the existing child protection mechanisms.
Tools needed for the assessment: there was an indepth discussion on the necessary
tools needed to carry out the assessment. The tools were obtained from the training
manual for the workshop held in Awka. Among the tools selected and modified
were:
- Institutional care capacity map- to find out the institutions available in the
community.
- Service care provider capacity map
- tools for key informant interviews,
- tools for group discussions and group activities with children
- the rapid assessment data consolidated sheet.
Benefits and Risk Assessment / Evaluation: the overall benefits and likely risks
that could arise in the course of the assessment were analysed. Among the benefits
highlighted by the group was that it would:
- give an insight to the child care activities obtainable during the flood
emergency
- help garner data/ information necessary to enable us plan for response to
child protection issues in emergencies
- help us ascertain the predominant child protection issues in the communities
and identify those in need of protection.
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4. - give us an idea on the incidence rate of child protection issues in
emergencies.
Among the risks highlighted were:
- Movement risks; while commuting to and fro the assessment sites/
community
- Communication risks; between the team and people of the community
- Risk of attack when misinterpreted and not accepted
- Health risk ; should in case there is any epidemic / outbreak in the
community
- Risk of mis identification.
Some of the precautionary measures agreed upon to avert some of the risks
identified were:
Avoid high heeled foot wears, avoid wearing tight clothes, dress decently, chatter a
sound vehicle, carry along multiple mobile network lines etc.
Code of Conduct:in order to ensure smooth sail of the intended assessment, the
team members agreed on a common code of conduct. They include:
- No exchange of words between team members or members of the forum on
or off d the field
- Phones should be switched off or put on vibration during the assessment on
the field
- Team members should be united and flexible
- Everyone should be tolerant and be careful not to put down another person s
opinion.
- Everyone should dress modestly and decently. Et.c
Clarifications: some of the team members inquired if the procedure for the
interview with different groups will take same pattern? In response to this, it was
agreed that the interview and probing sessions will be dependent on the skills of
each team member but emphasis should be on issues that affects the children
with reference to the tools and manual for the rapid assessment. It was also
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5. agreed that questions to be asked during the group discussion forum and
interview should include the following among others:
- Do you know anything about child protection issues (like abuse, violence,
exploitation rape etc.)?
- Are you aware of any agency(cies) or organisations that carry out activities
relating to child protection?
- Have they been of help to the community; what have they done thus far
especially during the flood emergency
- What are the predominant child protection issues in the community? Probing
should make them open up to issues like rape, trafficking, sexual violence,
kidnap etc. if obtainable in the community
- Tell us your experience about the major ill events that happened during the
flood emergency
- What is the community s definition of a child?
- If a child gets missing, who does the community contact?
- Are there orphan children in the community, how many are they and how
are the catered for/ handled?
- How does the community tackle child issues before outside organisation
become involved?
- Which organisations intervene in child protection issues in the community,
how do they go about their activities?
Allocation of Responsibilities to Team members:the members present were
allocated responsibilities that would aid in the smooth conduct and analysis of the
rapid assessment. Their tasks were based on carrying out the interview/ discussions
among various groups in the field. Those appointed to work with children group
were: Sabina Izuoza, Udeh Crescent, Nwalusi Ifeoma and Okpala Kasie.
Others were appointed to work with the adults and youths in the different group
discussions and key informant interview. We were paired accordingly so that each
group will have an interviewer and a note taker. The pairing were as follows:
- Anumba Joseph U. & Udenuani Felicia O.
- Ibekwe Angela & Nzekwe Victoria
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6. - Onyendilefu Lovet Uju & Okafor Roseline
- Efobi Obianuju & Chukwudolue Ifeoma
- Igboaruzu Millicent was appointed as the MOV personel in charge of taking
photographs and other details of every group during the field work.
Group members were told to come along with toys and other children gadgets that
will encourage their participation during children group activities.
At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that all team members will converge at
VICLAF office by 10 am before proceeding to the site (community) for the child
protection rapid assessment.
The meeting ended with a closing prayer said by Okafor Roseline by 4.50pm after
which there was light refreshment courtesy VICLAF, host of the meeting.
Attendance List For Group One (1) Members During The Coordination Meeting
Held At VICLAF On 26th March 2013
S/no Name Organisation/ Agency
1 Chukwudolue Ifeoma CWSO Onitsha North
2 Okafor Roseline CSWO Oyi LGA
3 Nekwu Victoria N. P.S.W.O, Nnewi South LGA
4 Igboamazu Millicent I. ACSWO Abagana, Njikoka LGA
5 Nwalusi Ifeoma Director, Onitsha South
6 Okpala Kasie MWASD
7 Udeh Cresent M. MWASD
8 Anumba Joseph Uche MWASD
9 Emeka Ejide MWASD
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