children and youth in sustainable development

Children and Youth in Sustainable

Development

Juan Felipe Sanchez, Senior Children and Youth Specialist

HDNCY, The World Bank, 2006

02/21/2006 JF Sanchez - The World Bank 2

Underpinning Concepts

02/21/2006 JF Sanchez - The World Bank

Source: Moore, K, quoted in UN WYR 2003

Concepts: The Intergenerational

Transmission of Poverty


Why Children? Why Youth?

•Demographic urgency

•Economic efficiency

•Political imperative

•Crucial to achieve MDGs

The earlier the investment, the longer the benefits and, usually, the lower the costs:

•Investing in children: •Highest leverage point for investments to build human / social capital

•Investing in youth:

•Preserves benefits of earlier investments in children •Counteracts lack of earlier investments •Has added value of immediate intergenerational effects as youth become new parents

Source: HDNCY 2005, The World Bank


Concepts: Children and Youth Assets

Children & Youth Assets (forms of capital)

•Human – e.g. health, nutrition, hygiene/sanitation, education/life skills

•Social – e.g. household relations, networks, peers, associations, NGOs/CBOs

•Financial – e.g. income, employment, access to credit/cash transfers programs

•Physical – e.g. shelter/housing, built environment/urban infrastructure, public space

•Natural – e.g. quality of air/water/land, risk-free areas

•Political – e.g. participation/involvement in national / local development/civic affairs; enabling policies /legal/protection; human/children rights

•Cultural – e.g. socio-cultural norms and values; dreams/aspirations

Source: J.F. Sanchez 2003, Plan International


Concepts: Determinants of Children and Youth Assets

Children and Youth Assets

(forms of capital)

Context

•Income

•Age

•Gender

•Ethnic

•Urban / rural

settings (e.g. high population

density, slums / at risk areas,

distance, access)

•Family/community

/peers

•Conflict •Shocks

•Trends

Enabling Policies,

Institutions and

programs

Choices

(household / individual choices)

•Information

•Resources

•Capabilities

•Managing risks

•Seizing

opportunities

•Policy

environment (e.g.

governance, livability,

competitiveness, land use,

zoning, legal/ judicial/ police)

•Supply side (e.g.

quantity/quality of programs,

location, structure, targeting,

service delivery, staffing,

budgets)

•Demand side (e.g.

cash incentives, interaction

among clients/ service

providers/ policy makers)

•Implementation of Rights

of the Child (CRC)

Source: J.F. Sanchez, 2005, HDNCY -The World Bank

Children and Youth assets might

decrease or increase as a result of the

interaction between the context,

policies / institutions / programs, and

choices


At-risk

Children and

Youth and

Maternal/neo-natal

stage

Early childhood

0-5

years

Adolescents

Young adults

15-18 years

19-24 years

Growing up healthy 6-14 years

Children

Youth

Concepts: Children and Youth



Concepts: The Life Cycle Framework

CHILDREN AND YOUTH FACE DIFFERENT

VULNERABILITIES AT DIFFERENT AGES

The main stages in the lifecycle The main stages in the lifecycle

7 days

28 days

1 year

Birth

5 years

10 years

20 years

Early

neonatal

period

Perinatal Peri-natal period period

Neonatal Neonatal period period

Pregnancy Pregnancy

Adulthood

Infancy Infancy

Adolescence Adolescence

Childhood Childhood

Reproductive Reproductive

period period

Aging

Death

"Pre "Pre - - school” years school” years

"School "School - - age" age"



Concepts: Identifying Risks and Opportunities

with a Life-Cycle Framework

Many of the greatest risks are concentrated in the earliest years and in adolescence



Ages 6-14 (School Years)

Adjustment to formal school

Completion of primary school

Readiness for reading, counting, and social

interaction

Maintaining good health

Poor health outcomes and lack of

pre-school affect school attendance

and performance, and are

aggravated by illiterate parents,

especially mothers.

Ages 0-5 (Early Child Care)

Survival; care and protection of new

born

Nutrition adequacy

Immunization

Cognitive stimulation

Readiness for school

Malnutrition in mothers

aggravates risks for child

mortality and malnutrition. Child

malnutrition raises risks of child

mortality and school

performance in later years.

