UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight

Annual Report 2023

UNICEF INNOCENTI – GLOBAL OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND FORESIGHT APRIL 2024

 2023 Snapshot
• UNICEF Innocenti published 111 research and evidence products, including 10 major titles,
in 2023.

• The State of the World’s Children 2023 achieved the highest coverage of any UNICEF report,
with over 4,500 media mentions and 2.3 million web views.

• Findings from Report Card 18: Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth informed advocacy efforts in
Iceland, Luxembourg, Slovenia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

• Disrupting Harm research recommendations influenced legislative reform in national protection

and judiciary services for children in Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Thailand and the United Republic
of Tanzania.

• Release of Too Little, Too Late: Public Spending on Children by Age in 84 Countries led to high-
level discussions in Germany, Ireland and Japan and planned activities with partners (World Bank,
International Labour Organization, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD)) to improve data compilation and analysis of social protection expenditure.

• Prospects for Children in the Polycrisis: A 2023 Global Outlook garnered high uptake and positive
feedback within UNICEF, including in its Global Leadership Meetings.

• Loss and Damage Finance for Children, a collaborative effort, emphasized child rights at COP28
and contributed to global discussions on the activation of the Loss and Damage Fund.

• The Youth Foresight Playbook was successfully launched at the Dubai Future Forum, marking a
significant milestone in engaging futurists and foresight practitioners.

• UNICEF Innocenti launched a landmark accessible evidence and gap map and released accessible
surveys to engage 300 plus global experts and practitioners in finalizing UNICEF’s disability
research prioritization exercise.

• UNICEF Innocenti worked with key partners to outline the strengths, limitations and opportunities
of applying behavioural sciences-based approaches in the Global South (Association for
Psychological Science) and co-led the organization of the United Nations Behavioural Science
Week 2023, where Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder acknowledged UNICEF’s Behavioural
Insights Research and Design Laboratory (BIRD Lab) in his opening remarks.

• Ethical considerations integration played a pivotal role in supporting global research, evaluation
and data projects at UNICEF, addressing emerging and complex issues.

i Snapshot
 Digital annual snapshot*
Policy citations: Our outputs were cited in 276 policy documents, by 89 sources and in
17 languages. Sources include The World Bank, OECD, World Health Organization, United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, Inter-American Development Bank, Government of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, European Union, Alliance for Child
Protection in Humanitarian Action, Institute of Development Studies, Government of Ireland,
World Meteorological Organization, Human Rights Watch, Government of Japan, Brookings,
World Economic Forum, Government of Norway, Association of Southeast Asian Nations,
Pan American Health Organization, Government of Indonesia, Government of Chile, Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and Government of the United Republic
of Tanzania.

Media mentions: Sources include Il Mattino, The Japan Times, RaiNews, Gulf News, Medical
Xpress, Daily Mail, Mesa Nacional de Educación Privada, BBC, Pháp luật Việt Nam, The Star, la
Repubblica, The Irish Examiner, ThePrint, The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Helsinki
Times, The Hindu, Premium Times, EuroNews and Reuters.

Top three queries in our Children and COVID-19 Research Library: Education, adolescent
pregnancy, vaccination.

Social media: Twitter: 38,348 followers (+2.16 per cent in 2023); LinkedIn: 62,022 followers
(+9.13 per cent in 2023); Instagram: 12,416 followers (+81.7 per cent in 2023); Facebook: 41,411
followers (+6.42 per cent in 2023).

*Digital Annual Report 2023

ii Snapshot
 Contents
2023 Snapshot i

Note from the Director iv

Overview 1

Leading global discourse 3

The State of the World’s Children 2023 3

Research in the spotlight 4

Social and economic policy 4
Education 6
Data Must Speak 6
Digital learning 6
Early childhood education 6
Teachers for All 7
Women in Learning Leadership 7
Child and adolescent rights and empowerment 7
Migration and displacement 7
Violence prevention 8
Birth registration and child protection in humanitarian settings 9
Gender equality 9
Digital engagement and protection 9
Disability inclusion research 10
Learning is For Everyone 10
Children, COVID-19 and preparedness 11

Foresight and anticipatory policy 12

Youth engagement strategy 13

Finance and partnerships 14

Partnerships 16

Annex 1: Publication highlights 19

Annex 2: UNICEF Innocenti partners 24

iii Contents
 Note from the Director
Thank you to each member of our team for their dedication and resilience. In 2023, we marked a milestone in our
pursuit of a more unified and effective work environment, the fruits of which you will see detailed in this annual report.

Our work in 2023 demonstrated our commitment to delivering impactful content while upholding rigorous
standards. The State of the World’s Children 2023 garnered record attention from viewers and media and showed
the report’s ability to amplify crucial issues and foster global dialogue. Findings from Report Card 18: Child Poverty in
the Midst of Wealth informed national advocacy efforts and sparked debate among decision-makers. Prospects for
Children in the Polycrisis: A 2023 Global Outlook garnered substantial attention and sparked dialogue within UNICEF,
particularly during the Global Leadership Meeting.

Children faced deadly conflicts in 2023. And as continued economic downturns and inflation in food and energy
prices left increasing numbers of children in poverty, the climate crisis continued to ruin opportunities for children –
now and in the future.

Yet, in this world of relentless crises, we must think positively and identify priorities in order to improve the lives of
children. For UNICEF Innocenti, these three are at the top of our 2024 agenda:

• What will childhood look like in 2050? By analysing data projections, we seek to understand and prepare
for the future of childhood in different parts of the world. This means exploring big trends, like demographics,
climate and the risks and benefits of rapid technological innovations including artificial intelligence. Our actions
today will determine what families, governments and the international community will do for children in years to
come. The future of childhood will be the focus of The State of the World’s Children 2024.

