Economic Strengthening for Vulnerable Children: Principles of Program Design & Technical Recommendations for Effective Field Interventions (Brief)

This paper highlights the importance of economic strengthening for vulnerable children (ES-VC) and illustrates best practices in this area such that donors and practitioners from different disciplines can easily understand it. The paper puts together a list of core principles for ES-VC program design and implementation based on field work from Kenya and Uganda as well as inputs from a technical guidance committee. These principles include:

• Take a multi-sectoral approach and ensure open dialogue throughout the program;
• Base program design on sound market analysis;
• Weigh the benefits and risks of targeting;
• Identify best practices in ES and adapt them to specific vulnerabilities of children and households;
• Build effective partnerships;
• Develop interventions for scale-ability and sustainability;
• Identify robust indicators to track performance and outcomes.

Finally, the paper illustrates 10 most popular economic strengthening tools to reduce child vulnerability. Examples are categorized under three objectives: social assistance, asset growth and protection, and income growth.