Project “Towards Inclusive Social Protection Systems To Advance The Rights Of Persons With Disabilities” (2019-20)
Building on the process facilitated by ILO and International Disability Alliance (IDA) that led to the adoption of a joint statement on inclusive social protectionm and the current momentum on universal social protection, the UNPRPD funded project, implemented jointly by ILO and UNICEF in close cooperation with IDA seeks...
Read MoreJoint statement: Towards inclusive social protection systems supporting the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities
This joint statement reflects our shared commitment to inclusive social protection systems for persons with disabilities. The statement emerged from meetings and discussions between international partners working on the issues of disability and social protection. These meetings also contributed to the first report of the United Nations (UN) Special...
Read MoreSocial Protection in Asia and the Pacific: Inventory of non-contributory programmes
Social protection programmes are now widely recognised as key policy instruments for developing countries to combat poverty. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has explicitly recognised the importance of implementing “nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors” as an explicit target under Sustainable Development Goal...
Read MoreRealizing Children’s Right to Social Protection in the Middle East and North Africa: a compendium of UNICEF’s contributions
This Compendium documents the broad range of UNICEF’s social protection interventions in MENA from 2014-2017. The Compendium illustrates how UNICEF has worked hand in hand with partner governments in both humanitarian and development settings and succeeded in reaching the most vulnerable children with social protection mechanisms. Thetimeframe selected represents UNICEF’s previous global Strategic Plan, which...
Read MoreDrinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools: Global baseline report 2018
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are responsible for monitoring global progress towards water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets. The global effort to achieve sanitation and water for all by 2030 is extending beyond the household to include institutional...
Read MoreQualitative research and analyses of the economic impacts of cash transfer programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa
Support for (CT) programmes has been growing in sub-Saharan Africa over the last ten years. Since late 2004, the African Union has provided encouragement to countries to develop their own social policy frameworks, with a Plan of Action supported by governments that commits member states to expanding and empowering...
Read MoreMyth-busting? Confronting Six Common Perceptions about Unconditional Cash Transfers as a Poverty Reduction Strategy in Africa
In this paper we summarize evidence on six perceptions associated with cash transfer programming, using eight rigorous evaluations conducted on large-scale government unconditional cash transfers in sub-Saharan Africa, under the Transfer Project. Specifically, we investigate if transfers: 1) induce higher spending on alcohol or tobacco; 2) are fully consumed...
Read MoreChild Vulnerability and Social Protection in Kenya
The definition of child vulnerability used in Kenya’s social protection sector was shaped in the early 2000s, when policymakers noted an increasing number of orphans as a consequence of the AIDS pandemic and developed the National Plan of Action for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). Kenya’s Cash Transfer for...
Read MoreHow to Make ‘Cash Plus’ Work: linking cash transfers to services and sectors
The broad-ranging benefits of cash transfers are now widely recognized. However, the evidence base highlights that they often fall short in achieving longer-term and second-order impacts related to nutrition, learning outcomes and morbidity. In recognition of these limitations, several ‘cash plus’ initiatives have been introduced, whereby cash transfers are...
Read MoreAdolescents’ Mental Health: Out of the shadows: Evidence on psychological well-being of 11-15-year-olds from 31 industrialized countries
It is the right time to channel more public investment for comprehensive support of children’s and adolescents’ mental health and well-being. Target 3.4 under Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Agenda explicitly aims to ‘promote mental health and well-being’, while the WHO Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan for 2013-2020...
Read MoreFrom Protection to Production (PtoP)
The From Protection to Production (PtoP) project is a multi-country impact evaluation of cash transfers in sub-Saharan Africa. The project is a collaborative effort between the FAO, the UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office and the governments of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. PtoP activities are mainly...
Read MoreGlobal Goals for Every Child: progress and disparities among children in South Africa.
This report presents an analysis of progress and disparities among children in South Africa. Data show significant progress during the past two decades in areas such as child poverty, child survival, mother to-child transmission of HIV and primary school attendance, among others. These are impressive achievements, but they are...
