Child protection

The shielding of children from acts of aggression, exploitation, abuse, and neglect is what is meant by the term "child protection." Children are guaranteed protection both within and outside of their homes, as outlined in Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. In addition to the many child protection measures that are in place, providing children with a decent education, which is the fourth of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, is one of the ways that this may be ensured.

Child protection systems are a collection of services that are often operated by the government and are intended to safeguard children and young people who are under the age of 18 and to promote the maintenance of stable families. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) defines a "child protection system" as the collection of laws, policies, regulations, and services required across all social sectors – particularly social welfare, education, health, and security and justice – to support prevention and response to protection-related risks. These programmes not only contribute to social protection but also go beyond it in scope. At the level of preventive, their goal is to provide assistance to and strengthen families in order to decrease the danger of social exclusion as well as to cut down on the likelihood of separation, violence, and exploitation. Coordination between different sectors and levels, including routine referral systems and the like, is a necessary component of effective child protection systems. This is because responsibilities are frequently distributed across multiple government agencies, and services are provided by local authorities, non-State providers, and community organisations.