Ages 15-24 (Youth Years)

Adjustment to adolescent years

Completion of higher education

Entering marriage age

Adjusting to reproductive roles and

behaviors

Readiness for job markets

Poor school performance and

participation, and continuous poor

health outcomes further affect

reproductive health for women,

employability, and income-earning

opportunities later in life.

Concepts: Risks, Determinants, and Outcomes Are

Linked

Vertically Along the Life Cycle

Source: HDNCY 2005 and MNA 2005, The World Bank


MISSED OPPORTUNITIES DURING EARLY YEARS (AGES 0-5) Children who survive are at risk of poor health due to inadequate nutrition and poor health.

Children growing up in country *** and in particular in rural areas have few chances of pre-

school education.

Lack of prenatal care, early marriage and hence early pregnancy, and high rates of teenage

fertility have contributed to maternal mortality

CONSEQUENCES FOR SCHOOL YEARS (AGES 6-14) Early school drop out (15.65%)

Poor school performance (51% completion rates)

Child labor prevalence (between 12-20%)

Idleness – no work, no study (37%)

Adapting to street life / falling in conflict with law (data not reliable – distorted estimates

suggest between 5-10%;)

Disability (prevalence rates to be verified)

Reduced chances of equal opportunity in the long run, especially for girls

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES IN SCHOOL YEARS (AGES 6-14) • Dropping from school in early years

• Not reaching the school dropouts and disadvantaged (child labor, exploitation, idleness, street life)

• Insufficient attention to parents literacy and awareness

• Lack of school health and nutrition

• Juvenile justice

CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUTH YEARS (15-24)

• Unemployment / Inactivity

• Lack of Access and Retention in Secondary Education

• Risky Behaviors (early pregnancy, HIV/AIDs, violence and crime, substance abuse

• Lack of Participation in Development Policies and Process

Source: MNA 2005, The World Bank

Example of Missed Opportunities and Outcomes Along the Life Cycle


Progressing through school

Going to work

Forming families

Exercising citizenship

Staying healthy

Policies, institutions, programs need to

manage opportunities and risks around 5

related transitions

Growth and

Poverty

Reduction

Policies and

Institutions

Source: WDR 2007, The World Bank


Policy Pillars

• Opportunities: Broaden options for young people

• Agency: Enable capable and responsible decision-making by them (or by care-givers in the case of younger children)

• Second Chances: Mitigate the consequences

of poor decisions (made for and by the young) and bad luck

Source: WDR 2007, The World Bank

JF Sanchez --- [email protected]

Social Risk Management Strategies

Source: World Bank HDNCY

2004


Children and Youth: Sustainable Development Cycle

Outcomes (effects on C&Y wellbeing)

Source: J.F. Sanchez 2006, based on HDNCY 2005 and WDR2007, The World Bank

Natural

Changes in Children

and Youth Assets

(forms of capital)

Context

(income, age,

gender, ethnic,

type of urban

setting,

community)

Enabling

policies,

institutions

and

programs

Choices

(household / individual)

•Growing up

healthy

•Learning

•Working

•Forming

families

• Exercising

citizenship

•Survival

•Development

•Protection

•Participation

(Outcomes as

per the

Convention on

the Rights of

the Child)

Policy Pillars

•Opportunities

•Agency

•Second Chances

Risk Management

Strategies

• Prevention

• Mitigation

• Coping


Integrating Children & Youth Into

Cross Sector Programs


Integrating Children and Youth (C&Y) into Cross

Sector Program Cycles

Source: J.F. Sanchez 2005

1. Identificaci ó n y mobilizaci ó n de los actores principales

2. Evaluaci ó n de la situaci ó n

3. Direccionamiento : definici ó n de visi ó n , objetivos y metas ; formulaci ó n

de estrategias y planes de acci ó n

4. Implementaci ó n de los planes de acci ó n

5. Monitoreo , Evaluaci ó n y Aprendizaje

1- Identification and

mobilization of key

stakeholders

2- Assessing the

situation

3 - Setting direction, objectives

and targets / preparing action

plans

4 – Implementing

action plans

5 – Monitoring,

evaluation and learning

Age-specific cross-sector

analyses

e.g. poverty

analysis/mapping, vulnerability

assessments, public

expenditure reviews, social

assessments

Dialogues/participation at all stages of

strategy/policy development and

implementation

e.g. including children and youth -and institutions that

affect them

Linking children and youth

outcomes with cross sector

program goals

e.g. growth, investments in

human development, etc.

