This study by Terre des Hommes in Mali aims to identify endogenous protection practices of children on the move in Gao and Timbuktu (Mali), analyse the relevance and use of these practices by humanitarian actors when developing child protection responses, and identify the challenges and approaches to integrating these practices into the national humanitarian response. Drawing mainly from Mali’s emergency context, we make recommendations to help child protection actors improve their strategies while taking into account local context, field actors and any protection practices developed by the communities themselves.