• Education is in a catastrophic situation, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Many children
are not going to school, and learning is limited for those who do attend. If children’s learning is not a priority,
economies will miss their chance to establish a skilled labour force for the future – and will subsequently
fail. We are re-engaging in the education space to show why return on investment in education and keeping
children out of harm’s way should be some of the main long-term goals of every government worldwide.

• Elevating the voices of children and young people has always been a driving force for change. They
have a right to be heard on decisions shaping the future they will inherit, from issues of justice, climate and
sustainability to urban planning and ethical use of new technologies. Our flagship report and convening events
will provide a platform for young people to engage with other thought leaders and help us put ideas into practice.

Thank you to our donors and partners for their support and I look forward to continuing our work together as we
gather, publish and promote evidence that advances the rights of children.

Bo Viktor Nylund
Director

iv Note from the Director

 Overview
In 2023, children’s lives continued to be significantly affected by great challenges. Children lived the
through the impact of disrupted education, widened socioeconomic gaps and weaknesses in health
care systems – weaknesses exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. They experienced the effects of
persistent food insecurity, the energy crisis, challenges to democracy and child rights, factionalism,
stress on the multilateral system and dangers caused by the fragmentation of the internet. Lives and
families were shattered by conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, the Sahel and Sudan, earthquakes in the Syrian
Arab Republic and Türkiye, and gang violence in Haiti. These crises and challenges emphasized the
need for UNICEF to adapt swiftly to protect children’s rights amid evolving challenges.

Despite these hurdles, there was progress and hope.

Concerns about child poverty prompted calls to safeguard vulnerable families. Persistent food insecurity
drew attention to the need for climate adaptation and food system reforms. There was increased focus
on climate finance, debt relief, and reforming the flow of financing to developing countries. Social
movements led by young people and women resiliently countered threats to democracy. Addressing
children’s rights and concerns offered opportunities for common ground in a fractured world. And vast
digital disparities for children prompted a renewed push for openness, fairness and inclusion.

These challenges and opportunities drove the UNICEF Innocenti research and foresight agenda
throughout 2023. The office conducted comprehensive research and used foresight methods, such
as horizon scanning, trend analysis and scenario development, to set the agenda for children’s rights.
UNICEF Innocenti informed decision-making through its diverse array of reports, analyses and policy
papers, which collectively formed a dynamic library of resources. The office also facilitated platforms
for debate, advocacy and meaningful youth engagement, addressing a broad spectrum of child
rights issues. Through these efforts, the office actively shaped discussions and policies, ultimately
promoting the well-being and rights of children worldwide.

Within the realm of social and economic policy research, UNICEF Innocenti identified key trends,
notably the global shift towards innovative models, such as ‘cash plus’ schemes and universal child
benefits. The office is actively researching their feasibility, financing and impacts, with a specific focus
on shock-adaptive social protection programmes. UNICEF Innocenti also placed emphasis on building
an investment case for social protection programmes, underlining how they are crucial for sustainable
and inclusive development.

In education, UNICEF Innocenti research addressed global challenges, with a focus on learning
inequalities, children with disabilities and gender disparities. Collaborating with stakeholders
worldwide, the research delved into positive deviant practices, equitable teacher allocation and
barriers faced by female school leaders. Innovative digital learning programmes and technology’s role
in improving educational outcomes were also explored.

1 Overview
 The evolving global landscape, marked by crises, highlighted the protection challenges facing 43.4
million displaced children. UNICEF Innocenti played a crucial role in generating evidence across
areas such as migration and displacement, violence prevention, harmful practices, child labour, and
gender inequalities. The office’s digital engagement and protection research was adapted to better
understand children’s experiences with evolving technologies. It prioritized understanding online risks,
combating sexual exploitation and collaborating with corporate partners on positive contributions of
digital play. This aligns with UNICEF’s strategic goals of enhancing learning and skills and protecting
children from potential harms.

In 2023, UNICEF Innocenti expanded its network of partners in foresight analysis, collaborating with
the Atlantic Council and the Pardee Center for International Futures. With this inclusive approach,
UNICEF Innocenti sought input globally, with active participation from regional offices to enrich
outlook analyses. Growing interest in foresight within the United Nations system affirmed UNICEF
Innocenti’s crucial role in shaping the future landscape.

UNICEF Innocenti’s work on ethics in evidence recognizes the importance of evidence while
acknowledging that generating it can pose potential risks to the safety, well-being and rights of
children and families. Evidence generation activities can pose challenges, particularly when they
involve sensitive issues or marginalized groups. Demand for support in methods to ethically generate
evidence has grown organization-wide, reflecting recent trends. This demand is amplified by the
complexity of the issues that require new methodologies. Growing interest in participatory evidence
involving children and young people highlights a need to invest in providing appropriate tools to
both offices and young people, to undertake this work safely. The adoption of artificial intelligence
necessitates a deeper understanding of ethical risks and has presented opportunities to influence
broader organizational practices, unifying language and messaging on common issues like consent at
the field level.

2 Overview
 Leading global discourse
The State of the World’s Children 2023
The State of the World’s Children 2023: For every child, vaccination, the 2023 edition of the UNICEF
flagship report, delved into the reasons behind the significant decline in routine vaccination and
outlined the steps required for the global community to ensure that no child would miss out on life-
saving vaccines. This report played a pivotal role in UNICEF’s Global Advocacy Strategy, earning
record-setting media and readership attention and making a substantial impact.

