UNICEFs Social Policy Agenda and the Global Study

UNICEF’s Social Policy Agenda and the Global Study on Child Poverty and Disparities Regional Workshop, Panama 1 -2 July 2008 Gaspar Fajth Chief, Social Policy and Economic Analyses Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge Management Section UNICEF Division of Policy and Practice, New York

Themes • The Context: Global challenges and opportunities • The Context: UNICEF’s social policy agenda: 2006 -2009 • The Global Study on Child Poverty and Disparities – Purpose – Approach – Networking and knowledge sharing opportunities – Schedule – Feedback so far

Global challenges and opportunities • Global trends – Integration through trade and capital flows – Rising and/or high inequalities – Demographic change, migration – New patterns of economic growth and employment – Environmental risks, climate change – Commodity boom/price hikes – More volatility

Global challenges and opportunities • Global opportunities – The international agenda – South-led development – Creating welfare states/inclusive societies in the south – New surveys – Evidence-based and child-sensitive policy making

UNICEF’s priorities (2006 -2009 Strategic Plan) and the MDG’s The MDGs UNICEF Priorities (Focus Areas) 1. Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger 2. Achieve Universal Primary Education 3. Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women 4. Reduce Child Mortality 5. Improve Maternal Health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases 7. Ensure Environmental Sustainability 8. Global Partnership for Development 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Young child survival and development Basic education and gender equality HIV/AIDS and children Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse Policy advocacy and partnerships for children’s rights

Focus Area 5: Policy advocacy and partnerships for children’s rights 2006 • Four key result (activity) areas – – collecting data and information supporting research and policy analysis engaging in advocacy and policy dialogue with decision makers supporting participation by children and young people • Current thematic agenda: – – – Child poverty and disparities Social protection Social budgets Decentralization Migration Legislative reforms for children’s rights

What do we mean by child poverty? • UNICEF’s SOWC 2005 Child Poverty definition – Deprivation of resources • Material • Spiritual • Emotional – Outcome • Enjoy their rights • Achieve their full potential • Participate as equal members of society

UNICEF’s ‘implicit’ social policy objectives 1. Family upbringing The right to a family upbringing is realized for all children. 2. Access to basic social services All children have access to basic social services (nutrition, WES, health, education, protective environment including family support/services). 3. Equity-enhancing mechanism are in place (including gender-equity!) 4. Protection from risk and adversity Children/families/communities are protected from and/or empowered to cope with adversity, crises and dislocations, including those stemming from economic reform, instability of income/employment, migration or conflict. 5. Participation Children/families/communities participate in resources allocations, strategic decisions and policymaking affecting them. Underlying assumption current global trends and international policy frameworks will be slow or ineffective in addressing all these objectives!

UNICEF’s Global Study on Child Poverty and Disparities 1. What is child poverty? How disparities affect children? 2. How could child poverty and disparities be addressed? 3. What are the best statistical surveys and methods to use? 4. How experts in different countries could share knowledge ? 5. How UNICEF should partner up to promote child rights at scales globally?

Downloadable from: www. unicefglobalstudy. blogspot. com

The Global Study Guide Note: Flexibility and adaptation to local context encouraged!

A three-part approach to child poverty • • • Model A. Child poverty = overall poverty Model B. Child poverty = poverty of households with children – OECD: children in hholds <50% of median income – 4 out of 7 dimensions in Bristol’s deprivation model Model C. Child poverty = the ‘flip side’ of child well-being – Bradshaw & al. composite indices – UNICEF IRC Report Card#7 A C B

Advantages of a three-part approach • Connects, complements different poverty conceptualizations – from a child perspective • Considers the many actors and influences that simultaneously impact a child’s life • Thinks multisectorally - how do policies and trends at different levels interact? A: national/macro A-C B: household/ C-B micro C: individual child

Links to multidimensional poverty concepts income • Money-metric poverty concepts suggest divisive strategy Non-poor population income • Income + deprivations: more cohesive approach? population Child Poverty in Rich Countries (UNICEF IRC 2007) 1. Material well-being 2. Health and safety 3. Peer and family relationships 4. Subjective well-being 5. Behavior and risk

Country Analysis Outline Overview Part One: Children & Development 1. 1 Children, poverty and disparities 1. 2 The political, economic and institutional context 1. 3 Macroeconomic strategies and resources allocation Part Two: Poverty and Children 2. 1 Income poverty and deprivations affecting children 2. 2 Child survival and equity 2. 3 Causal analysis: what factors explain the levels and trends in poverty? Part Three: The Pillars of Child Wellbeing 3. 1 Nutrition 3. 2 Health 3. 3 Child protection 3. 4 Education 3. 5 Social Protection Part Four: Addressing Child Poverty and Disparities - A Strategy for Results 4. 1 What needs to be done 4. 2 How it could happen Statistical Annex

POLICY Template

Statistical Template: example (‘Part Three’)

Milestones in the Global Study • • Detailed guide with templates: September 2007 Country report plans, including advocacy Regional meetings: early 2008 Country analyses first drafts: Summer 2008 Global training on policy analysis (Univ of Southampton) Peer review, hands-on trainings Summer/Autumn 2008 Country reports, use and follow up – open ended Regional and global analyses are also being planned

child-poverty@groups. dev-nets. org Child Poverty Network 43 Participating Countries with a network of over 200 members: Government Ministries - National Statistics Offices - Academia Think tanks – NGOs - UN Agencies - UNICEF

What the Global Study could achieve 1. IDEAS: Explore child poverty as a multidimensional concept – and change the way policymakers think about poverty 2. AWARENESS AND ACTION: Explore the way poverty and disparities impact on children lives in different countries – and show it could be addressed 3. STATISTICS: Make a better use of child/women centered statistical surveys – and show gaps in information and knowledge 4. CAPACITY AND NETWOKING: Create a global network of experts – and facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building 5. UNICEF AND PARTNERS: Bring together UNICEF’s social policy persons – and change the we partner up to promote child rights

THANK YOU! ? Help desk: email globalstudycpd@unicef. org Global Study Blog: web http: //www. unicefglobalstudy. blogspot. com/ Child Poverty Network: email/web/face-to-face child-poverty@dev-nets. org Contact–focal point HQ: Sharmila Kurukulasuriya (skurukulasuriya@unicef. org)