advocacy tools and arguments for social investment in

ADVOCACY TOOLS AND
ARGUMENTS FOR SOCIAL
INVESTMENT IN ADOLESCENTS
Cover photo: ©UNICEF-Belize / Cesar Villar
ISBN-13: 978-92-806-4015-1
ISBN-10: 92-806-4015-1
All rights reserved, 2006
Produced by:
UNICEF, Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
Ciudad del Saber, Edificio 131
Apartado 3667 Balboa, Ancón
Panamá Rep. de Panamá
Tel. (507) 301-7400 • Fax: (507) 317-0258
Email: [email protected] • Web: http//www.unicef.org/lac
ADVOCACY TOOLS AND
ARGUMENTS FOR SOCIAL
INVESTMENT IN ADOLESCENTS
CONTENTS
1
Adolescents make up
20% of the population
and 100% of the future
4
5
Introduction
7
A D O L E S C E N C E : A D E C I S I V E S TA G E
1.1 Toward positive perspectives on adolescence
1.2 Formulating Public Policy and Interventions for Adolescent’s
rights from a positive viewpoint
WHY INVEST IN ADOLESCENTS?
2.1 Arguments for social investment in adolescents
3
W H AT A R E T H E S T R AT E G I C A R E A S F O R
INVESTMENT IN ADOLESCENTS?
4
T H E N AT I O N A L B U D G E T: A TO O L F O R
FULFILLING ADOLESCENTS RIGHTS
5
N E C E S S A RY S TA G E S A N D TO O L S F O R A N A LY S I S A N D
M O N I TO R I G O F S O C I A L I N V E S T M E N T I N A D O L E S C E N T S
6
MOBILISATION, ADVOCACY AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR
ENCOURAGING SOCIAL INVESTMENT IN ADOLESCENTS
3.1 Secondary education and job training
3.2 Healthy development of adolescents
3.3 Protecting adolescents from mistreatment, exploitation
and abuse and creating safe and protective environments
4.1 How to determine the most appropriate strategies
to influence social investment in adolescents
4.2 Advocacy strategies in favour of social investment in adolescents
5.1 Quantifying social expenditure that benefits adolescents
5.2 Gaining access to budgetary information
5.3 Developing a budgetary information system
5.4 Analyzing and monitoring social expenditure on adolescents
6.1 The stages of the budgetary process and the relevant state actors
6.2 Non-governmental actors
Bibliography
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31
32
37
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43
46
48
contents
Anonymous
2
List of acronyms
List of boxes and diagrams
3
LIST OF BOXES AND DIAGRAMS
IMF
UNFPA
FODESAF
Box 5:
Box 6:
acronyms
IDB
CRC
ECLAC
4
IDRC
MD
UUNN
OCA
WHO
NGO
GIP
UNDP
SIAF
TACRO
UNICEF
UNIFEM
Inter-American Development Bank
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Economic Commission for
Latin America and the Caribbean
International Monetary Fund
United Nations Population Fund
Fondo de Desarrollo Social y Asignaciones
Familiares ( Social Development and Family
Assignations Fund-Costa Rica)
International Development Research Centre
Millenium Development Goals
United Nations
Orçamento Criança e Adolescentes
(Children and Adolescents Budget -Brazil)
World Health Organization
Non-governmental Organization
Gross Internal Product
United Nations Development Programme
Sistema Integrado de Administración Financiera
(Integrated Financial Management System-Brazil)
The Americas and Caribbean Regional
Office (UNICEF)
United Nations Children’s Fund
United Nations Development Fund for Women
Box
Box
Box
Box
1:
2:
3:
4:
Box 7:
Box 8:
Box 9:
Box 10:
Diagram 1:
Diagram 2:
Essential elements for a positive view of adolescence
Early adolescence: a forgotten stage
Resilience in adolescents
Social investment for the adolescent population in Latin
America and the Caribbean
The cost of not investing in adolescents
Education for adolescents in Latin America and the
Caribbean
The sexual and reproductive health situation among
adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean
The Xchange initiative
Violence and vulnerable adolescents in Latin America and
the Caribbean
Initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean
Relationship between the national budget and the
progressive realization of the rights of adolescents
Stages of the budgetary cycle
boxes and diagrams
ACRONYMS
5
INTRODUCTION
The Convention on the Rights of
the Child 1 establishes the civil,
political, economic, social and
cultural rights that should be
enjoyed free from discrimination
by all people under 18 years of
age. The rights of children and
adolescents to survival,
development, protection from
abuse, mistreatment and
exploitation, and the right to fully
participate in family, cultural and
social life, are enshrined in this
legal document.
However, a quick glance at social
indicators on adolescents or
around any city in Latin America
and the Caribbean makes it
patently clear that the real
situation of adolescents in the
region is far from the ideals laid
out in the Convention. For many,
being an adolescent in Latin
America and the Caribbean today
means undergoing the inherent
difficulties of this transition phase
while also facing the obstacles
and risks associated with poverty,
lack of opportunity, and an
absence of the supportive
©UNICEF-Chile / Antony Asael
Translating the principles and
norms established in the
Convention into reality, requires
determined governmental action,
which must aim to guarantee the
promotion and protection of the
rights of adolescents through
public policy. However, in order
for public policy to meet this goal,
a transition is required from the
traditional view of adolescents as
the cause of social problems, to a
more positive view of adolescents
as rights-holders, recognizing
their enormous potential to
contribute to their own
development and that of society.
“...the first thing adults need to
do is to start thinking like us,
and that way, someday, they
will understand the truth
of the situation we live in”
introduction
All the countries in Latin America
and the Caribbean have ratified
the Convention and have
therefore undertaken the legal
obligation and international
commitment to protect and
guarantee the rights of children
“to the maximum extent of their
available resources.” The
Convention has triggered
significant advances in national
legislation and this has been
reflected in concrete
improvements in the living
conditions of millions of children
and adolescents throughout the
region.
networks and protective
environments needed to ensure
their optimal development.
7
Luis, a 19 year-old Colombian contributor to La
Juventud Opina (Voices of Youth) www.unicef.org
discussion forum and chat section
Public policy toward adolescents
– which has traditionally focused
on relieving problems like
addiction, teenage pregnancy and
violence - must be universal,
holistic, and preventive. It must
concentrate on developing the
potential and capacities of
adolescents, offering them
opportunities to adopt healthy
behaviour patterns, to live
together in protective
1. Henceforth, the Convention
5
environments and to develop the
skills needed for citizenship and
adult life.
introduction
The implementation of public
policies that fulfil the rights of
adolescents, requires sufficient,
efficient and equitable social
investment. This document seeks
to provide arguments and tools
needed so that staff of UNICEF
offices in Latin America and the
Caribbean - along with the broad
spectrum of allies, partners and
donor groups - may exert
influence over the budgetary
processes with a common vision
of achieving a more equitable and
efficient allocation of public
resources to benefit adolescents,
while promoting transparency and
citizen participation in social
investment policies.
8
6
This document builds on the
accumulated experience of
UNICEF and partners cooperation
programmes in several countries
of the region, and also makes use
of the document Investing in
Children: Arguments and
Approaches for Advocacy by the
UNICEF Americas and the
Caribbean Regional Office in early
2005.
©UNICEF-Chile / Antony Asael
1
Adolescence:
a decisive stage
Adolescence is one of the most
complex and fascinating stages of
human life and is characterised as
a period of change, vulnerability
and opportunity.
2
During adolescence people
undergo significant physical and
emotional changes as they begin
the move toward independence
and autonomy. They also question
their identity, seek to establish
relationships outside the family
environment, begin to understand
and experience their sexuality,
and begin to prepare themselves
to enter the labour market.
The period of adolescence is one
of the most critical opportunities to
positively influence one’s life.
