According to UNICEF, an estimated 356 million children live in extreme poverty and
more than a billion children face at least one deprivation.
The consequences for children living in poverty are extreme and imply immediate and long-term
impact. Globally, the poorest children are twice as likely to die in childhood than their wealthier
peers. For those affected by humanitarian crises, the risks of deprivation and exclusion surge.
Equity for Children collaborated on a research project with UNICEF’s Evaluation Office to
determine the effectiveness of its poverty reduction strategy. The project followed a
methodological design including a comprehensive and structured desk review of UNICEF’s
work, focused on Goal Area 5: Ensure that every child has an equitable chance in life.
The research results provided recommendations about how to organize UNICEF’s upcoming
feasibility study for overall program review and evaluation. Charged with monitoring progress in
child poverty reduction, Equity for Children researched UNICEF’s progress integrating
knowledge about child poverty through the lens of governmental policies, legislation and budget
allocations. The study included a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT)
analysis and a stakeholder analysis to guide the future evaluation’s main users, concerns,
interests and objectives.
The report included analysis of information collected from interviews worldwide with key
constituents, including senior UNICEF global and regional officers, stakeholders and users
across the organization, a desk review and a mapping of UNICEF country level interventions.
Evidence gaps were identified, along with future evaluation questions. After interviews with staff
in UNICEF Headquarters in New York and in Regional Offices, a short list of 41 countries was
recommended for the future, in depth evaluation.
