Presenter(s)
Child Protection in the Era of Localization: Context, voice, and ownership, co-hosted by the Columbia University Seminar on Global Mental Health. The era of localization presents challenges and opportunities for community-based child protection. Effectively and sustainably localizing child protection and well-being initiatives requires shifting power to communities and fostering genuine community ownership.We explored three case studies that illustrate the transformative potential of community agency and collective action to promote children’s well-being. A panel discussion featuring Drs. Elen Costigan, Arturo Harker Roa, and Mike Wessells further examined how these principles have been applied in other contexts to support children and families around the world.
Michael Wessells, PhD, is Professor Emeritus of the Program on Forced Migration and Health at Columbia University. A long time psychosocial and child protection practitioner, he Co-Chaired the global Task Force that produced the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings. As the author of Child soldiers: From violence to protection, he has conducted extensive research on the holistic impacts of war and forced migration and on community supports for people affected by armed conflict and other violence. In Sierra Leone, Kenya, and India, he has led inter-agency action research on community-led child protection and community ownership. He regularly advises UN agencies, governments, and donors on issues of child protection, psychosocial support, and peacebuilding and seeks to integrate work in these three areas.
Arturo Harker Roa received his PhD in Economics from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He is currently Director of IMAGINA, an applied research center at the Universidad de los Andes that produces and disseminates evidence for the design and implementation of interventions, strategies and public policies that promote the well-being of children and youth. He is an Associate Professor at the Alberto Lleras Camargo School of Government at the Universidad de los Andes. His area of research is applied microeconomics and public policy evaluation. He is interested in understanding the impact of adverse childhood experiences- such as exposure to violence and forced displacement- collaborating in the design and evaluation of interventions that mitigate this impact, and finally identifying and promoting the adoption of practices that improve health, education and protection systems. He is a faculty affiliate and advisory board member of the CPC Learning Network, and a member of the INSPIRE Working Group.
Elen Costigan, DrPH, MPA, MPH, has two decades of experience working in humanitarian action and public health and completed a Doctorate in Public Health from Mailman in 2024. Her career includes working with MSF since 2010 in over 20 countries across Africa and Latin America in various emergency settings with a focus on community engagement before being elected to their Board of Directors. Elen also has worked with the UN and with grassroots nonprofit organizations in Central America. Dr. Costigan has served as Faculty at Columbia University advising research partnerships with humanitarian organizations and academic institutions, and mentors graduate students. Dr. Costigan's doctoral research blended mixed methods informed by immersive experiences, integrating participatory approaches to improve MHPSS strategies for migrant populations. She is passionate about working with students and building connections between research and practice, particularly as it relates to promoting community-led approaches to improving the humanitarian response in emergency settings.
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Presentation Slides