During this period, the decisions
that are made, the habits that are
formed and the paths chosen can
have life-long repercussions.
Adolescents are continually
undergoing a physical,
intellectual, emotional and morally
formative process. It is necessary
©UNICEF-Dominican Republic / Paola Reyes
1.1 Toward positive
perspectives on adolescence
Adolescents in Latin America and
the Caribbean are frequently seen
as the source of various problems
affecting society. As violence,
street-gangs, drug and alcohol
abuse and early pregnancy have
caught the media and the public’s
attention, adolescents are often
Adolescents are continually
undergoing a physical,
intellectual, emotional and
morally formative process. It is
necessary to cultivate a
support base for adolescents
from every societal group.
module 1
For many adolescents in Latin
America and the Caribbean, a
supportive family, a circle of
friends and other protective
networks help them deal with
this transition phase, making
adolescence a learning stage
of positive experiences, personal
growth and intellectual and
emotional development. However,
for a large percentage of the
region’s adolescent population,
the situation is different, as they
face the challenges of this
transition stage without these
supportive networks, and in many
cases, their situation is
exacerbated by the deficiencies
and disadvantages arising from
poverty and exclusion.
to cultivate a support base for
adolescents from every societal
group. The economic and social
development of Latin America and
the Caribbean in ten years time is,
to a large extent, dependent on
the priority given to fulfilling the
human rights of today’s
adolescents.
11
viewed as synonymous with these
problems, a situation that must be
changed.
This limited negative view of
adolescence is reflected in public
policy. Adolescent policies have
targeted specific problems such
as addiction, early parenthood
and the violence perpetrated by
adolescents. State intervention
has tackled these problems, and
2. Throughout this document the term
“adolescent” will refer to any individual
aged between 10 and 18, and young
people as those between 19 and
24 years old.
9
this has required substantial
investment, much higher than the
cost of preventive measures. Also,
in many cases, the intervention
has been focused exclusively on
the problem at hand, overlooking
underlying causes associated with
other aspects of adolescent life.
This approach bypasses the
interrelated nature of physical
health, emotional well-being and
education family conditions, and
the community. These
interventions, in addition to being
costly and frequently unsuccessful
due to their limited scope, confirm
the fact that governments and
society view adolescents as a
source of problems and overlook
their potential to contribute to the
development of both themselves
and their communities.
module 1
The positive view of adolescents is
derived from the Convention and
is both a philosophy and a
conceptual framework for the
design and implementation of
public policies, programmes, and
interventions in favour of their
rights. Box 1 summarizes the main
characteristics of a positive view of
adolescence.
12
1.2 Public policy for adolescent
rights from a positive
perspective
10
3. According to The Convention on the
Rights of the Child the term ‘child’ or
‘children’ includes everyone up
to the age of 18 years-old.
As will be seen in greater depth in
Chapter 3, policies and
interventions that seek to
guarantee the rights of
adolescents from a positive
perspective must have the
following characteristics:
holistic, recognizing the integral
nature of individuals and focus
upon family, the community and
the broader environment
surrounding adolescents.
• They must be preventive, giving
special attention to the period
between 10 and 14 years of age,
known as early adolescence (see
Box 2). Intervention during this
stage is especially important
because it can contribute to
helping adolescents generate
resilience and other tools needed
to protect themselves from risk
and help avoid common problems
during this stage (see Box 3).
International evidence shows that
during early adolescence,
children3 value the advice,
guidance and support offered by
parents and other adults.
• Concentrate on the potential
and capacities of adolescents,
offering them opportunities to
adopt healthy behaviours, to live
together in protective
environments, and to develop the
skills necessary for citizenship
and adult life.
• Offer special protection and
restore the rights of adolescents
in problematic situations or in
vulnerable conditions. This occurs
when universal policies fail or do
not exist. In the latter case, policy
ought to be concerned with
restoring the rights that have been
violated.
• Include the active participation
of adolescents in the design,
implementation and evaluation of
policies, programmes and projects
aimed at benefiting them so as to
ensure that they better respond to
the needs and priorities of
adolescents.
• Involve families, schools and
communities and strengthen their
capacity to act in favour of the
rights of adolescents.
Box 1:
Essential elements of a positive view of adolescence
The following are essential elements for a positive view of adolescents:
Adolescents must be perceived, valued and respected as rights-holders
with potential to contribute to their own development and that of society.
Much of the problematic behaviour of adolescents can be attributed to
their lack of emotional “literacy,” linked to shortcomings in their immediate
surroundings (family, school, community) and the macro-environment.
Adolescents know their needs and priorities and they must be allowed
active participation in decision-making and the various stages of public
policy.
Adolescent welfare depends upon relationships within their immediate
surroundings (families, schools and communities) and the treatment they
receive from others.
Adolescents need recognition, guidance and support from their parents
and teachers.
Adolescents must develop self-esteem, self-knowledge and a sense of
belonging.
• Be based on the principles of
the Convention on the Rights of
the Child and the Convention
on the Elimination of all forms
of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW). This implies
that policies must protect the best
interest of the child and ensure
that there is no discrimination
based on race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political views,
national or social origin, economic
status, or any other condition.
• Be guided by reliable, updated
and relevant information on the
demographic, economic and
social variables affecting
adolescents and their
surroundings. Similarly, policymaking must be driven by
information from previously
successful interventions.
module 1
A positive view leaves behind the
perception of adolescents as the
objects of charity and benevolence
or as the source of innumerable
problems, and instead recognizes
them as individuals with enormous
potential for transforming societies.
• They must be universal and
13
11
Box 2
Early adolescence: a forgotten stage
In Latin America and the Caribbean public spending has traditionally
concentrated on childhood development during the early years of life, through
widespread vaccination, prevention and treatment of diarrhea and serious
respiratory infections, promoting breastfeeding and complementary feeding,
among other targets. Public spending in the region has also been concerned
with “alleviating” the problems which emerge most notoriously during later
adolescence (15-18), such as early pregnancy, violence, and HIV/AIDS. The
population aged 10-14 has not been a priority in public policy and policy
implementation has, on occasion, overlooked their specific needs.
14
Early adolescence is a critical period for the implementation of public policies
aimed at offering adolescents the chance to adopt healthy behaviours, to live
together in protective environments, and to develop the skills needed for
citizenship and adult life. Investment in pre-adolescents and adolescents
between 10 and 14 is fundamental to guarantee sustainability and continuity
of results from investments made during early childhood and in preventing
the emergence of problems that have high costs for society - such as early
pregnancy, drug consumption, sexually transmitted diseases and violence,
among others.
Source: WHO, UNFPA, UNAIDS (2004)
Resilience in adolescents
Resilience, in engineering terms, is the capacity of a material to revert to its
original form after having been subjected to pressure which has deformed it.
In social and human sciences, resilience is understood as a person’s
capacity to prevent, minimize or overcome the negative effects of a situation.
It is also defined as the ability to re-emerge from adversity, to adapt, recover
and achieve a meaningful and productive life (ICCB, Institute on Child
Resilience and Family, 1994).
Resilience theory seeks to identify the types of “emotional armour” that allow
children and adolescents to achieve satisfactory development, despite living
in poverty or suffering due to catastrophic events.
The World Health Organisation studied data from 53 countries and
determined which factors contribute to protecting adolescents from the risks
surrounding them. These factors are fundamental in preventing problems
which occur frequently during this stage of life.
•
•
•
Family relationships: Adolescents who have positive family
relationships are less likely to begin sexual activity at an early age
and have a lower probability of using addictive substances (alcohol,
drugs, tobacco).
The school environment: A good school environment helps
prevent the use of addictive substances. Positive relationships with
teachers contribute to delaying early sexual activity and a positive
attitude toward school helps to prevent adolescents from depression.
