A Focus on Child Protection within Social Protection Systems: Transforming Children’s lives

This study examines the relationship between social protection programmes and systems for child protection. It proposes that social protection programmes should become much more sensitive to child protection issues by including elements which strengthen and support families and identify and respond to children at risk.The report further argues that many of the documented benefits of social protection programmes address the very vulnerabilities that make children more at risk of experiencing violence, exploitation and abuse. Child-sensitive programmes often limit their focus to gains in children’s health and education while the positive role that they can play for increased protection of children against violence, abuse and exploitation is seldom measured or acknowledged. As a consequence, the potential and opportunity for social protection interventions to do more in helping to prevent, identify and respond to violence and abuse of children has been overlooked.