Invitation side event “The transformative potential of expanding the coverage of child benefits to eliminate child poverty”

The side event “The transformative potential of expanding the coverage of child benefits to eliminate child poverty” will be held on February 14, 2024 at 1:15 pm to 2:30 pm EST at Conference Room 11, UNHQ, New York. The event will be held during the 62nd Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD62).

Child poverty is one of the world’s greatest challenges to the realisation of the SDGs and children’s rights, including the right to survival, learning and protection. In 2022, 330 million children lived in extreme poverty, with children comprising more than half of the world’s 1.1 billion people experiencing multidimensional poverty. 

Through the SDGs, world leaders committed to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, including by putting in place social protection floors (SPFs) by 2030 and guaranteeing access to quality essential health care for all and basic income security for children, persons with disabilities, older persons and the unemployed.

While governments have made some progress in building inclusive social protection systems, children are frequently left the furthest behind. For instance, in 2021, more than 73 percent of girls and boys worldwide did not receive any child or family cash benefits at all, leaving them particularly vulnerable and at risk to the irreversible and long-lasting impacts of poverty, stunting and wasting, inadequate access to health and education services on human capability development.

To promote awareness and use of Universal Child Benefits (UCBs) as an effective means to reduce child poverty and support child development, the International Labour Organization (ILO), Save the Children and UNICEF will launch a new tool, the Global Child Benefits Tracker during the CSocD62 in New York. As indicated by the recent report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in his report to the Human Rights Council, UCBs are one of the most inclusive, effective and fairest approaches to reach those furthest behind. 

The aim of this tool is to provide a dedicated knowledge management platform to foster progressive and evidence-based dialogue, drawing on best practice, on the need for and feasibility of greater investment in child-sensitive social protection.

Speakers and Panelists

Opening Remarks:
Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, Special Representative to the United Nations and Director of the ILO Office in New York

Keynote Speaker:

Philip Alston, former UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights

Moderated Discussion

• Jane Kitili, Director Social Protection, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Republic of Kenya
• H.E. Ambassador Olivier Maes, Permanent Representative of Luxembourg
• H.E. Ambassador Enkhbold Vorshilov, Permanent Representative of Mongolia
  
  Moderated by Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, Special Representative to the United Nations and Director of the ILO Office in New York
  
  Presentation of the Global Child Benefits Tracker
• David Lambert Tumwesigye, Global Policy & Advocacy Lead, Child Poverty, Save the Children International
  
  Questions and Answers
  
  Closing Remarks
• Natalia Winder Rossi, Global Director of Social Policy and Social Protection, UNICEF

This event is organised by Save the Children International, UNICEF and ILO and co-sponsored by the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors (GCSPF), the Permanent Mission of Luxembourg and USP2030.     

Link to participate online:
https://unvc.webex.com/unvc/j.php?MTID=m2a0c225f02eac227c16428d745da85be
Webinar number: 2343 658 0587
Webinar password: CSocD62_14Feb#24

Download the concept note here. Further information is available here.