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DIVERSION AND ALTERNATIVES
TOOLKIT
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

Aims of the toolkit

The overall goal of the toolkit is to support UNICEF and their partners in implementing key provisions of the CRC relating to children in conflict with the law, specifically: reducing children's contact with judicial proceedings (through diversion - CRC Art. 40.3(b)) and ensuring that deprivation of liberty of children in conflict with the law is actually used as a last resort, decreasing the number of children deprived of liberty (through alternatives to detention - CRC Art. 37(b) & 40.4).

The toolkit aims to do this by providing clear, user-friendly guidance and practical tools to support UNICEF and their partners to advocate and implement positive change for children in conflict with the law through a child rights-based and systemic approach which engages the 8 elements of UNICEF's Protective Environment Framework:[1]

A. National Protection Systems (both state and non-state):
1. Government commitment to fullfilling protection rights
2. Legislation and enforcement
6. Capacity of those in contact with children
7. Basic and targeted services
8. Monitoring and oversight

B. Social Change:
3. Attitudes, traditions, customs, behaviour and practices
4. Open discussion, including engagement of media & civil society
5. Children's life skills, knowledge and participation

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Footnotes:
1. The 8 Protective Environment Framework elements are grouped here according to the two main categories used in the UNICEF Global Child Protection Strategy, but they retain their original 'numbers': hence the numbering sequence in the list below is not consecutive but corresponds to the numbers used in the Strategy.

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Further information