www.equityforchildren.org

http://www.crin.org/docs/Childp.doc

In April 2008, UNICEF and the Graduate Program in International Affairs (GPIA), at The New School will jointly host an international conference to review and mobilise the international agenda on ending child poverty and reducing disparities. The conference, will create a space for consultation and exchange between academics, professionals and government officials working on different aspects of the fight against child poverty.

The conference will also provide input and feedback to UNICEF’s Global Study on Child Poverty and Disparities, which is currently being carried out in 40 countries (for more information, please see http://www.unicefglobalstudy.blogspot.com/). This conference is part of the long-term partnership between UNICEF and the New School to promote Human Development.

Call for Papers:

The UNICEF-GPIA International Conference seeks to bring together new evidence on how policy can prevent child poverty and reduce disparity. Papers should focus on the ways - positive and negative - that policies affect children’s lives. Analyses may focus on particular local, national, regional and global contexts; selected papers will address at least one of three broad areas:

I. Defining, measuring and assessing child poverty:
Papers should contribute to the evidence base on child poverty, including: innovative approaches to measuring the material and non-material dimensions of child poverty; assessment of how transient versus persistent poverty can affect child wellbeing; examination of the impacts of intergenerational poverty; and evaluation of linkages between child poverty, exclusion, and vulnerability.

II. Addressing policy gaps:
Studies should explore causal linkages to determine whether poverty reduction policies achieve their goal, and to understand what types of interventions produce good results for children and why some children and families with children are excluded from progress.

III. Achieving policy change:
Research in this area should illustrate effective processes and mechanisms that drive policy and institutional changes, reduce child poverty and disparities, and improve access and use of social services. Papers could present examples of good practices, including examples of how evidence can be leveraged to build political will, influence policy and achieve results for all children.

Structure of the Conference

The conference will be held over a period of two and half days. The Conference will be organised as follows.

• Presentation of approximately 10 selected papers from the international call for papers
• Presentation of approximately 10 UNICEF country analyses from the Global Study on Child Poverty and disparities
• Contributions from expert discussants and commentators

Please find some relevant background papers listed below:
http://www.unicef.org/videoaudio/PDFs/Poverty_and_Children_a_Perspective.pdf
http://www.equityforchildren.org/child-poverty/index.html&idcontent=32
http://www.unicef.org/publications/index_24432.html

Calendar of Events

31 January 2008 – Deadline for paper proposal submissions. Submit a one-page proposal to: William Post, Conference Coordinator, Graduate Program in International Affairs, New School University, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10011, or by e-mail at childpovertyconference08@gmail.com
Submission guidelines: Proposals should be no more than 400 words and must be submitted in English.

25 February 2008 – 8-12 papers will be selected by an advisory panel composed of members of UNICEF, GPIA, and recognised external experts; selection will be completed by 25 February 2008.

1 April 2008 - Deadline for final paper submissions.

A limited amount of resources will be available to help fund travel for some authors of selected papers. It is expected that participants will be funded by their own organisation.

Contacts:

Alberto Minujin
Conference Director
Research Fellow and Faculty
GPIA, The New School
e-mail: aminujin@gmail.com

Gaspar Fajth
Head, Economic and Social Policy Unit
Global Policy Section
Division of Policy and Planning, UNICEF
e-mail: gfajth@unicef.org

Last updated 07/12/2007 08:10:46