Religion or spirituality: Religious beliefs and faith also protect
adolescents from early sexual activity, the use of addictive
substances, and depression.
It is especially important to guarantee that these factors are present during
the early stages of adolescence (10-14 years old) so they can help prevent
problems in the future.
Source: World Health Organization (2002).
12
module 1
module 1
It is precisely during these years of early adolescence that individuals are
beginning to experience accelerated physical and sociological changes and
when they require more support and guidance. Adolescents between the
ages of 10-14 are vulnerable, because they are more likely to become the
victims of abuse and exploitation and to demonstrate high risk behaviour.
However, given the receptiveness of young adolescents, this stage also
offers a great opportunity to encourage healthy habits in order to protect
them from high-risk situations in the future.
Box 3:
15
2
Why invest in
adolescents?
Adolescents require the support of
their families and other adults,
along with the institutions that
provide them with the goods and
services necessary for exercising
their human rights. This will
ensure that they are healthy, live
together in protective
environments and can develop
the skills needed for citizenship
and adult life.
2.1 Arguments for social
investment in adolescents
The human rights argument
The objective of public policy in
a social welfare state is the
fulfilment of the human rights,
especially those of children and
adolescents. The universality of
human rights is a necessary
condition to achieve greater
social integration, economic
development, and the
consolidation of democracy.
The Convention states that states
parties will guarantee the survival
and maximum development of
©UNICEF-Jamaica / Shehzad Noorani
Hence, illnesses due to a lack of
access to healthcare and water
and sanitation services, restricted
development and lost potential
due to deficiencies in education
services and the abuse and
exploitation of adolescents are
serious violations of human rights.
The Convention also affirms that
states parties will adopt measures
to the maximum extent of their
The objective of public policy in
a social welfare state is the
fulfilment of the rights of
citizens and especially children
and adolescents.
available resources in order to
ensure the implementation of the
social, cultural and economic
rights of children. The Convention
has been ratified by all of the
countries of Latin America and the
Caribbean; and they are therefore
under a legal, ethical and political
obligation to allocate the
resources needed to guarantee
compliance.
The economic argument
Many studies have shown that
there is a strong correlation
between health and education
conditions and economic growth.
Investments aimed at creating
human capital - for example,
improving access to health
module 2
It is the state’s duty to support
families in their protective roles
and to implement public policies
geared towards fulfilling the rights
of all children and adolescents. In
a region like Latin America and
the Caribbean, where a high
percentage of families have
neither the income nor the skills
needed to satisfy the material
needs of their adolescent children,
social expenditure – commonly
understood as public spending on
education, health, nutrition, social
protection, housing, water and
sanitation– plays a fundamental
role in fulfilling the human rights
of children and adolescents.
people under 18, providing
necessary support to their
parents, and ensuring the
development of institutions,
facilities, and services to this end.
17
Box 4:
Social investment for the adolescent population in Latin America and
the Caribbean
There is a high degree of heterogeneity in national policies for adolescence
across Latin America and the Caribbean. In some countries inter-sectoral,
integral and participatory public policies prevail, recognizing adolescents as
both rights-holders and participants in the processes of economic and social
development. In others, however, the situation is still precarious. In several
nations in the region, there is a lack of explicit and exclusive policies for
adolescents. Adolescents are often covered, by legislation and programmes
for young children (under 10 years-old) or young adults. Also, problems
affecting adolescents are frequently dealt with through sectoral programmes
that do not incorporate an integrated approach to adolescents .
Since the budgets of the region’s countries do not itemize social spending
targeting adolescents, it is difficult to determine exactly how much public
spending actually benefits them. However, it is clear that public spending
directly benefiting adolescents – most of which corresponds to secondary
education and sexual and reproductive health – tends to be low and
insufficient for dealing with the needs of this population group. Similarly,
many of the specific programmes aimed at adolescents have no legal status
and tend to be temporary and their cyclical repetition depends on unstable
budgetary resources.
module 2
18
On the economic front,
globalization and the transition
toward an information society
mean that societies depend
increasingly on their ability to
compete and this, in turn, relies
on the incorporation of intelligence
and knowledge into the productive
system. As a result, economic
development requires a wide
range of changes in education. 4
4.
CEPAL (ECLAC) and UNESCO,
(2005)
5. CEPAL (ECLAC) (1996)
6. Population Division of the Department
of Economic and Social Affairs of the
United Nations Secretariat (2004)
The individual benefits of
secondary education are
significant. According to ECLAC,
in some countries in Latin
America, people who complete
secondary education have an
income up to seven times higher
than the amount strictly required
for basic living needs .5
The lack of appropriate
investment in children and
adolescents of all ages generates
serious problems which will have
repercussions on them, their
families and on society as a
whole. In Latin America and the
Caribbean, there are more than
100 million adolescents between
10 and 18 years-old.6 If sufficient
resources are not invested to
guarantee their well-being and
the protection of their rights,
economic losses through a lack
of competitive labour - through
sickness, early pregnancy and
violence, among other elements could result in extremely high
costs for national economies (see
Box 5). In fact, the World Health
The lack of suitable and appropriate investment in adolescent health
carries high costs in both social and economic terms.
•
A study of seven countries in the Caribbean calculated the social cost to
society from pregnancies among a cohort of adolescent women. To
calculate this they took into account the costs that children of adolescent
mothers represents to the state, throughout their lives in terms of
maintenance, health, transferals and the financial cost of the crime
perpetrated in the future by some of the children. Findings showed that
while the cost of a cohort of pregnant adolescent women varied
substantially from country to country (from $1 million in Guyana to $86
million in the Dominican Republic), it is in all cases dramatically higher than
the cost of implementing policies to prevent this phenomenon (World Bank
2003).
• The same study showed violence and juvenile crime in Saint Lucia
caused losses to society of $3 million per year. A 1% reduction in juvenile
crime would bring a 4% increase in tourism income in Jamaica and 2.3%
in the Bahamas. Similarly, financial losses caused by the death of people
contracting HIV/AIDS during adolescence oscillates between 0.01% of
gross national product (GNP) in Surinam and Antigua and Barbuda, and
0.17% of GNP in the Bahamas (World Bank, 2003).
• The Commission on Macroeconomics and Health stated that for a
country with Gross Domestic Product of $1,000, the benefits derived from
the prevention of one case of HIV-AIDS infection totals $34,000
(UNFPA, 2005).
• Data for Trinidad and Tobago indicate that for each person who commits
a crime (including adolescents above the age of criminal responsibility), the
direct costs paid by society total $11,823 dollars, - including the costs of the
arrest, the court appearance, six months imprisonment and income loss. If
the economic and human costs to the victims of crime were included, the
estimated total would be substantially higher. (World Bank, 2002).
Organization estimates that 70%
of preventable adult deaths
(including cardiac illness, lung
cancer and AIDS) originate in
health related behaviour and
models stemming from
adolescence.
Also, over the coming years
falling birthrates will cause several
countries in Latin America and the
Caribbean to experience a relative
increase in the working population
compared to the economically
dependent population (children
and older adults). This presents
a “demographic window of
opportunity,” as low dependence
rates mean more investment
could be made in adolescents
and young people, training human
capital, driving economic growth,
and helping to get an economic
and social transformation
underway.
module 2
services, or improving the
coverage, quality and relevance
of education - result in a better
trained, more productive
population with greater potential
to contribute to strengthening
national competitiveness.
Box 5: The cost of failing to invest in adolescents
19
The poverty and inequality
reduction argument
Given Latin America and the
Caribbean’s high rates of social
and economic inequality, equity is
an absolutely critical issue when
addressing economic
development, poverty reduction
and human rights.
