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Reduced Inequalities
Interventions to Reduce Violence against Children in Low- and Middle-income Countries
nov. 2020
Working Paper
The production of evidence on interventions for reducing violence against children (VAC) has steadily increased over the years. Yet gaps exist that need to be addressed when it comes to research investment priorities and future studies. This brief summarizes the key findings from the Evidence Gap Map on interventions to reduce violence against children in low- and middle-income countries.
Credit Rating Agencies and Sovereign Debt
avr. 2022
Working Paper
Credit ratings play an important role providing information on sovereign borrowers. But financial markets including credit ratings often over-emphasize short-term economic concerns and underweight longer-term issues including environmental and social risks as well as investment in resilience and sustainability.
Gender Differences in Poverty and Household Composition Through the Life Cycle
avr. 2022
Working Paper
The findings of the study summarized in this paper show that a life-cycle approach can help to reveal meaningful differences in the way women men girls and boys experience poverty. A life-cycle approach examines the different stages individuals go through as they transition to adulthood and form their own households. It tracks the changes that take place from childhood to childbearing years and beyond. This is the first study to look at these dimensions systematically at the global level.
Putting Gender Equality at the Centre of Social Protection Strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa
avr. 2022
Working Paper
Social protection has become an increasingly important part of the social development agenda in sub-Saharan Africa. Comprehensive social protection systems can contribute to poverty eradication and reduced inequalities stimulate productive activity and economic growth and create resilience in the face of multiple and recurrent crises—particularly if they work in tandem with other social and labour market policies. Recently countries in the region have made extensive use of social protection instruments to confront the economic and social fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Against this backdrop this brief analyses the extent to and ways in which countries in the region integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment into their social protection efforts drawing on a unique data set of national social protection strategies from 30 countries in the region including 14 in West and Central Africa and 16 in East and Southern Africa. It finds that while a significant number of strategies acknowledge gendered risks and vulnerabilities few include specific actions to address them. The brief concludes with a set of recommendations for increased mainstreaming of gender equality concerns into efforts to build national social protection systems.
The Monetary Policy Response to Covid-19
avr. 2022
Working Paper
Central banks have relied heavily on unconventional monetary policy tools especially large-scale asset purchases to respond to the pandemic. These programmes have helped to stabilize financial markets and kickstart economic recovery. But the central bank asset purchases have also contributed to an underpricing of risk and sharp increases in asset prices.
Trust with integrity: Harnessing the Integrity Dividends of Digital Government for Reducing Corruption in Developing Countries
avr. 2022
Working Paper
Does digitalization reduce corruption? What are the benefits of data-driven digital government innovations to strengthen public integrity and advance the Sustainable Development Goals? While the correlation between digitalization and corruption is well established there is less actionable evidence on the effects of specific digitalization reforms on different types of corruption and the policy channels through which they operate. This paper unbundles the integrity dividends of digital reforms that the pandemic has accelerated. It analyses the rise of integrity-tech and integrity analytics in the anticorruption space deployed by data-savvy integrity institutions. It also assesses the broader integrity dividends of government digitalization for cutting redtape reducing discretion and increasing transparency in government services and social transfers. It argues that digital government can be an effective anticorruption strategy with subtler yet deeper effects. There nevertheless needs to be greater synergies between digital reforms and anticorruption strategies.
Bringing the Data Community and Policy Makers Together to Ensure a World With Data We Trust
nov. 2021
Working Paper
The third Forum held in Bern Switzerland in October 2021 brought together over 700 participants in person and over 7000 virtually representing a diverse group of stakeholders from the data and statistics community joining from over 180 countries around the world. The Forum discussions stressed the need for greater collaboration and coordination for inclusive data to leave no one behind; increase financial support; enhance the capacities of National Statistical Offices; and promote greater inclusion of and access by marginalised communities.
How Listening Develops and Affects Well-being Throughout Childhood
avr. 2022
Working Paper
This review study was a first attempt to map the existing theoretical and empirical literature about a possible core capacity for well-being: listening. The main research question was: drawing from a multidisciplinary evidence base what is the empirical and theoretical knowledge of children’s listening and how does it interact with overall well-being throughout childhood? Moreover the review of the literature will contribute to the understanding of listening as a core capacity for well-being within the Learning for Well-Being framework. The review included systematic searches in four electronic databases and a selection of studies based on pre-set criteria. It focuses on the development of listening throughout childhood listening in formal and informal learning listening in family and community settings and possible links between listening and well-being. Relevant empirical studies were identified that further explain the development of listening comprehension throughout childhood. Relevant streams of literature identified included listening to music and positive effects on child well-being children’s extensive listening in schools and the effects of undesirable listening environments. Overall in combination with the mapping papers on the eight other core capacities this paper can contribute to the understanding of core capacities possibly benefiting child well-being.
