IPC-IG researchers collaborated on a publication examining the conditions of poor children in Africa and the challenges in achieving the SDGs in the region

By IPC-IG
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The recently released publication “What Works for Africa's Poorest Children: From measurement to action” (Practical Action Publishing 2020) featured IPC-IG Researchers Charlotte Bilo and Anna Carolina Machado, who contributed with the chapter “Child-sensitive non-contributory social protection in North Africa“, providing an assessment of programmes of six countries in the region: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia. 

 

From a multidimensional perspective, the chapter provides a detailed assessment of three programme types: cash, in-kind transfers and school feeding programmes, and non-contributory health insurance schemes. Over 40 non-contributory social protection programmes were identified and analysed. The research shows that “at least one programme in each country and more than half (23) of the programmes mapped present one or more child-sensitive design feature”. 

 

The research also provides an estimation of the number of children covered by selected programmes, revealing that many vulnerable children are still not protected, either due to narrow targeting or due to limited programme coverage. According to the authors, it is necessary “to rethink the targeting mechanisms currently used, to better reach the most vulnerable”. Improving the child-sensitivity of existing social protection systems remains a key challenge in the region.

The full publication is available here. You can access the chapter directly here.