1. UNICEF’s Social Policy Agenda Regional Workshop, Bangkok May Gaspar Fajth Chief, Social Policy and Economic Analyses Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge Management Section UNICEF Division of Policy and Practice, New York

2. Themes Is social policy engagement new for UNICEF?
Global challenges and opportunities
UNICEF’s social policy agenda:
The Global Study and some other HQ initiatives

3. UNICEF's mission statement – a closer look
UNICEF is mandated … to advocate for
the protection of children's rights,
to help meet their basic needs and
to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.
UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and development of children are universal development imperatives that are integral to human progress.
UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children
UNICEF mobilizes political will and material resources
to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a "first call for children" and
to build their capacity to form appropriate policies and deliver services for children
and their families.

4. Global challenges and opportunities
Global agendas
Human rights
Sustainable Development
Market Reform/Structural Adjustment
Nations State/Democracy
Human Development
Human Security
MDGs/Global Poverty
Governance reform

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

6. Global challenges and opportunities
Global opportunities
The international agendas…
South-led development
Creating welfare states/inclusive societies in the south
Evidence-based, child-sensitive policy making (inc. policy transfers)
Networking.

7. UNICEF’s priorities (2006-2009 Strategic Plan) and the MDG’s
Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
Achieve Universal Primary Education
Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Reduce Child Mortality
Improve Maternal Health
Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases
Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Develop a Global Partnership for Development
UNICEF Priorities (Focus Areas)
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

8. 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

9. UNICEF’s ‘implicit’ social policy objectives
The right to a family upbringing is realized for all children.
All children have access to basic social services (nutrition, WES, health, education, protective environment including family support/community services).
Equity-enhancing mechanism are in place (including gender-equity!)
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.
Children/families/communities participate in resources allocations, strategic decisions and policymaking affecting them.
Underlying assumption  current international policy frameworks and growth, investment, trade trends associated with globalization (or with the lack of it) will either be slow or ineffective in addressing all these objectives!

10. Initiatives on Social Policy Analyses and Community of Practice
Examples
Global Study on Child Poverty and Disparities
Budget Networking
Social Protection
Decentralization
Migration

11. Work on Child Poverty and Disparities
Builds on recent training courses esp. “Public Policy and Advocacy for Children’s Rights” and “Social Protection”
FA5 Thematic funding (new round in May)
Started in September 2007 by launching the “Guide” and the web-link
Downloadable from:

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

13. Work on Public Budgets
Training courses “Budget Policies and Investments for Children”
FA5 Thematic funding (new round in May)
Global advocacy:
UNICEF conference on Budgets in Madrid (October) to share experience of budget work for children’s rights.
Side Event on national budgets and children at Doha Financing for Development meeting?
Knowledge sharing:
Budgeting for Children’s Rights Intranet page - including reference material, country examples, OR proposals, learning materials, external references and more
Eyes on the budget monthly newsletters (March, April)
“Two pager” on UNICEF, Budget work and Children
Development of a Community of Practice (forthcoming)

14. Community of Practice in Economic and Social Policies
Who is it for?
UNICEF staff and partners engaged in relevant work (e.g. budget, poverty)
What would it do?
Capture existing internal/external experience, knowledge and expertise
Systematize key internal and external reference materials
Connect people to information and people to people
Provide a mutual support network
Identify support needs, knowledge gaps and barriers to success
Help pool our efforts to address them
Build our knowledge base through network queries
Provide inputs to organizational strategy, policy, advocacy, fundraising, partnerships
How would it work?
Dedicated collaborative e-space
Active facilitation from HQ and with support from ROs
Face to face meetings to discuss priorities and needs

15. Community of Practice in Economic and Social Policies
What do we need from you?
Your experiences
Your expertise and knowledge
To know what you need from us
To give us feedback on how we should help/do better
Your engagement to make this work!
Contact persons:
Budget networking: Ian Thorpe /PAKM/DPP (see also
Poverty networking: Sharmila Kurukulasuriya /PAKM/DPP (see also
Migration: Rhea Saab /PAKM/DPP
Social Protection: Katherine Holland /PAKM/DPP

16. thank you for joining us and helping to move this agenda forward!