In emergency situations, children are at risk of immediate indiscriminate harm and other forms of abuse resulting from gender discrimination and unequal power relations that lead to sexual violence, kidnapping and recruitment by armed groups. Toxic stress caused by the experience or presence of traumatic events can have a devastating impact on children’s learning, behavior, and emotional and social development.

Within this framework, a subgroup on child protection in emergencies has been created to support the preparation and response to humanitarian situations and disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean. The regional Sub-sector is established at the regional level and is part of the R4V Protection Sector, supporting the refugee and migrant response. Purpose of the Regional Sub-sector is to promote the strengthening, harmonization and facilitation of processes that ensure strategic, adequate, coherent coordination and an effective response in the protection of children and adolescents in emergency situations.