How Observing Develops and Affects Well-being Throughout Childhood
avr. 2022
Working Paper
The purpose of this study is to map the empirical and theoretical evidence of children’s ability for ‘observing’ or ‘noticing’ as a core capacity for life within the Learning for Well-Being Foundation’s (L4WB) theoretical framework and how it interacts with overall child development (ages 0–18).1More specifically this review aims to contribute to existing knowledge in three ways: (i) it adds to the evidence of ‘observing’ as a core capacity for children from a childhood development perspective (ii) it assesses the interaction of ‘observing’ with other core capacities and with overall child well-being and (iii) it looks at the development of ‘observing’ as a core capacity among significant adults in children’s lives (e.g. teachers educators parents). Although the available evidence is limited results show a significant link between children’s levels of observation or attention and cognitive skills in general such as working memory and executive attention. Studies tended to focus on the middle-childhood age range and with the exception of ‘inquiry’ are not linked to other core capacities. No studies were found that assessed the levels or application of ‘observing’ among significant adults.
How Relaxing Develops and Affects Well-being Throughout Childhood
avr. 2022
Working Paper
The purpose of this study is to map the empirical and theoretical evidence of children’s ability for ‘relaxing’ as a core capacity for life within the Learning for Well-Being Foundation’s (L4WB) theoretical framework and how it interacts with overall child development (ages 0–18). More specifically this review aims to contribute to existing knowledge in three ways: (i) it adds to the evidence of relaxing as a core capacity for children from a childhood development perspective (ii) it assesses the interaction of relaxing with other core capacities and with overall child well-being and (iii) it looks at the development of relaxing as a core capacity among significant adults in children’s lives (e.g. teachers educators parents) who are involved in their care and their skills development. Although the available evidence is limited results show that ‘relaxing’ (and its related proxy concepts of mindfulness meditation contemplative science) can be helpfully considered a core capacity according to some aspects of L4WB definition: i) it can be developed through training and practice; ii) it can impact positively on children’s life through the reinforcement of cognitive personal and interpersonal skills (e.g. improvements in executive functioning and empathy); and iii) it enables children to cope effectively with stress by improving their well-being.
Mainstreaming Ageing - Revisited
avr. 2022
Working Paper
The population of the UNECE region is ageing: one in four people will be 65 years old or above by 2050 compared to one in six today. Population ageing has social and economic implications for which societies need to prepare. This requires a coordinated whole-of-government and whole-of society effort to bring societies and economies into harmony with demographic change otherwise known as "mainstreaming ageing". A more effective integration of ageing into all policies at all levels will enhance societal preparedness for population ageing and benefit all age groups. This Policy Brief highlights seven key "enablers" for mainstreaming ageing: political and executive leadership strategic frameworks governance and coordination mechanisms age-sensitive analysis and impact assessments capacity development enhanced awareness data and analysis to inform policies and participatory policymaking.
Building the Capacities of Public Servants to Implement the 2030 Agenda
oct. 2021
Working Paper
Activities geared to strengthening the capacity of public servants to implement the 2030 Agenda have multiplied rapidly since 2015 with a multiplicity of national and international actors involved. Yet available information does not easily allow for a consolidated picture of how ongoing efforts address gaps at the level of individual countries. Areas identified in the Agenda itself as needing capacity building such as data statistical systems follow up and review have received high attention as have planning and SDG localization. The landscape of capacity building for SDG implementation appears fragmented. There likely is untapped potential for cross-fertilization of capacity building initiatives. Reporting on capacity-building activities for public servants has not been a consistently high priority of governments. Because of this the degree of responsiveness of capacity-building activities to recipients’ and countries’ needs is hard to assess. Government-wide capacity-building gap assessments and strategies are rare. Little is known about the changes in learning outcomes due to the COVID-19 pandemic which can have longer-term impacts on capacity in the public service.
Credit Rating Agencies and Developing Economies
déc. 2021
Working Paper
The pandemic-induced global economic crisis has contributed to the re-emergence of sovereign default risk especially for emerging and developing economies and has directed attention to the impact of the institutions that are tasked with attempting to predict defaults: the international credit rating agencies. This paper describes four main challenges posed by credit rating agencies especially from a developing and emerging economies perspective: potential bias in ratings pro-cyclicality of ratings governance issues and conflicts of interest and incorporation of climate risk. It concludes with potential policy solutions addressed at ratings agencies regulators and policy makers.