In comparison with other regions
of the world, Latin America and
the Caribbean has the most
unequal income distribution and
most acute disparities. In the
region, the wealthiest 20% of
homes receive 60% of national
income, while the poorest 40%
receive 10%.7 In countries like
Panama, Brazil, Venezuela and
Paraguay, the richest 10% of the
population have incomes 60 times
higher than those of the poorest
10%.8
module 2
Inequality obstructs economic
development and poverty
reduction, as demonstrated by
a recent study of 18 countries in
Latin America.9 The results
indicate that just a slight
improvement in income
distribution could have the same
positive effect on poverty
reduction as years of economic
growth.
20
These disparities, in addition to
constituting an obstacle to
economic growth and social
stability, are ethically and morally
reprehensible. Social, economic
or political performance should be
measured by efforts and talents,
not family history, race, sex, place
of birth, family background or
social standing.10
State intervention is required to
generate policies to redistribute
a society’s resources. Appropriate
investment in health, nutrition,
education, protection and
participation of children and
adolescents is a strategic tool to
help break the cycle of poverty
and reduce inequality.
The political argument
In order for Latin American and
the Caribbean nations to
consolidate their democracy, it is
crucial to invest in the education
of future generations and in the
promotion of the values and
culture of participation and
peaceful co-existence. Public
expenditure aimed at promoting
the development and participation
of adolescents provides them with
the chance to define and
configure their individual identity
and citizenship. Participation
allows adolescents to acquire
the values and skills needed to
exercise democracy and also
prepares them to contribute to
the strengthening of civil society.
Participation in the daily spheres
means adolescents can develop
the capacities they need to act
and contribute positively in the
political arena, which represents
an added value for society.
Furthermore, investment in
adolescents is a mechanism to
achieve greater social mobility
and integration, reduce poverty,
exclusion, social unrest, and
violence - factors which all
impede the strengthening of
democracy.
7. UNICEF (2005)
8. PNUD (UNDP) (2005)
9. CEPAL, PNUD, IPEA (ECLAC,
UNDP, IPEA) (2003)
10. World Bank (2006)
©UNICEF-Jamaica / Shehzad Noorani
3
What are the strategic
areas for investment in
adolescents?
The rights of children and
adolescents are indivisible, which
means all rights have the same
importance and can therefore not
be classified hierarchically.
However, in Latin America and the
Caribbean, restrictions in public
budgets mean that not all rights
can be guaranteed immediately
and simultaneously. In this
context, the principle of
progressive realization of rights
becomes highly relevant,
recognizing that full compliance
with human rights can occur
gradually in cases where
resources are restricted.
The following pages highlight
central elements regarding the
formulation of public policy within
the framework of a positive view
of adolescence. The analysis
presented in this section must not
be taken as an exhaustive list of
©UNICEF-Paraguay / Luis Vera
Each country should tailor their
policies and interventions for
adolescents according
to their particular social,
economic, cultural, gender
and civil status.
3.1 Secondary education and
job training
Many opportunities are
determined by the quantity and
quality of education received.
Quality education develops critical
thinking and life skills which are
essential for the consolidation of
citizen identity. People who have
completed a quality secondary
education tend to have better
living conditions, higher income
during adulthood and a lower
probability of being poor.
Similarly, a quality education
protects children and adolescents
from high risk activities and
situations which threaten their
welfare. This leads to the common
affirmation that education is a
central element in achieving other
module 3
Through a careful analysis of the
situation of adolescents in Latin
America and the Caribbean,11
three priority areas where public
spending would work strategically
toward realising their rights can
be identified: (i) secondary
education and job training; (ii)
healthy development of
adolescents; (iii) protecting
adolescents from mistreatment,
exploitation and abuse and the
creation of safe and protective
environments. It must be noted
that policies, programmes and
generally all interventions aimed
at affecting adolescents and their
surroundings must incorporate
active participation, giving them
broad opportunities to express
themselves, listening to what they
have to say and allowing them to
act as agents of their own
development.
policy recommendations; rather it
represents a group of
contributions to help guide and
enrich policies in favour of the
rights of Latin American and
Caribbean adolescents.12 It is
important to consider that the
heterogeneity of the adolescent
population throughout the region
means each country must adjust
the policies and interventions to
suit this group according to their
particular social, economic,
cultural, gender and civil status.
23
11. Shepard, Bonnie L, (2005).
12. For guidance on UNICEF programming
for the rights of adolescents in Latin
America and the Caribbean, see UNICEF,
human rights and a catalyst for the
development of human potential.
The following are some strategic
aspects which must be taken into
account for investment in
education:
Education for diversity:
Latin America and the Caribbean
is a region characterized by
diverse races and ethnic groups.
Consequently, schools and
curricula should respond to the
specific needs of students of
African, Indigenous, and gypsy
descent, among others.
Flexible timetables:
Schools must have flexibility in
order to meet the needs of
adolescents, especially those who
must simultaneously work and
study.
24
Schools must respond to the
different needs of male and female
adolescents and strive to ensure
that both groups receive a quality
secondary education and do not
abandon school early. Secondary
education must offer students of
both sexes the chance to break
away from traditional gender roles
which limit personal participation
and development.
A second chance:
Greater efforts must be made to
offer a “second chance” to
adolescents who have fallen
behind or abandoned their studies.
These programmes should aim to
protect adolescents in vulnerable
situations.
Programmes which train
adolescents for a productive
future, allow them to develop a
series of skills needed to run a
business or to practice a craft or
trade.
Life skills:
Literacy and numeracy alone do
not prepare adolescents to
successfully face the challenges
of daily life. The secondary school
curriculum in Latin America and
the Caribbean must teach
attitudes and skills needed to
adopt healthy behaviours.
Participation:
Adolescent participation within the
school environment helps
strengthen self-esteem,
democratic values, and exercise
citizenship. Secondary schools
must facilitate adolescent
participation offering them the
knowledge and tools needed to
reach this end.
Environments to encourage
adolescent development:
The quality of the school
environment strongly affects the
well-being of adolescents. If
adolescents are happy in their
schools and develop a sense of
belonging, they are less likely to
become involved in high-risk
behaviours. Therefore, secondary
schools must develop a “friendly”
atmosphere and make efforts to
develop personal links with each
student.
Box 6:
The education situation for adolescents in
Latin America and the Caribbean
Although figures indicate a gross average secondary school enrolment rate
of more than 70% for Latin America and the Caribbean, when
disaggregating data, vast inequalities are evident both between and within
nations. In some English speaking Caribbean countries, like the Bahamas,
Barbados, Anguilla and Dominica, as in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, the
gross of secondary enrolment rate is above 90%, while at the other end of
the scale, low income nations like Nicaragua and Guatemala have rates
below 60%. Adolescents in the lower socioeconomic strata, those living in
rural areas, and ethnic minorities face greater difficulties in accessing
secondary education.
Furthermore, deficiencies in education quality, weak links between
curriculum content and the demands of the labour market, low rates of
retention, failing classes and consequently repeating the school year, are all
important issues which affect a significant percentage of secondary schools.
Data taken from UNESCO (2005).
3.2 The healthy development
of adolescents
The health and healthy
development of adolescents is
central to the social, economic
and political progress of the
region. However, public health
policy frequently focuses upon
problematic behaviour and its
consequences, such as early
sexual activity, early pregnancy
and HIV/AIDS, among others.
The objective of public health
policy and intervention must be
reformulated so that adolescents
are not viewed as the source of
the problem, but more positively
recognized for their rights and
potential. Policies designed with
the objective of guaranteeing the
absence of disease must be
replaced with others that aspire to
offer all adolescents the chance to
enjoy frequent opportunities to
develop their capacities –
physical, psychological, spiritual,
social, emotional, cognitive and
cultural – within a safe and
favourable environment.13
module 3
module 3
Gender equity:
Job training:
Public policies with a positive
outlook on adolescence have
broader perspectives and
recognize the importance of
family, schools and the
community. These are based
upon an integrated approach
which links health prevention
and promotion to other rights of
adolescents, paying special
attention to the early stages of
adolescence (10-14 years). They
also include adolescents as active
participants in policies and
programmes to benefit them.
