The armed conflict in Sudan has created a nationwide child protection and mental health emergency, exposing the limits of fragmented, case‑based responses.
This session presents a public health and system‑strengthening perspective that positions effective governance and multi‑sectoral coordination as essential to protecting children during war. Drawing on surveillance data, humanitarian assessments, and research on child well‑being in complex emergencies, the session examines how leadership, policy coherence, and cross‑sector collaboration can sustain child protection and MHPSS during active conflict. Participants will explore strategies for embedding child protection within essential service platforms, including health, nutrition, education, and WASH.
Key objectives are to (1) demonstrate how governance enables child protection integration across systems, and (2) identify practical coordination mechanisms in conflict settings. Expected outcomes include improved understanding of child protection as a core public health function and actionable approaches for scalable, resilient responses in humanitarian crises.