Set-up adequate cross-

sector coordination

e.g. Children and Youth focal

point, coordination platforms,

mandates, capacity building

C & Y monitoring /

evaluation (M&E)

e.g. age-specific indicators,

annual state of C&Y progress

report; participatory monitoring

/ social accountability

Focusing budgets / sector actions on long-term

results for children and youth included in cross-

sector program

e.g. within poverty reduction mechanisms, MDG action

plans, sector programs


Livelihoods

Life-long learning

Healthy behaviors

ECD Protection

Safe, healthy habitat

Secondary + tertiary education

Primary education

Primary health, care and nutrition

Enabling policies, institutions and processes

Age

25

14 6 0

Building Blocks for Integrated Children and Youth Investments Along the Life Cycle

Source: Lund, N. and Sanchez, J.F., 2004


• Policy Environment: • Economic growth, targeted development, policy, knowledge, expenditure

priorities

• Supply Side Bottlenecks: • Service delivery (public, private, NGO), human capacity, governance

• Demand Side Bottlenecks: • Tackling incentive problems to increase effective demand for needed

services, legal reform + protection (including application of Convention on the Rights of the Child), removing barriers to access and participation

• Linking C&Y priorities with long term development goals, including the MDGs goals

• Integrated interventions along the life cycle, with emphasis on preventions and co-targeting

• National children and youth assessments and strategies.

• Improving client, service provider and public policy interface

• National monitoring and evaluation systems

• Partnerships and collaborations

• Donor aid harmonization





Participation

• Inclusion, youth at the development table

• Youth in civil society dialogues

• Youth voices and links to country / local development

• PRSPs / CAS / national / urban development planning

• Participation in preparation and implementation of policy instruments and reforms

• Youth-led initiatives and projects

• Monitoring of development results; social audits

• Enhancing capacity of youth organizations and their local and global networks



Supportive families and communities

• Household level demand factors

• Social recognition of youth potential

• Youth-friendly cultural norms and institutions concerning:

• Entitlements

• Inheritance

• Property rights

• Marriage institutions

• Age

• Gender

• Ethnic

• Religion

• Elimination of stigma (HIV-AIDS, youth gangs, etc.)

• Youth participation in community-driven development

• Civil society engagement Source: Lund, N. and Sanchez, J.F., 2004


Investing in the young -and engaging them in development

processes- will lead to healthier and safer

communities, enabling their contribution to growth and

wellbeing! Source: J.F. Sanchez 2006, HDNCY – The World Bank


Towards Age-specific Cross-sector Programs:

Children


Building Blocks for Cross-sector Programs Along the Life Cycle:

Investing Early in Life…

Livelihoods and

employment

Life-long learning

Healthy behaviors

Early Childhood

Development

Child health + nutrition

Safe, healthy habitat


Primary education

Protection of the most

vulnerable (OVC)


Age

25

14 6 0



Preventing child mortality depends on: •Long-term improvements in environmental factors at the community / local levels (Land Use Planning, Environment, Infrastructure, Disaster Prevention Sectors)

•Provision of safe water and sanitation (Water/Environment Sectors)

•Adequate shelter (Housing Sector)

•Mother’s education (Education Sector)

•Adequate income support to buy adequate food supply (Social Affairs/Social Protection Sectors)

•Nutrition and facilitating access to health services (Health Sector)

Achieving “education for all” is a function of both supply and demand side measures:

•Demand side measures •conditional income support to families of out of school children (Conditional Cash Transfers Programs)

•counseling and rehabilitation programs for children with special needs (NGO’s and Community-based organizations)

•Supply side measures •location of additional educational facilities (Land Use Planning, Zoning)

•skilled human resources and quality education content and systems (Education, Finance and/or Planning Sectors)

Examples of Cross-sector Interdependencies to Achieve

Children Outcomes



Example: Malnutrition

Mother’s Education (feeding practices)