25
Strategic concerns must also be
considered when analyzing
health spending:
13. United Nations (2002)
The importance of identifying
and strengthening protective
factors:
Various studies have identified a
group of “protective factors” which
shield adolescents from risks
during their transition to adult life
and help them avoid becoming
involved in high-risk, damaging
or illegal activities and
behaviours.14 These protective
factors include having significant
interpersonal relationships or
“connectedness;” feeling loved,
valued and appreciated, having
a strong sense of security,
structure and belonging and the
feeling that they have life goals.15
Public policies and interventions
must target families, schools and
communities in order to build
these significant interpersonal
relationships to protect
adolescents, especially those
between 10 and 14 years of age.
module 3
The promotion of health and
overall development must not only
be an aim of the health
community and its corresponding
institutions, but it must also come
from different sectors of society,
including education and
community involvement. From the
early stages of adolescence,
school, the community and
informal education play an
important role in offering people
the opportunity to develop the
psycho-social knowledge and
skills with which to live a
wholesome life and avoid highrisk behaviour.
26
14. World Bank (2002); Burt, Martha.
PAHO/OPS, W. K. Kellogg Foundation
(1998).
15. These terms are widely known in the
literature as “the 6 C’s” (building character,
competence, contribution, connectedness
(with regulation), caring and confidence).
Adolescents have specific
preferences, choices and desires.
Services for adolescents should
aim to integrate these preferences
and simultaneously target health
and education services that
reduce risks and encourage
adolescent development.
3.3 Protecting adolescents from
mistreatment, exploitation and
abuse while creating safe and
protective environments
According to the Convention, all
children and adolescents have
the right to enjoy the same
opportunities for a healthy lifestyle
and full development. However,
when universal and protective
policies fail, the rights of
adolescents can be threatened.
A considerable number of
adolescents in the region are in
vulnerable situations, for instance,
adolescents who live on the
street, the internally displaced and
refugees, victims of sexual and
economic exploitation, victims of
abuse and violence, and those in
trouble with the law.
Adolescents who find themselves
in these situations require special
protection, through legal,
educational or welfare-based
services, aimed at offering
support and restoring their rights.
However, while palliative
measures of integral protection
are needed once problems arise,
in addition it is necessary to act in
a preventive manner, tackling the
underlying causes of problems
and contributing to the creation of
a protective environment for
adolescents.
Box 7:
The sexual and reproductive health situation among adolescents in
Latin America and the Caribbean
The increasing importance assigned to the issue of sexual and reproductive
health has resulted in the emergence of policies and programmes on the
issue directed toward the adolescent population of all the countries in Latin
America and the Caribbean.
However, there are still considerable risks related to sexual and
reproductive health. Approximately 50% of adolescents under age 17 in the
region are sexually active, and many of the girls involved are already
married. Marriage before age 18 is a significant problem, especially among
adolescents from indigenous groups and in rural areas. Even though the
minimum age for marriage with parental consent has risen in most Latin
American and Caribbean countries (from 12 to 16 years-old in most cases),
not one country has adopted recommendations from the General
Comments on Adolescent Health issued by the Committee on the Rights of
the Child, which recommend setting a common minimum age of 18 for both
boys and girls to marry.
Early pregnancy affects a large number of girls, especially in low-income
countries and rural areas. On average, 38% of women in the region fall
pregnant before reaching the age of 20. Maternal mortality - closely linked
to gender disparities, early pregnancy, abortion and unsatisfied
contraception requirements - is one of the main causes of death among
adolescents.
Presently, there are approximately 740,000 adolescents and young people
aged between 15 and 24 living with HIV/AIDS in Latin America and the
Caribbean. Around half of all new infections in the region occur in people
between 15 and 24, rising to 60% in the Caribbean, where HIV rates are
close to those registered in some African countries.
module 3
Promoting health and healthy
behaviour in education and
community involvement:
Programmes for adolescents
must incorporate their needs
and preferences:
27
A protective environment is one
where families, schools and
communities commit themselves
to promoting and protecting the
rights of adolescents; where laws
exist and are applied to protect
their rights, where governments
use public resources to prevent
and eradicate abuse,
mistreatment and exploitation of
adolescents; where the media
provides coverage of priority
human rights issues and
denounce discriminatory
attitudes.16
The following section provides
some considerations for
formulating policies and
programmes aimed at creating
protective environments:
Training families, teachers
and communities:
All those who interact with
adolescents, parents, teachers
and other adults, must act in
accordance with the rights of the
child and have the necessary
knowledge and skills to support
the wholesome development of
16. UNICEF (2005b); Karin Landgren
(2005)
adolescents and protect them
from mistreatment, abuse,
exploitation and other risks.
Government commitment
and action:
module 3
28
17. For up to date information on the
ratification of or adherence to the Optional
Protocols of the Convention and other
international treaties, see
http://www.ohchr.org/english/
countries/ratification/
Policies and programmes directed
at adolescents must respect their
individual customs and
incorporate cultural expression to
transmit positive values, promote
integral personal development
and reduce the incidents of early
pregnancy and patriarchal
attitudes.
Open debate including civil
society and the media:
The exploitation, abuse and
violence against adolescents must
be incorporated into the media
and addressed by civil society.
Adolescent participation and
life skills:
Societies must ensure that
adolescents are aware of their
rights and are equipped with the
necessary skills to participate
actively and protect themselves
against abuse and exploitation.
Box 8:
The Xchange initiative
Xchange is an initiative developed in the Caribbean, which seeks to
promote positive change among adolescents, through the creation of safe
and protective environments (free of violence) in their homes, schools and
communities.
The Xchange initiative involves adolescents, young people, artists, sports
personalities and creative people who work to help children and
adolescents have the chance to acquire life skills which will enable them to
develop and reach their full potential. They seek to reduce the level of
violence that children and adolescents are exposed to.
The initiative uses music, art, sport, theatre and other forms of cultural
expression, along with education, as an entry point to reach individuals and
to disseminate information in the hope of reducing their exposure to violent
behaviour.
Xchange was initially developed in Barbados, with the support of UNICEF
and other organizations. Later, the initiative was implemented in other
Caribbean countries, including Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Belize, Trinidad
and Tobago and Haiti.
module 3
Governments throughout the
region must ratify international
conventions relating to the
protection of children and
adolescent rights. Although Latin
America and Caribbean nations
have ratified the Convention,
additional efforts are still
necessary to ratify its Optional
Protocols for : at present, 22
countries in Latin America and the
Caribbean have ratified the
Optional Protocol of the
Convention on the sale of
children, child prostitution and
child pornography, and 21
countries have ratified the
Optional Protocol of the
Convention on the Rights of the
Child on the participation of
children in armed conflict.17 In
addition to the ratification as well
as legislative and institutional
adjustments to conform to the
principles of the Convention and
the Optional Protocols, Latin
American and Caribbean states
must work to incorporate this
legislation into their institutional
framework. Currently there is an
obvious gap between the law and
the real situation of the rights of
children and adolescents in the
region.
Respecting traditions
and culture:
29
4
The national budget:
a tool for fulfilling
adolescents’ rights
The national budget is the most
important political instrument available
to governments. It reflects the
distribution of public resources and
therefore reflects the priorities of a
government’s economic and social
policies. The budget translates public
policy, government commitments and
national aims into concrete decisions
on how resources should be collected
and spent. The public budget can
serve as a vehicle toward reducing
poverty and inequality and the
progressive realization of human rights
for adolescents (see Diagram 1).
The public budget is an extremely
important planning instrument in which
the government prioritizes funding for
policies and programmes. This
presents an opportunity for citizens to
advocate for increased, more efficient
and more accountable social
investment using a variety of
strategies.
