There was a time when UNICEF was known in development circles as the agency that “does everything but knows nothing.” Indeed, UNICEF is known for getting things done for children through persuasive advocacy, a human rights approach, and its presence on the ground. Today UNICEF is increasingly committed to evidence-based programming,… Read more →←
Topic: Methods & tools
When the winds of winter blow and the White Walkers arrive, it probably won’t matter if you are living in the Red Keep, or in a farm near Winterfell. End-of-times scenarios aside, context matters a great deal in how we define poverty and well-being. In the imaginary world of Westeros, created by G.R.R. Martin and made famous by the TV… Read more →←
We know that millions of children have gained access to education in the past few decades but we don’t know how many of these children are actually learning. Can a child read and understand a simple piece of text after 4 years of school? Data on how many children are learning or “learning achievement” is either limited or… Read more →←
The European Union measures child poverty as the share of children living in households with incomes below 60 per cent of the national median, but this indicator tells us little about how children fare within their families. A child living in a well-off household may still be deprived of the possessions, services and social relationships… Read more →←
Children with disabilities are at increased risk for discrimination and exclusion from society and are less likely to have their voices heard and their needs met. It is often difficult for children with disabilities to access public facilities, such as schools and hospitals. Consequently, they are less likely to go to school, be employed… Read more →←
Welcome to the Septuplets! On behalf of the Lancet Commission and the UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, I am very pleased to announce the birth of a new series of seven briefs on how to conduct research with adolescents in low- and middle- income countries. The current cohort of adolescents and young adults is the largest the… Read more →←
What does it mean for a child to be poor? At first glance the question seems trivial, but when you ponder it for a moment, the answer is not so easily formulated. Does it mean being hungry, not having clean clothes? Is it connected with having to earn a living or being left alone? In a recent podcast, I talked about the importance of… Read more →←
Main stream media outlets are facing threats from all sides. Often criticised as sensationalist, news media preoccupation with scandal, corruption and violence is increasingly being called into question. The latest challenge – fake news – has led many to question the reliability of the entire news media profession. Developing deeper… Read more →←
Data collaboratives – a new form of exchange that goes beyond traditional public/private models – are now being used to address some of the world’s most pressing problems. A rapid rise in the past few years in both the quality and quantity of data has lead us to question the potential of this wealth of information to address… Read more →←
Thirty years ago UNICEF reminded the world that development had a human face. Making up for the “lost decade” of the Eighties did not have to be funded through macroeconomic management, debt service or growth recovery alone. How relevant that reminder continues to be today. Back in the 1990s, optimism soared on the capacity of… Read more →←