The report earned over 4,500 media mentions and attracted 2.3 million website viewers. It set a new
record for the highest-ever coverage of a UNICEF report.

To provide tailored support at regional and country levels, seven regional briefs were developed,
addressing specific content relevant to different regions and country offices. Additionally, an
immunization discussion event was organized, bringing together UNICEF colleagues, key stakeholders
(including Gavi, the World Health Organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the United
States Agency for International Development) and academics. This collaborative effort aimed to
formulate policy asks for reaching zero-dose children, emphasizing the importance of collective action
and cooperation in addressing vaccination challenges.

Following the publication of The State of the World’s Children 2023 report, UNICEF Innocenti
produced an evidence synthesis report on What Works to Increase Uptake of Childhood Immunization.
The findings of this report were featured at Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group meetings
of national immunization programme managers in Europe and Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific,
and Eastern and Southern Africa regions.

3 Leading global discourse

 Research in the spotlight
Social and economic policy
UNICEF Innocenti continued to dedicate its social and economic research towards advancing Goal
Area 5 of UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022–2025, specifically focusing on expanding effective and
inclusive social protection for children and diminishing the percentage of children living in monetary
and multidimensional poverty. The research aligned with Goal Areas 1 and 10 of the Sustainable
Development Goals, directly addressing poverty eradication and inequality reduction, and was shaped
by several influential trends:

• Nations exploring diverse modalities of social protection programmes, transcending traditional

cash transfer models to embrace innovative approaches like cash plus schemes and
amalgamating cash support with complementary social services tailored to address specific
constraints faced by diverse population groups. There is increasing interest in universal child
benefits as a pivotal tool in the battle against poverty. Our ongoing research aims to comprehend
the cost feasibility, financing options, operational efficacy and nuanced impacts of these
modalities on target populations.

• Sustained interest in effective strategies for reducing gender inequalities and gender- and child-
based violence. The focus of UNICEF Innocenti’s research is on building the evidence to identify
impactful interventions and assess best practices and enabling factors across varied contexts.

• Examination of the dynamics of child poverty in a world grappling with overlapping crises,
including climate change, conflict and economic instability. UNICEF Innocenti continues its
investigation into the multifaceted nature of child poverty, recognizing the complexities that arise
from simultaneous crises.

• Emergence of shock-adaptive social protection programmes in response to the heightened

frequency and intensity of shocks from climate change, conflict and economic instability. These
flexible programmes are designed to offer rapid humanitarian relief while simultaneously fostering
resilience for future crises. The team is actively researching these innovative programmes, with a
keen focus on evaluating their impact and cost-effectiveness.

• Perpetual emphasis on articulating the investment case for social protection and comprehending
the cost of inaction. As economic pressures escalate, particularly on the already strained fiscal
conditions of many nations, UNICEF Innocenti’s research underscores the substantial benefits
and positive returns associated with social protection spending in human and economic terms.
Our work examines the cost of inaction, quantifying the inevitable consequences of not investing
in or limiting investments in social protection. Through rigorous analysis, we consistently provide
evidence that social protection is an investment rather than a cost, solidifying its role as a
cornerstone for sustainable and inclusive development.

4 Research in the spotlight

 Report Card 18: Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth examined the state of child poverty in 43
high-income and upper-middle-income countries within the European Union and the OECD. The
report presented data and evaluated the advancements, or lack thereof, made by these nations
in the ongoing quest to eradicate child poverty. The research not only highlighted the successes
achieved by certain countries, but also deliberated on additional measures that could be undertaken
to address the challenge set by the Sustainable Development Goals: the eradication of poverty in all
its forms, everywhere – even within affluent nations. The report garnered significant attention on
social media, indicative of its relevance and importance. It was also used in policy advocacy efforts
and government debates in Iceland, Luxembourg, Slovenia and the United Kingdom. The widespread
acknowledgement and application of the findings underscore the potential of research to influence
tangible actions and policies aimed at alleviating child poverty on national and international levels.

The tenth Transfer Project Workshop was held in Kenya in June 2023, showcasing new research
and evidence on government cash transfer programmes in Africa. It had 102 participants, including
75 social protection programme and government officials, as well as researchers from 18 African
countries. Major topics of interest for further evidence included cash transfers schemes in fragile,
emergency and conflict settings; public financing, cost-effectiveness and investment cases for social
protection; and increasing interest in adaptive and shock-responsive social protection programmes.
The workshop provided space to explore the challenges of designing and implementing cash transfer
programmes, share evidence, and facilitate cross-country learning.

The gender-responsive and age-sensitive social protection (GRASSP) research programme on what
works, how and why for improving gender equality outcomes through social protection interventions,
made substantial progress despite continued challenges with conflicts and insecurity in some
countries. Validation and dissemination events were held in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Mexico, Uruguay and Viet Nam.

The fourth brief of the Social Spending Monitor series focused on financing social expenditure in
humanitarian settings. This brief highlighted the gaps in humanitarian financing flows at a time of
growing demand, and provided four key recommendations that need to be pursued to ensure that the
needs of children and households in crises can be addressed.

Too Little, Too Late, a landmark report on how public policies for children are organized in high-, middle-
and low-income countries across the globe, offered insights about the best ways and timing for public
spending on children. It also set a baseline for building better policy portfolios of public spending
on children. Drawing from internationally validated databases on child policy expenditure (education,
social protection and social services), population statistics, school enrolment data and macroeconomic
conditions, the study produced age-spending profiles to map country child policy portfolios across
the life course. It examined public spending on children by age in 84 countries (58 per cent of children
and young people worldwide). The report found that public expenditures on early years children in
15 of the 84 countries are very low and inadequate. In more than half of the countries studied, public
expenditures on children are greater in late childhood and youth, at the expense of early childhood.
An expert meeting was convened by UNICEF Innocenti in March 2023 to discuss these findings and
recommend global action.

