Child Rights and SDGsConcepts and action points

By

R. Vidya Sagar,

Consultant & Former Child Protection Specialist,

Unicef

What is the SDG Agenda 2030?

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were agreed

and adopted in September 2015; and will guide

development actions through 2030

Government-led but highly participatory process,

inclusive of various stakeholders across countries

17 SDGs, 169 targets & about 230 indicators

The 4 Dimensions of SDGs are Social Equity; Inclusive

economic growth; Protecting Environment: and

Peaceful &inclusive societies

Main differences from MDG:

SDGs are a follow on to the MDGs, but more ambitious

and broader with integrated approach

New Goals and Targets on critical issues for children,

such as combatting child poverty, reducing inequality

and protecting children from violence, exploitation and

abuse

Sharper focus on environment, sustainable

consumption and production, inclusive economic

growth, urbanization and migration which affect children

directly and indirectly

Highlights of SDGs from Child

PerspectiveI. Preamble and Declaration

Calls to “invest in children”

Children as positive “agents of change”

Strong mention of human rights and inequalities in various paragraphs

II. Goals and Targets

All goals and targets touch on the lives of children in some manner

A focus on addressing inequalities, child poverty and child protection (Not in the MDGs)

III. Means of Implementation

Focus on national strategies & "enabling international economic environment”, ensuring `No One Left Behind’

IV. Follow-up and Review

Global level, with national and regional review mechanisms

Positive references to:

Inclusion and participation - ` For Children Everywhere’

Disaggregated data by age, sex, wealth quintile, disability status and other potential dimensions of inequality as appropriate for given contexts.

Opportunities for Children in the SDGs

Child rights

Equity: “leave no one behind”

Investing in children

Children as change agents

Child protection issues

Participation and inclusion

Use and disaggregation of data

Universally applicable to all children, everywhere

Priority targets in the SDGs

What is most relevant to children

In a preliminarily analysis, a subset of the 169 targets have been identified as particularly relevant for children (while recognizing that all goals and targets impact children’s and adolescents lives).

48 targets are deemed to be highly relevant to children

In particular Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 16

but beyond also, energy (7); cities (11); sustainable consumption (12); climate (13); and means of implementation (17)

47 are flagged as somewhat relevant to children

74 are considered as less relevant

Mapping of priority indicators

SDG indicators have been classified into

Tier I – ie There is established methodology for data collection and data is regularly produced

Tier II – ie There is established methodology for data collection BUT data is not regularly produced

Tier III – ie Neither methodology and hence nor data exists

Of the 230 SDG indicators, UNICEF has identified 33 (under 9 Goals) as Priority Indicators for children

Of these 33 priority indicators, 14 are in Tier I and 13 in Tier II and 9 in Tier III

Data sources and Challenges

DATA SOURES:

Census; Survey based data system ( SRS, NFHS, NSS, occasional surveys like AHS, RSOC, OOSC survey); Service based statistics

(MIS): CRVS, HMIS, UDISE, SBM MIS, ICDS MIS etc.; Adhoc data sets, projects based information; State and local level information

CHALLENGES:

Survey based information is not regular and coverage is limited both in terms of sectors as also geography

Most information from MIS suffer from lack of coverage, disaggregation, incomplete, quality and not being used for planning purpose

Many gaps ( no information on DRR, climate, environment, deprivation, ECD, etc. violence against children, child labour)

Little disaggregation (mortality, NE, district and block level etc.)

Way Forward

Advocacy, Awareness, and Accountability, for matters that affect children and youth

Public & Private Partnerships and Financing for investments in children

Support to country/state level implementation with planning and budgeting on issues of service delivery, etc.

Support to Innovation and Technology for delivering results for children in the most timely, efficient and effective way

Monitoring progress through data collection, analysis and use of disaggregated data for informed policies, programmes and budgets

Action points

Don’t wait for top down instructions

Possibilities of bottom up action.

Try to shape the understanding,

planning,

implementation and monitoring of

SDG

related action at the grassroots levels.

Focus on goals beyond targets.

SDGs Vs laws on rights

Map SDGs on to rights-based

developmental laws

Right to Information.

Right to Work.

Forest Rights.

Right to Education.

Right to Food.

Localizing Understanding of

SDG ConceptsFor understanding, analysis, reflection, local action Poverty dimensions.at all ages.strategies to combat. Malnutrition. Climate change – Resilience. Sustainable food production. Genetic diversity. Traditional knowledge

Localizing understanding of

SDG Concepts [Contd…] Non Communicable Diseases.

Equitable, quality education.

Gender.

Social evils.

Natural Resource Management.

Inclusive growth.

Decent work.

Labour Rights.

Financial inclusion.

Peace/nonviolence.

Lifestyle in harmony with nature.

SPECIFIC ROLES

Goal 1 – Poverty

access to basic services.

SHG partnership.

Goal 2 – Hunger/Food Security/Nutrition/Sustainable

agriculture

ICDS/Midday Meal.

MGNREGS.

Goal 3 – Healthy Lives

enabling access to social determinants of health.

extension.

communicable/non-communicable diseases.

substance abuse.

SPECIFIC ROLES [Contd…]

Goal 4 – Education access. performance watch.Goal 5 – Gender equality EWR.. Capacity of EWR. SHG partnership and engendering

planning.Goad 6 – WATSAN Most critical. universal role.

SPECIFIC ROLES [Contd…]

Goal 8 – Growth/Employment/Decent work MGNREGS , skill development,

secondary education, higher educationGoal 10 – Reduce inequality inclusion. Civic/Political capital.Goal 16 Peaceful and inclusive Society Grama Sabha. SHGs. Social Capital

SPECIFIC ROLES [Contd…]

Develop a kind of PRA for SDG.

Develop local level indicators -

qualitative and quantitative