The Global Child Poverty Challenge: In search of solutions - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1853399671 ISBN 13: 9781853399671

Publisher: Practical Action Publishing, 2016

Synopsis

Children are the most vulnerable people in the world – but rarely has the impact of poverty on children been addressed as an urgent issue in its own right. The harm that deprivation does to girls and boys as individuals, and the lasting cost of poverty, have received too limited attention. Policies and programs have not made best use of the growing evidence of "what works" for the poorest children to support the efforts of families and children themselves to forge more prosperous futures.

In a major effort to counter the invisibility of children in thinking on poverty reduction, The Global Child Poverty Challenge takes stock of a wide range of evidence on how children can be put at the center of policies and programs, in ways that recognize their capacities and centrality to future prosperity. The contributors look at experience with key interventions for investing in children – including social protection, basic services, skills development for future livelihoods, responsible microfinance and opportunities for decent work. "Child sensitive" approaches based on child rights principles are seen as central to making these interventions work for the poorest children.

Bringing together findings from a variety of settings, this book calls for the recognition of children as holders of rights and agents in their own development. It points to the experience of children living in poverty – and draws attention to their many roles: as learners, seekers of opportunity, as migrants, users of financial services and entrants to the world of work.

This book is essential reading for all those working on social protection and poverty reduction programs in developing countries, including researchers, policy makers, and those working for development agencies.

About this title

About the Author:

Richard Morgan has worked in international development for almost forty years, focusing on policy and practical issues of poverty reduction in the developing world. Until recently the head of policy for UNICEF, he now leads a global initiative to combat child poverty with Save the Children.

Review:

"This book makes a compelling case that a 'child-sensitive' approach is both morally right and practically feasible for ending extreme poverty and achieving sustainable development goals." (Kul Chandra Gautam was formerly Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF 2017-01-28)

"Practical Action Publishing has done it again, this time by producing an up-to-date briefing on what works – or doesn’t – for reducing child poverty. About half of the world’s poor are children, with higher rates of poverty among children than among adults in both developing and better off countries. Richard Morgan and supporters have reviewed a list of actions at the top of today’s thinking about what can be done, with professional assessments in everyday language of the lessons for mobilizing more action in the future. Most useful and an important read for all concerned." (Professor Sir Richard Jolly, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex)

"The book is a breakthrough in terms of building knowledge on child poverty in Africa on at least three counts: it gives prominence to an issue that is otherwise one of gross research neglect in Africa; it provides an authoritative benchmark for future efforts that aims to take stock of progress made in tackling child poverty; and third, it makes an historical departure from the usual doom and gloom depiction to a discussion of what has worked and what can be done better." (Théophane Nikyèma, Executive Director, The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF))

"The pathway to poverty reduction begins through collective action, allowing children to acquire foundational skills, develop their confidence as change-makers, build a solid asset base and secure future livelihoods as full economic citizens. CYFI believes that both this publication, and the Global Coalition to End Child Poverty, provides timely inspiration to policy makers and practitioners working to tackle child poverty through practical interventions and far reaching systems change under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development." (Jeroo Billimoria, Founder and Managing Director of Child and Youth Finance International (CYFI))

About this edition

• Publisher: Practical Action Publishing
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1853399671
• ISBN 13: 9781853399671
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192
• Editor: Morgan Richard