CADEF Cameroon · Programme pillar
Safer children. Stronger communities. Accountable action.
Programme overview
CADEF promotes children’s safety, dignity and participation by connecting community-based protection, safeguarding and social accountability. We work with children, caregivers, community structures and service providers to strengthen practical protection approaches.
Why it matters in Cameroon
Children can face violence, neglect, exploitation and harmful practices at home, at school and in the community. Displacement, poverty and barriers to services can increase risks. Girls, children with disabilities and children in hard-to-reach communities need approaches that respond to their circumstances.
What CADEF does
- Strengthen existing community protection structures and their links with appropriate services.
- Support learning on child rights, positive parenting, safeguarding and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA).
- Promote children’s safe participation and community feedback in programme decisions.
- Provide non-sensitive technical guidance through the CPHA National Technical Hub.
Programme background and context
Children’s protection depends on safe families, schools and community environments, together with reliable links to appropriate services. CADEF connects community protection, safeguarding and social accountability so that children’s needs and voices inform programme decisions.
Conflict and displacement can separate children from caregivers and interrupt access to education, documentation and support. Prevention requires attention to violence, neglect, exploitation and harmful practices, while safeguarding requires clear responsibilities and safe ways to raise concerns.
- 2026 protection needs: UNICEF’s Cameroon appeal identifies 2 million people requiring protection support in crisis-affected regions.
This context supports work with existing community structures, positive parenting, safe participation and referral links. Through the CPHA National Technical Hub, CADEF also supports practitioners with non-sensitive technical guidance, safeguarding, PSEA and learning. Individual cases and urgent concerns follow the appropriate protection and safeguarding pathways.
Source: UNICEF Cameroon appeal, 2026.
Featured projects and programmes
Technical support and learning
CPHA National Technical Hub
Practical guidance, approved resources and learning for child protection actors in Cameroon. The Hub is not a case-management service or emergency reporting channel.
Explore this work →Documented programme record · 2022
Community Child Protection
Community committee training and links between local protection groups and formal services in the South West Region.
Explore this work →Explore selected programme records and learning from CADEF’s work.
Results and stories
Community committee training and connections with formal services are central to CADEF’s community protection work. These activities support clearer community roles, safe referral links and feedback that respects confidentiality. Explore the programme stories and learning behind this work.
Partners and resources
This work connects communities with Social Affairs, local councils and relevant protection actors. The Hub participates in the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action’s Technical Hub Pilot. Partner roles are described in the relevant activity records.
Get involved
Strengthen safe child protection practice
Explore the Technical Hub for non-sensitive technical support, or contact CADEF about programme collaboration.