It is often argued that social and economic investments that benefit children and poor households are not affordable or that government expenditure cuts are inevitable during adjustment periods. But there are alternatives, even in the poorest countries. This working paper offers an array of...

This working paper: (i) provides an overview of global, regional and national income inequalities based on the latest distribution data from the World Bank, UNU-WIDER and Eurostat; (ii) discusses the negative implications of rising income inequality for development; (iii) calls for placing...

The structural adjustment programs of the 1980s, promoted as a viable alternative to tax-based financing of public services, called for cost recovery measures such as the imposition of school fees, which ultimately became too burdensome for the poor. By the end of the decade, for political and...

The world’s financial and economic crisis has taken a toll on children and poor households. High food and commodity prices, unemployment and austerity measures have aggravated persistent inequalities and contributed to a substantial rise in hunger and social tensions. Now, more than ever,...

The 21st century starts with vast inequalities for children in terms of income, access to food, water, health, education, housing, or employment for their families. Half of the world’s children are below the poverty line of $2 a day and suffer from multiple deprivations and violations to basic...

While considerable progress is being made across the world in terms of human well-being, global statistics hide the fact that scores of people do not benefit from it much, if at all. Global progress has, by and large, by-passed those who are excluded, ignored, vulnerable, marginalised or...

The second edition brings together nine diverse cases that highlight UNICEF’s and its partners’ experience in making policy work a core strategy for reaching the most deprived children and families. Insights, a new feature introduced in this edition, includes articles by Sir Richard Jolly...

In 2010, UNICEF initiated an e-discussion entitled ‘A Recovery with a Human Face.’1 It soon became the largest UNICEF network and one of the most successful e-discussions ever hosted by the UN. Contributors have included Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman, former UN Under-Secretary- General José...

This United Nations Policy Note on Social Policy provides practical guidance on how to operationalize alternative equitable and employment-generating social policies in National Development Strategies. This Policy Note has been developed in cooperation with UN agencies, and has been officially...