Protection sector

Protection sector
 Protection

CAFOMI, works to protect the rights of Persons of Concern and vulnerable people during crisis

What is protection?

Protection is about safety, dignity, and rights. It is about people being safe from the harm or abuse other might cause them when disaster leaves them vulnerable.

A commitment to protection underlies all humanitarian action. Grounded in human rights law, international humanitarian, and refugee law, it it central to our mission to assist displaced and vulnerable people.

How does CAFOMI contribute to protection?

CAFOMI works to reduce or prevent threats to the safety, dignity, and well-being of affected persons. We reduce their vulnerability to threats, and strengthen their self-protection capacities. This is important in all phases of crisis.

From avoiding harm, to working on housing, and property rights to prevent discrimination of women, CAFOMI works to protect Persons of Concern and the communities that host them.

CAFOMI’s approach to protection:

CAFOMI, works to reduce risks of harm and rights abuses, and to assist people to exercise their right.

1. Work proactively to reduce protection risks.

For Example:

  • Youth education programmes   reduce negative coping mechanisms and exposures to harm. This can reduce the risk of          early marriage, survival sex, child labour, isolation and tension at home.
  • Information, counselling and legal assistance reduces negative coping mechanisms and promotes access to information

2. Work responsibly to avoid causing harm.CAFOMI and all humanitarian actors have a responsibility to avoid causing harm through our actions.

  • We prioritise people’s safety, dignity, and well-being. In our interventions, we strive to minimise any negative, unintended        consequences that can expose people to further harm.
  • We arrange for affected people’s access to impartial assistance and services. This means overcoming barriers or                        discrimination of vulnerable persons. People may be vulnerable because of their age, gender, ethnicity, religion or                    disability.

Our Protection Management Programmes.CAFOMI seeks to ensure the protection of Persons of Concern and their rights, to promote their participation, self-sufficiency and dignity, and to ensure provision of assistance and access to services.We work in transit shelters and within host communities in non-camp settings (urban settlement).  Our protection approach includes different approaches such as assisting Persons of Concern living within the host communities. To carry out transit centre management activities, CAFOMI must be mandated by government and the UN Refugee Agency. Our expertise in Transit Centre management.Transit centre management core function coordinating and monitoring assistance and protection, setting up and supporting governance and community participation mechanisms, managing and disseminating information, providing multi-sector feedback mechanisms and maintaining infrastructure.We facilitate two-way communication by strengthening the participation of community representatives in decision-making processes, including vulnerable individuals and groups, and developing complaints and feedback mechanisms. We facilitate Transit centre set-ups and upgrades and, where applicable, the maintenance of communal infrastructure.Our approach differs according to the needs of our beneficiaries, the area of operation, the phase of area of operation life cycle, the humanitarian response capacity, the humanitarian architecture and the actors on the ground. Four thematic areasTransit centre managementIn most contexts, displaced people are gathered in formal camps (planned camps, collective centres, transit centres and reception centres). We can assume the role of emergency response manager if requested by the authorities or mandated agencies. We carry out core emergency response functions in these settings. Border monitoringSometimes, displaced persons are gathered in small, dispersed settlement (self-settled camps, rural self-settlements, unmanaged collective center on territorial boundary area between countries. These are often not recognised by authorities. In these situations adopt a border monitoring response.  Urban Displacement and Outside of Camps (UDOC)In situations where displaced persons live with host communities, particularly in urban environment, we provide some core management functions. We seek to strengthen, not replace, existing governance structures. Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)Persons of Concern may be forced to abandon their homes and livelihoods, and often lose enjoyment a range of rights. They are frequently at risk of multiple displacement, and may face obstacles to finding durable solutions.Legal and institutional frameworks, whether statutory, customary or religious, can either provoke or perpetuate displacement and discrimination or serve as instruments of protection and empowerment. People affected by displacement require assistance to understand, interpret and navigate these frameworks. CAFOMI’s ICLA programmes aim to enable people affected by displacement to claim and exercise their rights and to find lasting solutions. ICLA also aims to prevent displacement for those at risk. ICLA’s activities are in accordance with the IASC Protection policy. They promote understanding and respect for the rights of affected people and the obligation of duty bearers under international law. Our expertise in ICLAOur ICLA activities support people to claim and exercise their rights through information, counselling, legal, assistance, collaborative dispute resolution, capacity building and advocacy. ICLA programmes may engage in public interest cases, if this will lead to a direct positive effect for a greater number of individuals or create legal precedents that can generate positive structural changes.ICLA may use international litigation mechanisms when domestic remedies have been exhausted or are ineffective. ICLA also advocates at all levels, including international bodies, to pursue the goal of promoting  respect for the rights of people affected by displacement.ICLA programmes observe local legal, cultural and social norms without compromising our commitment to promote and respect rights established by international law. This include the use of judicial or administrative remedies, customary or religious mechanisms, collaborative dispute resolution methodologies, and transitional justice mechanisms
As women and children may face particular obstacles in accessing their rights, we provide specific assistance to address these.

ICLA focuses on five thematic areas:

  • Legal identity, including obtaining the civil and identity documentation necessary to access rights and services.
  • Immigration and refugee laws and procedures, including refugee status determination and legal residency.
  • Government legal procedures and policies for registration of displaced persons, when access to rights and services is              dependent on such registration.
  • Employment laws and procedures.


CAFOMI’s logo and Oraganisation name illustrates our holistic approach: Care And Assistance For Forced Migrants underpinned by the international law and participation.