5 Research in the spotlight

 Education
Data Must Speak
Data Must Speak (DMS) positive deviance research addresses the deepening learning crisis by
identifying and scaling cost-effective, local solutions. Through co-creation and co-implementation with
ministries of education and key stakeholders, DMS research investigates the behaviours and practices
of positive deviant schools – those that outperform other schools despite operating in similar contexts
and with similar resources.

DMS is being co-created and co-implemented in 14 countries. The research identifies positive deviant
schools, explores practices that contribute to their performance and investigates how to scale these
practices to more schools. It uses participatory, mixed-methods approaches and methodologies,
including positive deviance, behavioural sciences, implementation research and scaling science.
Evidence from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mali and Togo demonstrated that head
teachers at positive deviant schools engage more with teachers and parents, including in decision-
making, and provide more instructional supervision and pedagogical support to teachers.

The findings have informed Global Partnership for Education (GPE) capacity strengthening grants and
partnership compacts in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Nepal and Togo.

Digital learning
As education systems increasingly invest in innovative and resilient delivery methods, it is important
for solutions to deliver digital and alternative learning to the most marginalized. UNICEF Innocenti’s
digital learning research embeds implementation research into the development of digital learning
programmes, including the Learning Passport, Akelius language learning app and accessible digital
textbooks. At each stage of development, data and evidence are collected and used to consistently
inform programme improvements and national strategies.

In Guinea, Kosovo1 and Mexico, evidence generated on the Learning Passport informed national
digital education plans. In Paraguay and Uruguay, evidence generated on the accessible digital
textbooks informed the national scale-up of the programme. The In Brief on digital learning drew on
lessons learned from more than 15 countries, outlining the top reasons why digital learning succeeds
or fails.

Early childhood education

The first years of a child’s life are critical to building the foundations of learning so that the child can
succeed in school and beyond. Early childhood education (ECE) research explores ways to enhance
the delivery of ECE services through a system-level approach. An evidence review of studies from
low- and middle-income countries was conducted to synthesize evidence on pre-primary education
interventions that aimed to improve children’s learning and development outcomes. A system-level
mapping of ECE was conducted in 15 Pacific Island countries and territories through data collection
with ministry of education representatives. A desk review of approaches to strengthen delivery of ECE
in humanitarian contexts was conducted to support responses to the Ukraine crisis.

The What Works in Pre-Primary Education Provision report was presented at the Comparative
International Education Society conference and to Plan International’s ECE hub.

1 As per United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

6 Research in the spotlight

 Teachers for All
Teachers for All (T4A) aims to identify how the deployment of qualified teachers can be optimized
in Africa to improve equity in learning outcomes, particularly in primary schools. The T4A research is
co-created in four phases. Findings from Angola, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Lesotho, Madagascar, the
Niger, Senegal and Zambia indicate that teachers in rural and remote schools are worse off, female
teachers are inequitably distributed and teachers are inequitably distributed in schools.

In Angola, evidence was used by the Ministry of Education to target teacher training in high needs
municipalities. In Madagascar, data was used to inform the GPE Compact. In Zambia, findings were
used by the Ministry of Education to aid teacher recruitment planning.

Women in Learning Leadership

Effective school leadership plays a vital role in improving education. Emerging evidence suggests
female school leaders are associated with improved student learning. Women leaders may adopt
practices and behaviours that contribute to positive outcomes, creating role model effects and
challenging gendered social norms. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, women remain severely under-
represented, with only 1 in 10 school leaders being women in some countries. Women in Learning
Leadership (WiLL), a joint research initiative with UNESCO-International Institute for Education Planning,
examines the under-representation of women in school leadership and generates evidence on the best
practices and behaviours of school leaders to improve learning outcomes and gender equality. In 2023,
WiLL expanded to five countries (Benin, Chad, Ghana, Madagascar and Mali). A regional analysis from
14 Francophone countries demonstrated significant gender disparities in school leadership. Additional
regional analyses are underway for Latin America, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia.

Child and adolescent rights and empowerment

The Child Rights and Protection team is focused on building and strengthening quality evidence to
guide the development of effective global, regional and national strategies, systems, and programmes
on a range of child rights issues. The team’s diverse research portfolio encompasses issues such as
violence against girls, boys and women; migration and displacement; child labour; gender-responsive
and age-sensitive social protection; harmful practices, including child marriage and female genital
mutilation; and birth registration.

Two large-scale, multi-year research programmes, namely Evidence on Educational Strategies to

Address Child Labour in South Asia and GRASSP, reached significant milestones in generating
research publications, podcasts, blogs and meetings. These projects, which will conclude in 2024,
have facilitated collaborations with consortium partners to amplify impacts at country and global levels.

Migration and displacement

Migration and displacement remained a significant focus. The completion of two research studies –
the mixed-methods study As They Move: Child and Youth Experiences of Migration Displacement and
Return in Afghanistan and the study on Including Refugee Learners in National Education Systems –
informed actionable insights. Findings from the Afghanistan study directly influenced the Afghanistan
Country Office’s Protecting Afghan Children on the Move programme and informed child protection
strategies in the latest planning cycle. Pakistan’s initiation of new research on child migration

7 Research in the spotlight

 and displacement underscored the ongoing commitment of national governments to evidence-
informed guidance, particularly regarding child protection in the context of forced deportations and
displacement.