4.1 Determining the most
appropriate strategies to
influence social investment in
adolescents
©UNICEF-Paraguay / Luis Vera
A broad range of lobbying
strategies for public expenditure
issues affecting children are
available. When selecting the
best strategy it is crucial to
consider political, economic and
social factors as well as the
specific situation of adolescents in
the country. It is also necessary to
identify key players and consider
the capacity and resources
available to civil society groups
undertaking the initiative.
The national context can affect
the choice of strategies adopted
for seeking increased social
investment in favour of
adolescents. The following section
presents some elements to
consider when deciding what type
of intervention to undertake.
The public budget can serve as a
vehicle toward reducing poverty and
inequality and the progressive
realization of human rights for
adolescents
The political and
institutional context
• Degree of articulation or
fragmentation of public
institutions
• The centralized or federal
nature of the state and levels
of organization of state
institutions (central, regional,
local, etc.)
• Availability of, technical,
logistical and information
resources required for
efficient public administration
• The distribution of political
power, particularly the
division of competnecies and
attributions between the
Executive and Legislative
branches regarding budget
preparation and approval.
• Political party system
• Levels of corruption and
transparency
module 4
The aim of this section is to offer
guidance and technical tools for civil
society groups and other nongovernmental agencies that can be
used to achieve greater and improved
public investment in adolescence.
4.1.1 The national context
31
Social context
• The level of civil society
participation and organization
• Main interest groups and
their lobbying capacity in the
budgetary process
• The existence of mechanisms
for social control of public
sector management
• Degree of citizen confidence in
governmental institutions
• The existence of social conflict
Economic context
•
•
•
•
•
Degree of economic stability
Level of economic openness
Economic growth
Poverty levels and profiles
Levels of inequality in income
and access to services
disaggregated by gender, age,
geographic location, and
ethnic origin
4.1.2 Considerations on the
key players to be approached
module 4
• Politicians and government
actors active in the budgetary
decision-making process, with
high decision-making power.
These include Social Cabinet
members or social sector
Ministries, officials in the
Treasury or Finance Ministry
and key members of
parliament.
• Social leaders who influence
public opinion should also be
considered, along with other
organised social agents
(unions, private sector, social
organizations and others).
32
18. For more information,
see Krafchik, Warren (2001)
Any team aiming to influence the
public budget must possess
certain technical skills along with
the ability to communicate with
and motivate others allowing them
to analyse, monitor and evaluate
the budgetary process and
disseminate strategic information.
Ideally, the following conditions
should be in place before putting
the initiative into action.
• A strong team commited to
budget monitoring and
analysis.
• Human and financial
resources suited for the task.
The team must have
conceptual knowledge of the
budget and fiscal issues.
• Commitment and support from
national experts, specifically
well-respected public
personalities who contribute
to the process.
• An action strategy which
includes the technical
component along with strong
communication, social
motivation and political
lobbying components.
4.2 Advocacy strategies in
favour of social investment
in adolescents
Currently several civil society
groups in Latin America and the
Caribbean are tackling budgetary
issues. The focus of their work
widely varies. However, in spite of
the heterogeneity of their work, in
most cases these groups aim to
protect the interests of poor or
vulnerable groups through
strategies that ensure that
budgetary processes are
inclusive and participatory, and
that independent monitoring
is in place.18.
Diagram 1:
Relationship between the national budget and the
progressive realization of the rights of adolescents
Progressive realization of the rights of adolescents
Healthier adolescents, living in protective environments and developing the skills
necessary for citizenship and adulthood.
Greater access to quality
secondary education and
job training
Greater access to health
services including sexual
and reproductive health
Greater possibilities of
participating in the family, school,
community
Increased coverage of
special adolescent
protection programmes
and services
Social investment programmes (education, health,
nutrition, participation, integral protection)
National Budget
Institutional framework
Policy framework
Legal framework
Based on UNICEF, Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. (2005)
module 4
Before implementing strategies to
favourably influence social
investment, key actors must be
identified among decision-makers
and prominent social figures:
4.1.3 Considerations regarding
team capacities in strategy
implementation
33
Cabinet or social sector ministries
Drawing up the social
Several strategies can be
• Strategies relatedThetoSocial
advocacy;
develop
social
implemented in the specific
case and
of its integration
seeking various channels tobudgets, which is then passed
budget
on to theand
Interior or Finance Ministries
advocacy for public spending for
provide clear, relevant
into the National Budget
and integrated into the National Budget
adolescents. While these strategies
suitable information on social
cover a wide range of possible
investment benefiting
actions, agents and outcomes, they
adolescents, to be used in
can be grouped into three main
influencing budgetary decisionThe Executive Branch submits the National Budget
and approval
categories, according toDiscussion
their
makers and public
opinion.
to the Legislative Body, which discusses it,
of
the
National
Budget
objective:
• Strategies for strengthening
suggests adjustments and approves it.
capacities; seeking to broaden
by the legislative body
• Strategies relating to
knowledge and understanding
budgetary monitoring and
of budgetary matters and their
analysis which seek to provide
impact on the rights of
permanent monitoring of
adolescents amongst members
or evaluation
the amount
resource allocation Auditing
and
of the legislative Once
power,
the of resources has been debated
and
approved,
allocations are transferred to the
of theareas
National Budget
delivery in priority social
media and civil society.
1
2
3
ministries and to lower government levels.
Therefore, these types of
strategies seek to promote
good practice in institutional
negotiations in order for social
investment to be transformed
into efficient, participatory
policies and programmes
aimed at the fulfilment of
rights.
34
• Improved transparency in
public administration and more
efficient public spending aimed
at adolescents, reducing the
probability of poor
management of public
resources.
• Promoting citizen participation,
including the participation of
children and adolescents,
women and minorities, in
identifying priorities, in
decision-making and the
allocation and monitoring of
public resources.
• Urging government leaders
and public administrators to be
more responsible and
accountable to the community.
• Building a democratic culture,
strengthening social networks
and encouraging the
development of social capital.
There has been a wide range of initiatives undertaken in Latin America and
the Caribbean to advocate for increased social investment in favour of
adolescence.
In Brazil the Projeto de olho no Orçamento Criança (An Eye on the Children’s
Budget) has analyzed and monitored the public budget directly through the
rights set out in A World Fit for Children. Information on federal budget
allocation and the realization of children’s rights is widely disseminated and
used for advocacy and mobilization. This has resulted in concrete
improvement in resource allocation for children and adolescents.
In Paraguay and Ecuador, one of the main objectives of budget initiatives has
been to promote social investment in areas which benefit children and
adolescents; however, the actual focus of analysis has been broader and has
concentrated on monitoring social expendityre in basic social services. In
Paraguay, a project coordinated by UNICEF, UNDP and UNFPA analyzes
budgetary allocation to priority sectors (basic education, basic health
services, reduction of extreme poverty and malnutrition, and water and
sanitation). The project provides periodical information (bi-monthly) on the
different stages of the budgetary process, from the allocation of funds to
priority sectors and its execution. In Ecuador, a methodology has been
developed and implemented within the framework of the social spending
project to analyze and monitor social investment during the various phases of
budget allocation and execution. This project focuses on public investment in
basic social services, given its importance in realising the rights of children,
the impact on living conditions among the vulnerable populations, and the
role they play in reducing poverty.
In Guatemala, UNICEF and its counterparts have set national targets for
children, in the areas of education, health, nutrition and protection. These
targets have been used as a basis for quantifying budgetary allocations to
programmes and projects related to children’s rights.