Food Availability (associated with poverty)

Health Environment

(water/sanitation)

•Public Health:

breastfeeding / weaning

practices; mother’s

nutrition

•Education: Literacy for

mothers

•Social Funds: cash

transfers

•Food/Agriculture:

prices; food

availability/imports;

household agricultural

initiatives

•Planning: growth, land

use, zoning; peri-urban

areas improvement

•Transport: market

access; transportation;

storage; distribution

•Water/Sanitation:

access to safe drinking

water; healthy habitat;

hygiene practices



Towards Age-specific Cross-sector Programs:

Youth


Livelihoods and

employment

Life-long learning

Healthy behaviors



Age

25

14 6 0

Investing earlier in life

Building Blocks for Cross-sector Programs Along the Life Cycle:

… Continue Investing in Youth



Example: Reaching School Drop-outs

Second Chances

•Education:

restoration to

education;

literacy;

vocational

direction

•Social welfare:

Integration into

family and

community

Institutional

capacity building

•Social Funds:

institutional

capacity

building,

municipalities,

universities;

youth

organizations)

Participatory Ed.

Methodology

•Education:

Specialized

teacher training;

class-based

reforms

Cash / in-kind

incentives

•Social

Funds: food;

cash transfers

Mentoring

programs

•Education:

School

counseling &

mentoring

(volunteers,

university

students; youth

organizations)



An Example of Cross-sector Interdependencies:

Enhancing the Education – Employment Nexus (transition to work)

Improving quantity and

quality of post-primary

education

Enhancing Choices (information, capacity, resources)

Second Chances

•Education: financing

and expansion of

secondary / tertiary

education (public –

private – informal)

•Planning/transport:

Land use/supply;

infrastructure; location of

education facilities

•Education: Improving

curricula, teachers and

accountability of

secondary / tertiary

education

• Vocational Training:

linking VET to labor

market demands

•Labor / Education / Social

Affairs / Youth: information

dissemination of market-based

skill demands and learning

opportunities

•Social Affairs / youth /

Education: counseling /

mentoring / vocation orientation

•Vocational Training: market-

based training and programs

•Vocational Training:

enterprise-based training

•Social Funds: credit for youth

livelihood activities / enterprise

creation

•Social Funds /

Social Welfare:

incentives / credit /

student loans for

post-primary school

attendance

•Education:

equivalence programs

•Social Affairs /

Education / Youth /

NGOs: remediation /

youth literacy /skills-

based programs

•Social Affairs /

Youth: youth-led

income generation

projects



Youth are not to be feared or perceived just as a ‘problem’ or

an issue to be solved sometime in

the future.

The young are a dynamic piece of the development puzzle –a positive part of the solution…today!

Source: J.F. Sanchez 2006, HDNCY – The World Bank


Annexes


Within the 8 broad MDGs there are specific indicators targeted for children (0-14) and for youth (15-24)

Progress on meeting these has been the weakest, with most countries likely to fail

If we do not scale up actions rapidly and focus more intensively on the next generation, these outcomes will not be met.

Annex 1: MDGs on Children & Youth

Outcomes are the measure of success: MDG Indicators

Targeting Children and Youth

Children (0-14) Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger (4) Prevalence of underweight children (< 5 yrs) Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education (6) Net enrollment ratio in primary education (7a) % of pupils starting grade 1 who reach grade 5 (7b)* Primary completion rate Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women (9) Ratio of girls to boys in primary education Goal 4: Reduce child mortality (13) Under -5 mortality rate (14) Infant mortality rate (15) Proportion of 1 yr-olds immunized against measles Goal 5: Improve maternal health (16) Maternal mortality ratio (17) Proportion of births attended by skilled health

personnel

Youth (15-24) Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education (8) Literacy rates among 15-24 Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women (9) Ratio of girls to boys in sec. & tertiary ed (10) Ratio of literate females to males 15-24 Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases (18) HIV Prevalence among pregnant women (15-24) (19*) % of pop. 15-24 with comprehensive correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development (45) Unemployment rate among 15-24 * Proposed as additional MDG indicators, but not yet adopted Source: United Nations MDGs