In collaboration with the International Data Alliance for Children on the Move and the University of
Virginia, cross-sectoral data and thematic experts convened to address data challenges related to
climate-linked displacement and child mobility. Collaboration with the University of Virginia led to
facilitation of a regional expert workshop and technical assistance on child migration and displacement,
which informed the agendas of UNICEF Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office for migrant
children and families. Additionally, qualitative research across four countries contributed significantly
to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children’s report to the
Human Rights Council (to be published in 2024), reinforcing a robust portfolio of publications, including
blogs, working papers and reports.

Violence prevention
UNICEF Innocenti’s efforts supported the implementation of fundamental change in UNICEF’s
approach to violence, which is charted in UNICEF’s Child Protection Strategy 2021–2030, Strategic
Plan 2022–2025 and Gender Action Plan 2022–2025. This significant shift in approach, which
responded to evolving evidence in the violence prevention field, called for greater investment in
preventing violence, by tackling social and behavioural drivers and adopting an explicitly gender
transformative approach that recognizes the gender dimensions of violence, including the
intersections between violence against children and violence against women. UNICEF Innocenti
aided the operationalization of this approach with a systematic review of coordinated approaches to
address violence, evidence briefs on gender transformative parenting programmes in collaboration
with Prevention Collaborative and Equimundo, and an ongoing three-country study in the Middle East
and North Africa region. A global research prioritization exercise, conducted in collaboration with WHO
and the Sexual Violence Research Initiative, produced a shared research agenda on the intersections
between violence against children and violence against women. This is now guiding investment in
evidence generation to ensure the best outcomes for children and women.

UNICEF Innocenti’s thought leadership in this area continues to be solicited by key organizations and
initiatives. During 2023, we contributed to the Lancet Commission on Gender-based Violence and
Maltreatment of Young People, the Sexual Violence Research Initiative Leadership Council, To Zero:
Working together to end childhood sexual violence, The Global Partnership for Action on Gender-
Based Online Harassment and Abuse, and others.

Under the Strategic Technical Assistance for Research Initiative to end harmful practices, extensive
technical assistance was provided to UNICEF and United Nations Population Fund country and
regional offices. A review of what works to achieve progress on ending child marriage was produced
to inform donor investment and planning for the Global Programme to End Child Marriage (2024 to
2030). Country research briefs (Burkina Faso and the Niger) were produced, and a comprehensive
study is underway, investigating child marriage interventions and female genital mutilation
interventions in humanitarian contexts across 13 countries in Middle East and North Africa, West and
Central Africa, and East and Southern Africa regions.

8 Research in the spotlight

 Birth registration and child protection in humanitarian settings
Birth registration emerged as an important agenda, highlighted by the launch of two briefs linked to
evidence in Africa at a United Nations Legal Identity Agenda event during the United Nations General
Assembly in September. Technical leadership in the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian
Action’s Assessment, Measurement and Evidence working group, in collaboration with World Vision
International, developed a comprehensive monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) framework to
enhance accountability and effectiveness in child protection initiatives.

Gender equality
Finally, a focus on gender inequalities in the distribution of care responsibilities emerged in 2023,
with the publication of a policy brief for the Indian Presidency of the G20’s Think Tank 20 initiative on
Gender-equitable Family Policies for Inclusive and Sustainable Development: An Agenda for the G20
and a joint UNICEF–United Nations blog on building ‘care societies’. This work will continue in 2024,
with further analytical work on the human development costs of unequal distribution of care work
throughout the life course.

Digital engagement and protection

The Disrupting Harm project focuses primarily on safeguarding children in a digital world, aligning
with UNICEF’s overarching child protection mandate. A key priority is combating online child sexual
exploitation and abuse. The research methodology includes extensive primary data collection directly
involving children and their families and duty bearers working within the child protection system. The
project is conducted in partnership with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and
ECPAT International, and the research is conducted nationally in collaboration with UNICEF country
offices, national expert organizations and government partners. The research aims to generate novel
evidence illuminating the impact of digital transformation on children’s well-being, lives and rights,
often in countries where digital technology is relatively recent. The project has significant potential to
influence UNICEF’s positioning, policy advocacy and programming at regional and global levels.

In 2023, recommendations from the Disrupting Harm project had a tangible impact in Kenya,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the United Republic of Tanzania. These recommendations were
instrumental in amending legislation, enhancing national protection and judiciary services for children,
and formulating national action plans on child protection.

The team has continued the collaboration with INTERPOL and ECPAT International in 2023, working
on the project’s second round of research funded by the Safe Online initiative. The team has worked
with 12 new countries, establishing technical working groups through governments, preparing for
data collection and strengthening data collection safeguards. There has been a particular focus on
assessing existing child protection services and enhancing UNICEF’s capacity for ethical evidence
generation on sensitive topics. The scope of data collection is a wide range of stakeholders, including
over 12,000 children; 12,000 caregivers; 720 frontline social support staff, justice professionals or
survivors; and various law enforcement officers. The results are intended to create an evidence-
informed roadmap for countries to strengthen national prevention efforts and enhance the capabilities
of frontline workers, law enforcement and justice actors in combating online child sexual abuse.

9 Research in the spotlight

 Concurrently, collaboration with the LEGO Group and LEGO Foundation has continued, with
exploration of the positive impact of digital play experiences on child well-being. Three participatory
research activities with children globally have been conducted, aiming to identify design features for
digital games that contribute to long-term improvements in child well-being. The findings, summarized
in 2023, will be presented in a final report scheduled for launch in the first quarter of 2024.