In Costa Rica, the Observatorios Ciudadanos (Citizen Observatories)
programme has been implemented, to stimulate active leadership roles
among civil society, the business sector, unions, rural worker groups, the
media and public opinion. The idea is to develop citizen monitoring and
mobilization for the fulfilment of the rights of children and adolescents through
the better distribution, use and impact of social expenditure. Similarly, in
Costa Rica a large scale communication programme has been launched
"Invertir en la Infancia, prioridad nacional” (Invest in Childhood, a National
Priority) based on the premise that greater investment in children is not only a
governmental responsibility but it should also be a focus of civil society. This
campaign aims to raise participation and support from the business sector,
academics, artists, as well as governmental agencies, to achieve greater
social investment in children and adolescents.
module 4
module 4
These strategies are oriented
toward redefining social priorities
and promoting social justice
through greater and more
equitable investment in
adolescents, but they also
contribute to:
Box 10
Social Investment Initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean
35
5
Necessary stages and tools
for analysis and monitoring
of social investment in
adolescents
19
5.1 Defining social
investment in adolescents
Throughout the region’s countries,
budgetary classification does not
include a specific category to
cover all the components of public
expenditure on adolescents
(PEA). Therefore, it is necessary
to define what types of spending
have a substantial impact on the
living conditions of adolescents
and should therefore be included
in a definition of PEA20.
Two PEA classifications are
necessary. The first is related to
the characteristics of the target
population for public spending and
the second refers to the thematic
sector or area the spending is
assigned to. According to the
characteristics of the target
population, PEA can include:
• expenditure aimed at the
family, which obviously affects
the welfare of adolescents;
and/or
• expenditure aimed at the
broader population, which
includes the population
between 10 and 18 years-old.
Thematic areas related to PEA
can include spending assigned to
social sectors providing goods
and services directed at
adolescents. These include
secondary education, sports,
recreation, culture, the integral
protection of adolescents,
healthcare, and sexual and
reproductive health, among
others.
©UNICEF-Belize / Cesar Villar
The definition of PEA is not
straight forward. In most cases,
budgetary classification allows for
no differentiation between
spending which specifically and
exclusively benefits the population
between 10 and 18 years-old and
from that which benefits the
population in other age groups.
The definition of social
spending aimed at adolescents
must be integral, and include
all social investment, but
disaggregating certain
expenditure on children and
basic social services.
module 5
• expenditure exclusively aimed
at adolescents between 10
and 18 years-old
The definition of social spending
aimed at adolescents must be
integral, and include all social
investment, but disaggregating
certain expenditure on children
and basic social services. It must
also be validated by the
government, the academic sector
and key civil society actors.
37
Consequently, the definition of
PEA must be flexible and also, for
analysis and monitoring purposes,
information on social spending
directed toward broader groups of
the population must serve as a
complement.
19. Some elements of this section were
taken from UNICEF, Regional Office for
Latin America and the Caribbean (2005).
20. For more information on this issue,
please consult the chapter on
methodological aspects in Ministerio de
Economía y Producción, Unicef-Argentina
(2004).
31
5.2 Gaining access to
budgetary information
Access to official data is
indispensable in budgetary
analysis. Consequently, the
executive power needs to show
willingness to “open up” the
budgetary process and share
information with civil society
groups. In order to do this,
collaborative agreements can be
established with relevant
governmental institutions (treasury
or finance ministries) making a
commitment to periodic
information sharing. 21.
5.3 Developing a budgetary
information system
module 5
The budgetary information system
must be used to track various
aspects related to the allocation
and execution of social spending
directed toward adolescents.
38
The budgetary information system
must be:
21. In Ecuador, UNICEF signed an
agreement with the Finance Ministry which
also included joint production of a bimonthly Bulletin, providing monotoring of
budgetary execution of institutions and
projects in the social sector, known as
¿Cómo va el gasto social? (How is Social
Spending Going?). In Paraguay, UNDP
and UNICEF signed a Convention with the
Interior Ministry which allows online access
to the State Integrated Systems of
Financial Administration (SIAF), which
allows real time monotoring of movements
of budgetary funds.
• Permanent: it must allow for
monitoring of budgeted
resources and execution
• Integral: it must cover various
aspects related to the whole
budgetary cycle. Given that
there may be discrepancies
between the initial allocation
and the effective transfer of
resources, it is important to
constantly monitor the different
stages of the budgetary
process.
5.4 Analyzing and monitoring
social spending on adolescents
Once the data becomes
accessible and the budgetary
information system is designed,
the next stage is to analyze and
monitor social spending aimed at
adolescents. The following section
lays out the main aspects that
must be addressed.
The volume of social
expenditure directed
toward adolescents
Social expenditure aimed at
adolescents can be expressed in
different ways:
• As a percentage of GDP:
relates investment in
adolescents with the size of
the economy and measures
the macroeconomic priority of
social expenditure directed at
adolescents.
• Per capita expenditure, per
adolescent: reflects the
average invested per
adolescent.
• As a percentage of total public
spending: relates social
investment in adolescents to
total public expenditure and
measures its fiscal priority
For analysis and advocacy
purposes, it can be useful to
compare the amount of resources
assigned to adolescents with the
amount of resources that go
toward servicing foreign debt or
military spending.
The equity of social spending
and its redistributive impact
One of the main goals of public
spending is to redistribute wealth
reduce disparities by targeting
investment on lower income
and/or more vulnerable groups.
Thus, there are two important
areas to analyze: (i) Is social
spending targeted towards the
sectors with the greatest potential
for disparity reduction (basic
social services, training of human
capital)?; (ii) Is the social
spending targeted towards basic
social services benefiting the
lower income or vulnerable
population ?
Certain aspects of the budget
must be considered in order to
answer these questions:
• What is the composition by
sector of public expenditure?
What percentage of spending
goes to pre-school, primary,
secondary and tertiary
education? Health? Sexual
and reproductive health?
Social security?
• Is disaggregated data on
social expenditure
available by age? By gender?
By ethnic origin?
Efficiency in the use of
assigned resources
Additional public resources are
not necessarily appplied on their
benefit. This problem is linked to
inefficiencies in public
administration such as the
duplication and superimposition of
efforts and programmes, diversion
of funds, wasted resources, the
low capacity of execution of
budgetary funds, and the weak
culture of accountability, among
others. It is crucial to track
resource utilization to determine
if investment is being made in an
orderly and transparent manner.
It is also necessary to determine
if the allocated amount is being
executed in an appropriate
manner and if it is backed by
legal and accounting
mechanisms.
module 5
Once access to budgetary
information is secured, the next
step is to design a budgetary
information system allowing for
data analysis. This system must
be compatible with those used by
the government institutions
handling budgetary issues and
must have the capacity to analyze
large volumes of information.
• Accessible: decision-makers,
civil society players and
citizens must be able to
consult the system easily.
• What percentage of social
expenditure goes toward basic
social services?
39
• What percentage of social
expenditure is invested in
human capital (health and
education)?
• How is social expenditure
distributed in the different
zones/regions of the country?
• Is there any mechanism to
target social investment in the
poorest areas?
• What percentage of social
expenditure for adolescents
reaches each income quintile
of the population?
33
The financing of social
expenditure and the financial
context of the budget.
modulo 5 -
Government revenue is generated
through various channels, primarily
through taxes. The tax structure
has substantial effects on income
distribution within a country.
Ideally, the structure must be
progressive, that is, as individual
incomes rise, so should the rate of
taxation. However, this is not
always the case. In addition to
examining the progressive or
regressive nature of public social
spending, one must also analyze
the degree of equality. It is also
necessary to examine how much
is spent on debt servicing, as this
can often be very high and
compromise social investment.
40
• What types of taxes exist in
the country? Are they
progressive or regressive?
• What percentage of GDP does
the tax burden represent?
• How much does debt servicing
cost?
• Is there a fiscal deficit? If so,
how is it being financed?
• How do these issues affect
social investment allocation ?