A View of Changes in Institutional Arrangements for SDG Implementation at the National Level Since 2015
oct. 2021
Working Paper
There is a trend of broadening and deepening institutionalization of the 2030 Agenda. Yet institutionalization at the country level remains a work in progress – with many countries still putting in place or adjusting parts of their institutional systems for SDG implementation. No regularities or typical patterns of SDG institutionalization are easily identifiable across countries. The sequence and speed of institutional changes relating to the SDGs have varied significantly. Entry points for state and non-state actors to engage with SDG-related institutional processes are multiplying making institutional arrangements more complex. Yet there are also wide variations in levels of engagement with potential for greater involvement of different stakeholders in many countries.
Prospects for the Post-pandemic Tourism and Economic Recovery in Vanuatu
juin 2022
Working Paper
In many small island developing States (SIDS) tourism is the engine of economic growth export earnings and formal employment. The COVID-19 pandemic ravaged global tourism through a major slowdown of international tourism arrivals billions of dollars of lost revenues and millions of lost jobs. The pandemic’s impact was even more severe in highly vulnerable tourism-dependent SIDS with many of them closing their borders entirely to protect their populations and health systems. In this paper we examine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic development prospects in SIDS through case study of Vanuatu a tourism-dependent economy that suffered major macroeconomic impacts from the pandemic. We provide a forward look at the prospects for the post-pandemic recovery of tourism and the national economy with policy recommendations for Vanuatu. We also aim for this case study to be useful to policy makers in other tourism-dependent SIDS and developing countries as they undertake their post-pandemic recovery.
The COVID-19 Crisis: What Explains Cross-country Differences in the Pandemic’s Short-term Economic Impact?
août 2021
Working Paper
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the most universal health and socio-economic crisis in recent history. However the magnitude of the economic damage has differed widely; some countries were hit particularly hard while others have managed to weather the storm much better. In this paper we use cross-country regression analysis to identify factors that help explain the differences in the growth impact of the COVID-19 shock. Our findings underscore the critical role of balancing health and economic concerns in managing the pandemic as both a country’s exposure to the coronavirus and the stringency of containment measures are strongly correlated with its growth performance. In addition our results shed light on several aspects of economic resilience. Good governance provision of fiscal support and strong macroeconomic fundamentals all helped cushion the economic impact. By contrast a lack of economic diversification – reflected in overreliance on the tourism sector or oil production – has significantly amplified the shock.
COVID-19: Effects of School Closures on Foundational Skills and Promising Practices for Monitoring and Mitigating Learning Loss
mai 2021
Working Paper
While remote learning measures are essential for mitigating the short-term and long-term consequences of COVID-19 (coronavirus) school closures little is known about their impact on and effectiveness for learning. This working paper contributes to filling this gap by: 1. Exploring how disrupted schooling may affect foundational learning skills using data from MICS6 (Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys - round 6) in 2017–2019; 2. Examining how countries are delivering and monitoring remote learning based on data from the UNESCO-UNICEF-World Bank’s National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closures survey; and 3. Presenting promising key practices for the effective delivery and monitoring of remote learning.
Social Benefits and the Feedback Effect of Child Poverty in European Countries
mai 2021
Working Paper
This paper examines how social benefits contributed to reducing the scarring effects of monetary poverty among children in European countries in the years following the Great Recession. Based on the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions database our findings highlight that social benefit functions differ in their ability to reduce the risk of monetary poverty for children with previous experience in poverty. While family/children’s benefits are crucial in reducing child poverty in general they are not significant in terms of reducing the scarring effects of child poverty. Old age/ survivors’ benefits meanwhile appear to be a significant support for children with prior experience in poverty. Empirical evidence thus suggests the effectiveness of social transfers to combat occasional child poverty does not always coincide with their effectiveness in preventing children from remaining in poverty year after year.
Social Protection and Its Effects on Gender Equality: A Literature Review
mai 2021
Working Paper
This paper provides an overview of the latest evidence on the effects of social protection on gender equality. It starts by considering how risks and vulnerabilities are gendered and the implications of their gendered nature for boys’ and girls’ and men’s and women’s well-being throughout the life course. It then reviews and discusses the evidence on the design features of four types of social protection programmes – non-contributory programmes contributory programmes labour market programmes and social care services – and their effects on gender equality unpacking which design features matter the most to achieve gender equality. Finally the paper concludes with implications for a future research agenda on gender and social protection.
Encryption, Privacy and Children’s Right to Protection from Harm
mai 2021
Working Paper
This working paper provides a short overview of the challenges and opportunities related to child protection and the use of encryption technology. While it does not constitute the UNICEF organizational position on the topic it is meant to inform UNICEF on the issue and to reach and engage professionals including nonexperts within and between the child rights and privacy rights sectors. This paper will provide an overview of the debate around encryption and its possible impact on children’s right to protection from harm. It also reflects on the pros and cons of some proposed solutions.
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