Disability inclusion research

In 2023, disability inclusion research expanded, following UNICEF’s commitment at the 2022 Global
Disability Summit. Aligned with UNICEF’s Disability and Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022–2030,
UNICEF Innocenti launched several initiatives, including a research prioritization exercise engaging 300
global experts. The results formed the basis for UNICEF’s Global Research Agenda for children with
disabilities, which will advocate for inclusive interventions.

At the heart of UNICEF Innocenti’s inclusive research approach is to ensure that research is accessible
to all. Good knowledge management and dissemination of accessible reports and publications is
critical. Therefore, UNICEF Innocenti completed a comprehensive stocktake of all research and
evidence from around the world, which will be maintained as a one-stop-shop for critical knowledge
on inclusion for children with disabilities. Periodically, UNICEF Innocenti will publish synopses of its
research and evidence, with the first publication, From Insight to Inclusion, planned for 2024.

To foster inclusivity, UNICEF Innocenti introduced the Flex Yang Visiting Research Fellowship
Programme, inviting researchers with disabilities to work in Florence. In partnership with Perkins
Access and University College London’s Evidence for Policy & Practice Information Centre, the world’s
first accessible evidence and gap map was launched, complementing the 2022 report, Inclusion
Matters. These efforts highlight UNICEF Innocenti’s dedication to an inclusive research agenda.

Learning is For Everyone

Children with disabilities are 49 per cent less likely to attend school than children without disabilities.
UNICEF Innocenti launched Learning is For Everyone (LiFE) research in 2023 to explore whether
education systems are disability-inclusive in Cambodia, Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique, Nepal, the
Niger and Paraguay. Important insights were highlighted in Cambodia, the first country to complete
data collection: children with disabilities were three times less likely to have attended school
compared with those without disabilities; entering the school system seemed to be a greater barrier
than learning once children with disabilities were in school, because children in schools had similar
levels of literacy regardless of disability; and as many as 9 in 10 teachers reported not having received
inclusive education training.

A workshop with ministry stakeholders was held to present the findings and develop and select
strategies to enhance inclusive education for use in Cambodia’s upcoming National Action Plan on
Inclusive Education 2024–2028.

10 Research in the spotlight

 Children, COVID-19 and preparedness
UNICEF Innocenti began the sunsetting process for the Children and COVID-19 Research Library with
the release of the final quarterly digest (Issue 6) of the research library on COVID-19 and the ‘crisis of
care’. The Behavioural Science Research team also collaborated with London Metropolitan University
and UNICEF’s Europe and Central Asia Regional Office on a comprehensive evidence synthesis
project, titled Predictors of Protective Behaviours to Prevent the Community Spread of SARS-COV-2.
This endeavour resulted in the publication of five research reports, along with a practical toolkit for
practitioners to apply the lessons to future pandemic threats.

Ethics in evidence generation

The initiative on strengthening ethics in evidence focuses on integrating ethical principles
seamlessly into the workflow of evidence generation, rather than treating them as obstacles.
Key accomplishments in 2023 include:

• Providing substantial support: Addressed over 140 queries of varying complexity related
to research, evaluation and data projects for both UNICEF globally and at UNICEF Innocenti,
with 83 per cent resolved within 48 hours. Responses often involved input from various
experts within the organization, such as data protection, safeguarding, ICT security and legal.

• Improving information accessibility: Revamped the internal SharePoint site ‘Ethics in

Evidence Generation – HomePage’ to enhance usability and highlight resources on frequently
asked questions. Additional guidance materials were developed in collaboration with related
functions like safeguarding and data protection, with further enhancements planned for 2024.

• Enhancing policy framework: Progressed towards updating and upgrading the current
ethics in evidence generation procedures to a policy framework. This shift aims to embed a
principle-based approach, ensure ethical considerations throughout the activity lifecycle and
clarify areas of ambiguity.

• Training and webinars: Conducted webinars and in-person training sessions to promote
ethical practices, including sessions during various meetings, such as the Global Evaluation
Meeting and Adolescent Girls Programme Strategy meeting.

• Integration: Provided input to embed ethics principles in work done by other sectors, such
as the Gender U-Report Playbook for Humanitarian Settings, Imagery Working Guidelines,
Data Disaggregation Guidelines for Children on the Move and the Cross-Divisional Strategic
Framework on Online Child Protection.

• Contributing to strategic framework: Supported the development of UNICEF’s strategic

framework on artificial intelligence, addressing emerging ethical concerns and facilitating
discussions on appropriate review and governance.

Externally, the programme actively engaged in inter-agency networks, such as the United
Nations International Bioethics Committee and the United Nations Evaluation Group working
group on ethics.

11 Research in the spotlight

 Foresight and anticipatory policy
UNICEF Innocenti’s efforts significantly influenced the organization across various levels. Notably, the
Prospects for Children in the Polycrisis – A 2023 Global Outlook report garnered substantial attention
and sparked dialogue within UNICEF, particularly during the Global Leadership Meeting. Additionally,
the Loss and Damage Finance for Children paper played a crucial role in advocating for a child rights
focus in the global discourse on the Loss and Damage Fund activation at COP28.

UNICEF Innocenti also published a report on Accelerating ‘Green’ School-to-Work Transitions, which
provided a new framework for understanding such transitions and an overview of what policymakers
can do to accelerate green livelihood opportunities for young people. The report emphasized the
importance of supporting young people as they pursue green livelihoods.

