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Public Investment in Children
Save the Children defines Public investment in children as public spending on specific areas that directly benefit children as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and its Optional Protocols, particularly on social protection, health, education, child protection, emergencies and the requisite child rights infrastructure and systems.
Public investment in children ensures children are prioritized in mobilizing, allocating and spending of society’s resources.
In order to sufficiently and sustainably invest in children, governments have to take concrete measures to mobilize public and private, domestic and international resources.
We know that the issue is not just about more money for children, but also efficient and effective use of available resources within open, inclusive and accountable frameworks. A focus on deprivation and inequity demands that we work to improve where the money goes and whom it benefits.
Save the Children helped to get the first ever UN Human Rights Council Resolution on investment in child rights and the Committee on the Rights of the Child agreement to produce a General Comment no 19 on Public spending on child rights.
Photo: Poulomi Basu/Save the Children
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RecommendedChild Rights Governance Impact Story: Save the Children's advocacy for investment in children at the UN Human Rights Council
One of the biggest barriers to the realization of children’s rights is the lack of sufficient, equitable and efficient public spending to realize these rights. Almost all countries in the world have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (U
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RecommendedUN Human Rights Council Resolution: "Toward better investment in the rights of the child"
This child-friendly document explains the purpose and meaning of the United Nations Human Rights Council and the decision that led to a resolution for child rights in 2015. On March 27, 2015, the UN Human Rights Council consensually adopted the resolution
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RecommendedUsing Taxation to Improve Investment in Children- Policy Brief
At a time when most countries are facing fiscal crises and shrinking aid budgets, governments should fully exploit domestic resource mobilization opportunities to improve investment in children. Taxation, in all its various forms, is one sustain- able sou
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RecommendedInvestment in Children- Investment in Everyone
This publication, which contains seven subject-based cases from different parts of the world, provides a concise overview of the aims, approaches and results of Save the Children’s Investment in Children efforts. The work involving Investment in Children
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RecommendedChild Rights Governance: Missed Taxation Opportunities to Improve Investment in Children in Africa: Case analysis of Kenya, Sierra Leone and Zambia
Many governments cite a lack of sufficient resources as the reason for their inability to implement children’s rights according to their obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Yet, findings from this study indica
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RecommendedOvercoming the debt trap and promoting responsible borrowing to improve investment on children- Policy Brief
Borrowing is one way of financing public investments in children. It is thus not necessarily a bad thing to do. However, if not done prudently, it can result in an unsustainable debt burden that negatively affects children. Sub-Saharan Africa for example
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RecommendedTurning Children's Rights into Children's Realities: Why open, inclusive and accountable budgets are important for children
Children constitute over 30% of the world’s population. Effective public policy and service delivery are essential to realize their rights. Budget systems that are transparent, open to public engagement and scrutiny, and that have robust oversight institu
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Investing in Girls: Realizing gender equality through fair finance for girls
The inclusion of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”, is a testament to the importance of gender equity in realising the SDGs’ ambitious vision. Not only does it recognise that “the achievemen
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Public Expenditure for Children with Disabilities
Save the Children in Albania is establishing and strengthening structures and mechanisms which monitor and advocate for children’s rights, promote ways to protect children from all forms of exploitation and violence and also empower and support children a
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Participation of Children and Adolescents: An indispensable factor for a better municipal investment in Central America
In May 2016, the Central American Learning Circle on Children’s Rights and Local Development convened to a Central American Seminar of Children and Adolescents in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, under the slogan “Participation of children and adolescents: an indis
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Tax & Child Rights Guide
Tax revenue can assist governments to finance development and reduce dependence on foreign aid, debt and foreign direct investment among other volatile sources of finance. Moreover tax revenue can be used to increase investment in children related activit
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Child-Participatory Budgeting: A review of global practice
Both the United Nations Human Rights Council, the European Commission, and the Committee on the Rights of the Child have put strong emphasis on child rights budgeting, recommending that States’ parties develop child budgets as a key aspect of implementati