Source: HDNCY, 2005, The World Bank


Annex 2

Ages 0-5—MDGs and Risks

Relevant MDG Target Relevant Risks

• Reduce prevalence of under-weight

children from --% in -- to --% by --

• Reduce the infant mortality rate to --

and under-5 mortality to -- per 1,000

live births by 2015

• Reduce maternal mortality and

morbidity rate to -- per 100,000 live

births by 2015 from about -- per

100,000

• Increase routine measles vaccines to

at least --% combined with a second

opportunity for a measles

vaccination

• Malnutrition: Stunting: --%;

Underweight: --%; Wasting: --%

• Infant/Child Mortality Rate: IMR: --

per 1,000 live births: CMR: --

• Maternal Mortality and Morbidity:

MMR: -- per 100,000 live births

• Childhood Illness: Incidence of

diarrhea (--%); Incidence of ARI (--

%); Incidence of fever (--%)

• Lack of Early Child Care and

Education: ECD enrollment

Source: MNA, 2005, The World Bank


Annex 3

Ages 6-14: MDGs, Risks and Programs


1. Raise the net enrolment rate

in primary education and

increase the 6th grade

completion rate to 100%

2. Eliminate the gender gap in

primary education by 2015

1. School dropouts

Out of school: --%

Dropout rate: --%

Primary school completion

rate: --%

Idle children: --%

2. Disadvantaged Children

Child laborers: --%

Street children: --% (5-9

years); --% (10-18 years)

Disabled children --%



Annex 4

Ages 15-24: MDGs and Risks


1. Slow the increase in

spread of HIV/AIDs by

2005 and halve the rate

of increase by 2010

2. Reduce HIV prevalence

3. Increase literacy rates

4. Increase ratio of girls

to boys in secondary

and tertiary education.

5. Reduce unemployment

rate

Unemployment / Idleness

Unemployment rate: --%

Inactivity rate: teenage girls (15-19) = --%; teenage boys

(15-19) = --%; young adult females (20-24) = --%; young

adult males (20-24) = --%

Lack of Access and Retention in Secondary Education

Secondary school enrollment and completion rates: Gross

secondary enrolment rates = --% for boys, --% for girls

(2000/01); Gross tertiary enrolment rates = --% for young

men, --% for young women (2000/01); data on completion

rates

Literacy rate males: --%; females: --%

Risky Behaviors

Early pregnancy: % of early pregnancy (1999) = --%

(teenagers), --% (young adults): impacts maternal mortality

and morbidity and infant/child mortality

HIV/AIDS: Incidence --% of population aged 10-49

Violence and Crime

Substance Abuse

Lack of Participation in Development Policies and Process



Urban enclaves of poverty, high population densities, low levels of infrastructure, and lack of leisure facilities/public space

Living in disaster-prone/high risk areas, exposure to contaminants /pollutants

High percentage of young people in the settlement Low levels of education

Disproportionate high levels of youth unemployment and/or youth idleness

Weak or non-existent family and community support

Restricted avenues for youth participation and contribution

Limited or differentiated state presence, corrupt and/or violent state apparatus

Relatively easy access to illicit activities and/or weapons

Example: Risk Factors For Children and Youth in Urban Settings

Source: J. F. Sanchez and A. Semlali, 2006 , HDNCY -The World Bank


Responses made possible by joining an

armed group

Society

Community

Peer group

Family

• Poverty/inequality of wealth

• Lack of economic options due

to low levels of education and

high unemployment

• Social marginalization of poor

or minority ethnic groups

prejudice/racism/low self

esteem

• Violence from state forces or

armed groups

• Lack of leisure facilities,

nothing to do, unemployment

• Family problems

Poverty

•Access to money and consumer goods

A job/remunerated services, access to guns

as economic tool

Social recognition: clear and strong identity,

status and power, more attractive to girls,

access to guns as a status symbol

•Protection, revenge, belonging to a strong

group, access to guns for protection

•Group culture, parties, drugs, adrenaline

•Friendship, surrogate family, belonging to a

mutually supportive group

Child/

Youth

Risk factors

Adapted from: Dowdney, L. 2005, Neither War nor Peace: International

Comparisons of Children and Youth in Organized Violence, COAV

Example: Young People Affected by Violence

children and youth in sustainable development

Health & Medicine