UNICEF Innocenti’s ongoing work on trade has gained attention and fostered joint efforts both
within UNICEF and with partners, shaping the discourse for the African Union Summit. Furthermore,
Common Principles on Future Generations, developed by UNICEF Innocenti through the United
Nations High-Level Committee on Programmes and endorsed by the United Nations Chief Executive
Board, has influenced the strategic direction of several United Nations agencies. In the digital realm,
our papers have stimulated agency-wide discussions around digital issues, influencing UNICEF’s
internal artificial intelligence strategy.

As part of efforts to explore new frontiers, the UNICEF Innocenti team working on foresight and
policy delved into nine new issues and responded to nine requests for intelligence through solicitation.
UNICEF Innocenti developed 18 relevant and high-quality analytical products, formulated two global
policy recommendations, and actively brokered and established 13 foresight-related relationships,
products and processes.

The methodologies used in developing these products were primarily based on multi-stakeholder
collaboration and consultation. For instance, the Loss and Damage paper, a multi-agency publication,
was released at COP in partnership with Save the Children, Plan International, the Loss and Damage
Youth Coalition, the Children’s Environmental Rights Initiative and the International Centre for Climate
Change and Development. Similarly, the groundwork on Outlook 2024, released in January 2024,
involved extensive partnerships and engagements – including the building and strengthening of
collaborations with various UNICEF divisions, regional offices, UNICEF Youth Foresight Fellows, other
United Nations agencies and individual experts. External partners, such as the Atlantic Council and the
Pardee Center for International Futures, also played pivotal roles.

Maintaining a learner’s mindset, UNICEF Innocenti responded to the increasing demand for foresight
across organizational levels by developing a foresight strategy. This growing interest underscored the
necessity of enhancing the team’s foresight capacity, understanding the approaches of other United
Nations agencies (e.g., consulting the United Nations Development Programme foresight team) and,
crucially, having a foresight expert on board. The masterclasses offered by UNESCO on foresight
methodologies benefitted the team and enabled them to integrate tools like 3-horizons scanning,
the futures wheel, the 200-year present, and 2x2 scenarios into Outlook 2023 and Outlook 2024.
Furthermore, a forward-looking report was developed on the emerging metaverse, extended reality
and its implications for children.

12 Foresight and anticipatory policy

 Youth engagement strategy
UNICEF Innocenti led youth engagement and dialogue at the UNICEF Global Leadership Meeting and
supported the participation of refugee youth-led organizations (RYLOs) in discussions, focusing on
displacement and gender issues in collaboration with the Gender Rights and Protection research team.
The team is also working with RYLOs to underscore the imperative for increased attention, funding
and the utilization of RYLOs’ expertise and experiences in research initiatives.

The team made significant contributions to the Global Outlook Report through the Youth Foresight
Fellowship, introducing the first-ever youth-authored chapter in the report, which focused on the
future of democracy. Other endeavours included UNICEF’s submission to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change on child input to the Loss and Damage Transition Fund,
and the forging of a meaningful partnership with the United Nations Development Programme on the
Youth4Climate initiative.

In addition, the team actively facilitated and published youth-led content, including blogs, videos and
the Our Future Pledge report. A noteworthy achievement was the collaboration with United Nations
Global Pulse at the Dubai Future Forum to create a Youth Foresight Playbook. This playbook is
designed to assist governments and multilateral organizations in engaging young people in foresight,
thereby enhancing anticipatory capacity and strengthening policy and decision-making.

The team successfully launched the second cohort of youth foresight fellows, in collaboration with
UNICEF country offices, national committees and the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner
of Wales. The UNICEF Innocenti Youth Network experienced substantial growth, expanding to over
2,500 members. Importantly, the team established the role of senior fellow as an integral part of the
Youth Engagement and Strategy team, which demonstrates commitment to sustaining and advancing
youth-focused initiatives.

13 Youth engagement strategy

 Finance and partnerships
UNICEF Innocenti spent a total of US$10.4 million in 2023 to deliver results through research and
foresight. In total, 76 per cent of these funds were mobilized from partners, with the remainder
coming from UNICEF. In 2023 alone, UNICEF Innocenti raised US$3.8 million in additional
programmable grant funding. The office also received more than US$3.8 million from other UNICEF
offices for joint research and foresight work. The UNICEF core resources were the most significant,
followed by the regular contribution from the Government of Italy, and these were complemented by
other public and philanthropic funding sources from long-term partners (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Top funding sources by expenditure in 2023

No. Partner Project name Amount

(US$)
Institutional budget and regular
1 UNICEF core funding 2,544,883
resources

2 Government of Italy Regular contribution 2,041,998

GRASSP and Evidence on

Foreign, Commonwealth and
Educational Strategies to Address
3 Development Office, the United 1,364,720
Child Labour in South Asia research
Kingdom
programmes

4 Sida The Transfer Project: Phase 3 899,070

International Development Research
Scaling innovation: DMS about
Centre (IDRC) on behalf of the
5 positive deviant approaches to 699,510
Knowledge and Innovation Exchange,
learning
a joint IDRC and GPE body
Disrupting Harm 2: Investigating
6 Safe Online Initiative 513,967
violence against children online
DMS about positive deviance
Jacobs Foundation (with support
approaches to learning and
7 from the Committee for UNICEF 479,883
identifying barriers to women
Switzerland and Liechtenstein)
school leadership projects
Government of Norway (with
8 support from the UNICEF Disability Inclusion Partnership 292,356
Programme Group)
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (with Vaccine delivery support, risk
9 support from the UNICEF communication and community 198,406
Programme Group) engagement

LEGO Group (with support from

Responsible innovation in
10 the Danish National Committee for 193,056
technology for children
UNICEF)

