Child protection

Ensuring a protective environment for children, especially those vulnerable and in difficult circumstances and children without appropriate care is central to Save the Children’s work. We support the reformative and rehabilitative programs for children who come in conflict with the law at the only correctional facility, the Youth Development and Rehabilitation Centre (YDRC), of the Royal Bhutan Police.

Save the Children is the only international agency that is partnering with the Royal Bhutan Police, helping them design an effective rehabilitative program for the children in conflict. Vocational trainings like tailoring, domestic plumbing and hairdressing are provided to the youths to prepare them for their eventual re-integration into society after their release, through gainful employment and involvement in productive activities.

Education programs, both formal and non-formal are made available and the youths are encouraged to participate. Counseling and consultative services are provided to bring positive change to their behavior and provide guidance to prepare them for their eventual integration into mainstream society reducing the changes of recidivism. 

Save the Children also partners with the Women and Child Protection Unit (WCPU) of the Royal Bhutan Police, in strengthening its services to provide effective intervention and support to prevent juvenile delinquencies, domestic violence and crimes against women and children and involvement of children in crime through programs such as Police Youth Partnership programs. 

In 2010, Save the Children supported a program with the Royal Bhutan Police known as Police Youth Partnership program, as a method to prevent the occurrence of crimes by engaging the children productively during their winter school break. The youths were provided with orientation on youth as a part of the community, sensitized on legal provisions of the country, drug education program, fire safety, traffic safety, youth and HIV/AIDS, child rights, community service and team building through games and sports.

Save the Children continues advocating with the Royal Bhutan Police and the Royal Court of Justice, YDRC, UNICEF and the National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC) to bring about more women and child-friendly police and judicial procedures.