Read MoreBuilding the Future: Children and the Sustainable Development Goals in rich countries
The Sustainable Development Goals have set ambitious targets that apply to rich countries as well as poor. The most telling sign of a nation’s progress towards meeting those goals will be how well it meets the needs of its children. This Report Card offers an assessment of child well-being...
Read MoreFiscal Space for Social Protection and the SDGs: Options to Expand Social Investments in 187 Countries (ESS Working Paper No. 48)
It is often argued that social protection is not affordable or that government expenditure cuts are inevitable during adjustment periods. But there are alternatives, even in the poorest countries. This working paper offers eight options that should be explored to expand fiscal space and generate resources to achieve the...
Read MoreThirsting for a Future: Water and children in a changing climate
Climate change is one of many forces contributing to an unfolding water crisis. In the coming years, the demand for water will increase as food production grows, populations grow and move, industries develop and consumption increases. This can lead to water stress, as increasing demand and use of water...
Read MoreFinancing Development for Children in Africa: The state of budget transparency and accountability in the continent
This report builds on the findings of the Open Budget Survey 2015, by taking a closer look at the 31 African countries included in the survey. It seeks to promote transparency and accountability in the use of government budgets in Africa. The rationale for this report is twofold. First,...
Read MoreMapping the Global Goals for Sustainable Development and the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Introduction Aim. This interactive document aims to encourage an in-depth and broad-based exploration of the links and synergies between the Global Goals for Sustainable Development and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Background. It complements the 2-page document produced by UNICEF in January 2016 which presents preliminary...
Read MoreFrom Evidence to Action: The story of cash transfers and impact evaluation in sub-Saharan Africa
Impact evaluations must be embedded in the ongoing process of policy and programme design in order to be effective in influencing country policy. This is the primary lesson found in this book, which is based on the rigorous impact evaluations and country-case study analysis of government-run cash transfer programmes...
Read MoreThe State of the World’s Children 2016: A fair chance for every child
Every child has the right to health, education and protection, and every society has a stake in expanding children’s opportunities in life. Yet, around the world, millions of children are denied a fair chance for no reason other than the country, gender or circumstances into which they are born....
Read MoreFinancial Support for Single Parents in Caring for their Children: Private child support and social assistance
Public assistance in the Caribbean generally does not include special provisions for sole parents. Instead, such families—if they are fortunate—receive support through the limited general public assistance schemes. The amount of benefits in Caribbean countries is likely to be lower than in developed countries in both absolute and relative...
Read MoreGender Aware Beneficiary Analysis Of Saint Lucia’s Public Assistance Programme
Informed by the results of several investigative efforts, St Lucia is now at an advanced stage in developing and implementing an integrated social protection system. The Ministry of Social Transformation, Local Government and Community Empowerment has made major strides in establishing a social protection platform for St Lucia with...
Read MoreCase Study On The St. Lucia National Eligibility Test
Establishing gender and child responsive social protection schemes that ensure universal access to health care including maternity care, and basic income security, will protect women and their families from the effects of economic shocks and crises that may result in job and wage losses. UN Women and UNICEF through...
Read MoreConditional Cash Transfers: Learning from the literature
Eastern Caribbean countries are currently developing and implementing substantial social safety net reforms. Governments of six Eastern Caribbean countries conducted social safety net assessments in 2009 – 2010, with the support of UN Women and UNICEF in partnership with the World Bank. These reforms, which have been ongoing for...
Read MoreConditional Cash Transfer: A policy brief
Eastern Caribbean countries are currently developing and implementing substantial social safety net reforms. In 2009 – 2010, UNICEF and UN Women in partnership with the World Bank supported the governments of six countries in the OECS sub-region to conduct national social safety net assessments. A striking feature of the...
Read MoreSocial Protection for Child Rights and Well-Being in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia (Advocacy Brief)
Social protection can help guarantee adequate living standards for children and contribute to the realization of their rights. Investing in it helps States build more cohesive societies, more resilient communities and stronger economies. To fight child poverty and social and economic vulnerability, countries need to develop well-integrated social protection...
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