Putting Children First: Identifying solutions and taking action to tackle poverty and inequality in Africa. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 23-25 October 2017 This three-day international conference aimed to engage policy makers, practitioners and researchers in identifying solutions for fighting child poverty and inequality in Africa, and in inspiring action towards change. The conference offered a platform for bridging divides across sectors, disciplines and policy, practice and research.

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Child Sensitive Social Protection:
Making Social Protection Work for Children
Keetie Roelen
International Conference:
‘Putting Children First: Identifying Solutions and Taking Action
to Tackle Child Poverty and Inequality in Africa’
23 October 2017, Addis Ababa

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Outline
The road travelled so far… Where next?

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Road travelled so far…
2009: Joint Statement
Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and
CHILDREN of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national
definitions
Target 1.3: Implement NATIONALLY APPROPRIATE SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS
and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of
the poor and the vulnerable

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Road travelled so far…
Family allowances in Africa:
28 (out of 54) countries
with at least one programme
anchored in national legislation
Source: ILO (2015)
Recipients of Child Support Grant in South Africa Recipients of OVC-CT in Kenya
CSSP encompasses programmes that aim to maximise positive impacts on children and to
minimise potential unintended side effects. This includes both direct interventions (i.e. child-
focused or targeted) and indirect interventions.
Source: Global Coalition to End Child Poverty (forthcoming)
Source: Stotsky, Kolovich and Kebjah, 2016, p. 27
-
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
Cash transfers in SSA
Source: World Bank, 2015, p. 10
Sources: Asfaw et al. 2012; Bosworth et al. 2016

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Road travelled so far…
Source: World Bank, 2015, p. 51

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Road travelled so far… and where next?
Source: World Bank, 2015, p. 51

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Where next? – ‘Cash plus’
= components integral to cash transfer programming
= components external to cash transfer programming
LEAP in Ghana IN-SCT in Ethiopia
Source: Roelen et al. 2017

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Where next? – Social workforce
Mozambique Zimbabwe
Botswana
“we are sitting on heated charcoal
and we have to jump” –
Social worker in Botswana
Source: Roelen et al. (2011)

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Where next? – Complex realities
economic empowerment perceptions of child work
Youth Employment Support Programme in Sierra Leone -
cash for work for 15-35 year old youth:
• Income and investment
• School absenteeism children 6-14
Source: Dammert et al. (2017)
Casual labour in Uganda
“My parents income is very low, we are always hungry
and poor, I feel ashamed by engaging in casual labour to
supplement family income” – Bernard, age 16, Uganda
Source: Bantebya et al. (2017)
Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme in Rwanda –
public works for able-bodied adults :
“There are parents who choose to sacrifice some children
for being able to go to work in the VUP. [...] These children
stay home and are refused to go to school because they’re
taking care of their siblings.”
Source: Roelen and Karki Chettri (2014)
Selling chewing gum in Ethiopia
“I had saved around 300 birr over the last six months.
Then my mother got seriously sick. […] I gave her all the
300 birr for medical treatment. Now she is very well. I
am happy to have done so; […] I would be sad if my
mother did not get the treatment because of financial
problems” – Bamlaku, age 13, Ethiopia
Source: Pankhurst et al. (2015)

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Where next? – ‘Missing children’
humanitarian settings
urban areas
children outside of
family settings
youth

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To conclude…
The Decade of Adjustment:
A Review of Austerity Trends
“Contrary to public perception, […]
consolidation strategies are not
limited to Europe, and, in fact,
many are more prevalent in
developing countries. All of the
different adjustment approaches
pose potentially serious
consequences for vulnerable
populations.”
Source: Ortiz et al. (2015), p. 40
trends in welfare spending in the UK
Source: Office for Budget Responsibility (2016), p.6
• Great achievements and exciting opportunities and challenges ahead
• No complacency!

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Thank you!
#PuttingChildrenFirst