United Nations Children’s Fund, Measuring and Monitoring Child Protection Systems:Proposed Core Indicators for the East Asia and Pacific Region, Strengthening Child Protection Series No. 3., UNICEF EAPRO, Bangkok, 2012.

The third publication Measuring and Monitoring Child Protection Systems—Proposed Regional Core Indicators for East Asia and the Pacific in the UNICEF series Strengthening Child Protection Systems, proposes a framework of core indicators for measuring and monitoring national child protection systems in East Asia and the Pacific. The indicators, used either in concert or selectively, will support monitoring and assessment of the enabling environment or ‘governance’ of national child protection systems, the relevant legal and regulatory structure, the social welfare system for children and families and the justice system as it relates to child protection. This monitoring will enable governments to assess the impact of policies and programmes on child protection systems over time.

The framework draws from existing indicator systems to fill gaps within a system-wide perspective. The proposed indicators are designed for measurability and for adaptation across differing country. While the focus is on the East Asia and Pacific region, the indicators are likely to be applicable in other settings and as such represent a contribution to global discussion on measuring the governance of national child protection systems.

This report is a contribution to the evidence base on child maltreatment in the region, as well as globally, with the intention that this work will contribute to ensuring that all children are protected from violence, abuse, and neglect.