Papua New Guinea faces increasing risks from intensifying climate-related disasters like droughts and floods, to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tribal conflict, violence, and health emergencies. Each of these crises directly affects children’s health, safety and education. That’s why UNICEF and the National Office for Child and Family Services launched the Child Friendly Spaces Toolkit on Monday, 13th October – a national guide to help communities protect, support, and engage children in times of crisis. “This toolkit is not only for children affected by disasters, but also for those who face violence, neglect or life on the streets every day,” said Paula Vargas, Chief of Child Protection at UNICEF Papua New Guinea. “Child Friendly Spaces give them the chance to heal, play and feel safe.” “Child Friendly Spaces is a vital entry point for children who may have nowhere else to turn, providing emotional and psychological relief through guided play and storytelling,” said Mr. Jerry Wap, Acting Director for the National Office for Child and Family Services. “Beyond emotional support, they connect vulnerable children to essential services, legal aid, medical care, and counselling.” Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gihxM3N2 #ChildProtection #CFS #ForEveryChild #PapuaNewGuinea ChildFund International The Salvation Army PNG Links of Hope PNG United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) © UNICEF/UN0260314/Mepham
UNICEF Papua New Guinea’s Post
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This is an extraordinarily meaningful step toward a more humane and preventive model of intervention. Child Friendly Spaces are not merely physical locations — they are relational environments where trauma is transformed through safety, connection, and play. In the language of trauma psychology, we could say these spaces recreate the secure base — that sense of stability and belonging every child needs in order to process fear and rediscover trust. In a context like Papua New Guinea, where crises are simultaneous and prolonged, psychological care cannot be separated from material support. The UNICEF and CFS Toolkit approach demonstrates that collective healing begins when communities are trained not only to respond, but to recognize and hold trauma with awareness and skill. That’s how resilience becomes a culture, not just a reaction.