©UNICEF-Belize / Cesar Villar
6
Mobilization, advocacy and
capacity development for
encouraging social investment
in adolescents
Previous sections technical tools
were provided as strategies to
advocate for social expenditure on
adolescents. However, to
maximize the social and political
impact of these strategies the
information and analysis
generated must be properly
communicated and disseminated.
The key questions are: What type
of analysis or strategic information
must be presented to various
actors involved in the budget in
order to advocate for increased
social expenditure? Who are the
key actors? What is the best time
or stage of the budgetary process
to present the information? How
and with whom should strategic
alliances be formed in order to
advocate for increased investment
in adolescents?
The key questions are:
How and with whom should
strategic alliances be formed in
order to advocate for increased
investment in adolescents?
Stage #1:
Drawing up the social budget
and its integration into the
national budget
In general, the budgetary process
can be divided into four main
stages. Each stage is linked to
different government actors who
have the power to modify social
spending to benefit the adolescent
population (Diagram 2 on page
32).
What can be done to advocate
for increased social investment
in adolescents at this stage?
In addition to influencing these
actors at specific points in the
process –by presenting them with
budgetary analysis and
module 6
In order to tackle these questions,
it is crucial to understand the
different stages of the budgetary
process, who are the relevant
actors, and what type of activities
can be carried out at each stage,
in order to achieve the greatest
overall influence.
6.1 Stages of the budgetary
process and relevant state
actors 22
©UNICEF-Belize / Cesar Villar
recommendations to increase the
quantity and quality of investment
for adolescents, it is also
necessary to address a broader
selection of actors who can
influence public opinion
throughout all stages of the
budgetary process. These nongovernmental players and the
work they can carry out are
addressed in section 6.2.
At this stage, the social cabinet or
the social sector ministries plan
and formulate the social budget,
which is then reviewed by the
Treasury or Finance Ministry and
subsequently incorporated into
the national budget.
• Studies and reports must be
developed to influence
members of the Social
Cabinet and call attention to
the need to invest in
adolescents. Studies should
include information on the
situation of adolescents,
possible problems in
43
22. Based on Krafchik, Warren (2001);
Banco Mundial (200?).
National Budget
education and health, the
benefits of timely investment
in this population group, as
well as the potential for
adolescents to promote
development.
• Use opinion surveys stating
the social priorities of citizens,
including adolescents, and
present the results as input to
the budget preparation
process.
• Consolidate and strengthen
civil society networks,
especially involving
organizations of adolescents,
and build their capacity to
advocate in favour of
decisions related to public
resource investment.
module 6
• Strengthen capacities for
strategic planning based upon
outcomes in social sector
institutions, which will lead to
drawing up budgets based on
careful analysis of the
situation and the needs of
the target population.
44
23. The capacity of the Legislative Branch
to modify the National Budget varies from
country to country. In some countries, the
Legislative Branch can suggest
adjustments but the Executive is not
obliged to act on these. On the contrary, in
other countries, the Legislative has greater
power to influence the National Budget.
Stage #2:
Discussion and approval of the
National Budget by the
legislative body
During this stage, the Executive
branch submits the National
Budget to the Legislative body
which discusses it, suggests
adjustments and approves it .23
At this point, the opportunity
opens to influence the legislature
to modify the National Budget in
favour of adolescents. Civil
society groups have utilized a
broad spectrum of approaches
toward this end:
• Carry out activities to provide
information and training on
budgetary issues and their
impact on adolescents,
directed at members of the
legislature.
• Carry out training activities
with the media and members
of civil society improving the
interpretation of the budget
and the practical
consequences of public
resource allocation.
• Disseminate clear, relevant
and timely information on the
content of the budget in order
to influence public opinion
and generate social pressure.
• Carry out academic studies
on different issues, such as
the impact of the budget on
the well-being of adolescents
or the impact of budget
redistribution, among others.
Stage #3:
Implementation of the
National Budget
Once resources have been
debated and approved, the
allocations are transferred to the
ministries and the lower
governmental levels. At this stage
it is essential to ensure that public
Policy framework
Diagram 2:
Legal framework
Stages of the budgetary cycle
Based on UNICEF, Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. (2005)
1
Drawing up the social
budget and its integration
into the National Budget
The Social Cabinet or social sector ministries
develop social budgets, which is then passed
on to the Interior or Finance Ministries
and integrated into the National Budget
2
Discussion and approval
of the National Budget
by the legislative body
The Executive Branch submits the National Budget
to the Legislative Body, which discusses it,
suggests adjustments and approves it.
3
Auditing or evaluation
of the National Budget
Once the amount of resources has been debated
and approved, allocations are transferred to the
ministries and to lower government levels.
4
Auditing or evaluation
of the National Budget
The performance of institutions charged with
executing social expenditure are
audited and evaluated.
module 6
• Develop institutional capacity
to guarantee participation
during the executive and
legislative processes, promote
discussion, agreement on
public policy priorities and the
budget.
What can be done to advocate
for increased social investment
in adolescents at this stage?
Institutional framework
funds reach the beneficiaries, that
it is executed in a timely fashion
and furthermore, that the
resources have a positive impact
on the lives of adolescents and
their families.
What can be done in order to
advocate for increased social
investment in adolescents at
this stage?
• Carry out analysis to measure
the gap between the planning
and implementation of
activities and resources. By
identifying the bureaucratic
channels through which
resources pass, civil society
groups can call attention to or
denounce possible
misappropriation of funds.
• Strengthen the capacity of
social ministries and
institutions that work with
adolescents to design social
policies based on a positive
view of adolescence and on
the basis of the principles of
the Convention on the Rights
of the Child and the
Convention on the Elimination
of Discrimination of All types
against Women (CEDAW).
45
• Strengthen the institutional
capacity of social sectors to
incorporate results-based
strategic planning, as well as
participatory processes within
their working strategies.
• Strengthen the capacity for
cooperation and intersectoral
collaboration between social
ministries and other state
institutions in order to ensure
the design and implementation
of more integral policies.
Stage #4:
Auditing or evaluation
of the National Budget
At this stage, performance of
institutions in charge of carrying
out social spending is evaluated.
What can be done to advocate
for increased social investment
in adolescents at this stage?
module 6
46
• Analyze auditing reports
presented by the government.
• Make use of opinion surveys
to examine citizen perception
of the quality of basic social
services.
• Strengthen national capacity
for monitoring and evaluating
social policies and
programmes to ensure
relevant information is
available and informs future
policy decisions for social
investment.
Having already discussed the
state actors directly linked to each
of the stages, other actors must
also be identified who can
influence public opinion, and with
whom strategic alliances can be
formed to strengthen social
investment advocacy.
These actors include:
• Local media, including
community radio, printed
media and television
• The private sector and
industrial and corporate
associations
• The academic sector;
universities and research
institutions, among others
• Political parties
• Non-governmental
organisations
• Social movements and
networks
• Churches and other religious
groups
• International bodies; the
World Bank, the International
Monetary Fund, the InterAmerican Development Bank
• United Nations System
agencies
Given the actor’s diversity,
adequate strategies must be
designed for advocacy suited to
each actor, taking into
consideration their role and their
individual characteristics.
Consequently, work in this area
can focus on the training of
partners on budgetary issues. By
developing guides, material and
training sessions, awareness can
be raised regarding the rights of
adolescents and the benefits of
investing public resources on
their welfare.
Similarly, it is necessary to work
closely with civil society, in order
to offer information providing a
clearer understanding of the
components of the National
Budget and how this affects the
well-being of adolescents and the
overall population. Work with civil
society can include workshops
and the publication of simple
materials with clear messages in
order to encourage interest in
budgetary issues and participation
in the advocacy processes.
module 6
• Evaluate the impact of social
spending on adolescents
and/or their families.
6.2 The non-governmental
actors
47
48
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