A safer everyday life for children in need and affected by conflict in the Diffa region of Niger According to UNHCR, the security and protection situation in the Diffa region in the first quarter of 2024 remains alarming. The activism of non-state armedgroups (GANE) is characterized by the persistence of kidnappings for ransom and an upward trend in sexual assaults and rapes committed on almost all the women/girls they have abducted. According to the testimonies of girls and women who have survived kidnappings, the GANE rape women/girls whose ransoms have been paid, and forcibly marry those who remain in their hands because the ransoms have not been paid. The number of girls abducted by non-state armed groups in the Diffa region is increasing. In most of these kidnappings, the GANE demand a ransom to free the victims. As a result, Diffa residents tend to believe that unmarried girls are increasingly being targeted for kidnapping, and families are marrying off their daughters to protect them. As a resultof increased poverty due to forced displacement, economic sanctions and rising food prices, the number of families resorting to emergency solutions has risen significantly. According to the WFP, these strategies include child begging, survival sex and themarriage of girls, which are becoming increasingly visible among displaced people in Diffa. Displacement forces children to take on new roles and responsibilities to meet their own needs and those of their families. As a result, children are often at greater risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation, child labor, recruitment into armed groups, violence and other negative coping strategies, exacerbating conflict dynamics and increasing instability and insecurity in the region. Efforts are therefore needed toprevent violence and conflict by tackling the root causes of their exacerbation. Violence against children is prevented and children exposed to violence are supported by strengthening their skills and leadership in favor of security, peace and social cohesion. The project will support the leadership of adolescent girls and boys in resolving conflicts and promoting peace in the Diffa region affected by the Boko Haram security crisis, where their voices are generally not heard. This includes supporting theworkof youth peace groups in their communities to prevent conflict-related violence against girls, including child marriage. To raise awareness of violence and help families and communities change their attitudes towards it, the project will also prioritizethe involvement of parents and community leaders. To achieve this, different media will be used to reach as many people as possible through awareness campaigns. Efforts will be based on the transformative potential of technology to change social norms, empower young girls/boys and community members, provide access to important information, social connections, services and life-changing opportunities, take meaningful steps to combat harmful gender norms and encourage a more egalitarianview of gender relations by promoting positive masculinity, diversity and inclusion. By working with existing referral mechanisms and establishing community protection committees, survivors of various forms of abuse, including gender-based violence, will have access to local protection and support. In addition, activities focused on the prevention of gender-based violence will create a safer and more protective environment for at-risk groups and individuals at the community level.