14 Finance and partnerships

 In 2023, over 80 per cent of UNICEF Innocenti’s expenditure focused on: research generation and
convening; foresight and frontier issues; research facilitation, knowledge management (KM) and
ethics in evidence; and communication, editorial and flagships (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: UNICEF Innocenti expenditure by category, 2023

Research facilitation, knowledge Global discourse foresight

management and ethics, 12% and frontier issues 3%

Management and
Communication, editorial operations, 19%
and flagships, 5%

Strategic research and

convening, 61%

15 Finance and partnerships

 Partnerships
UNICEF Innocenti collaborates extensively with a diverse range of partners to fulfil its research and
foresight mandate (see Annex 2 for the full list). For over three decades, the Government of Italy has
played a pivotal role by providing flexible funding and unwavering support, backed by its institutional
commitment. Strategic engagement with Italian partners has been crucial in 2023. Some results of
these long-standing collaborations have included:

1. Progress in the negotiations of the new Host Country Agreement with the Italian Government
and an additional contribution for the expansion of UNICEF presence in Florence

2. Renewal of the agreement with the Government of Italy for another three years

3. Signature of a memorandum of understanding with the European University Institute and

start of the first Junior Fellowship programme

4. Launch of the Monitoring and Analysing Poverty Across Space (MAPS) research project in
collaboration with the Italian National Committee for UNICEF and the Campania region

5. Finalization of the donation of the Wings of Mexico sculpture to UNICEF by the Jorge Marín
Foundation and the Municipality of Florence’s subsequent acceptance to place it in a public
garden in Florence

In 2023, UNICEF Innocenti initiated new and expanded existing research and foresight initiatives with
partners. These included:

• Preparation for implementation of the second round of research on online child sexual exploitation
and abuse in 12 countries in Eastern and Central Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the
Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia regions; thanks to support from the Safe Online
Initiative and in collaboration with ECPAT International and INTERPOL.

• Continued partnership with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Foreign,
Commonwealth & Development Office on two multi-year research programmes, Evidence
on Educational Strategies to Address Child Labour in South Asia and GRASSP, which will
conclude in 2024.

• Engagement with over 300 global stakeholders and organizations for persons with disabilities in
a research prioritization exercise, as part of building a Global Research Agenda for Children with
Disabilities to launch in 2024.

• Collaboration with the UNICEF Evaluation Office, Programme Group, and Division of Data,
Analytics, Planning and Monitoring on a research programme aimed at generating evidence that
strengthens adaptive social protection in fragile contexts, with support from the German Federal
Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

16 Partnerships
 • Launch of LiFE research to explore disability-inclusive education, with support from the Oak
Foundation through the Committee for UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein and a private donor
through the Japan National Committee for UNICEF.

• WiLL, a joint research initiative with UNESCO International Institute for Education Planning
(IIEP) to examine the under-representation of women in school leadership and generate
evidence on the best practices and behaviours of school leaders that can improve learning
outcomes and gender equality.

• Expansion of the Youth Foresight Fellowship to 12 countries and growing interest from partners
in collaborating with UNICEF Innocenti on youth foresight and meaningful youth engagement.
Deepened partnership with the Atlantic Council and new collaboration with the Pardee Center for
International Futures, which will be pivotal for foresight exercises in the Prospects for Children in
2024: Cooperation in a Fragmented World report.

• A new project supported by the Oak Foundation to update a 2005 UNICEF Innocenti paper on the
‘evolving capacities’ of the child.

• Qualitative research on child migrants across four countries and contribution to the report of the
Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children (SRSG VAC) to the
United Nations Human Rights Council.

17 Partnerships
 Figure 3: Top new contributions to UNICEF Innocenti Programmes in 2023

Donor name Partnership name Duration

Foresight and anticipatory policy

Government of Finland 2023–2025
for children

Support for junior professional

Government of Japan 2023-2024
officer

LiFE: Research to inform

2023–2025
Oak Foundation (with support disability-inclusive education
from the Committee for UNICEF
Switzerland and Liechtenstein) Update to the concept of the
2023–2024
evolving capacities of the child

Additional funding for

Safe Online Disrupting Harm 2
2022–2025

Scaling innovation: DMS

GPE (in partnership with IDRC) Positive Deviance Research 2020–2024
Continuity Grant

Italian National Committee for UNICEF Visionaries: Support to

2023–2024
UNICEF UNICEF Innocenti

United States Agency for

International Development Combating female genital
2021–2025
(with support from the UNICEF mutilation
Programme Group)

LEGO Group (with support Responsible innovation with

from the Danish Committee for technology and ethics for Funding for 2023–2024
UNICEF) children

Identifying barriers to women

Jacobs Foundation (with support
school leadership and DMS
from the Committee for UNICEF 2023–2024
about positive deviance
Switzerland and Liechtenstein)
approaches to learning

US Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC) (with PG: Immunization CDC Year 1
2023–2024
support from the UNICEF Award: CORE SBC
Programme Group)

US Fund for UNICEF Youth Foresight Fellows 2023–2024

Qualitative research on child

SRSG VAC 2023–2024
migration

18 Partnerships
 Annex 1: Publication highlights
Digital Learning Landscape
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/digital-learning-landscape

Parenting Programmes to Reduce Violence Against Children and Women

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/parenting-programmes-reduce-violence-against-children-
and-women

Including Refugee Learners in National Education Systems

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/including-refugee-learners-national-education-systems

Leading Minds 2022 Conference

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/leading-minds-2022-conference

Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/child-poverty-midst-wealth

Loss and Damage Finance for Children

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/loss-and-damage-finance-children

A Tumultuous World Through Children’s Eyes

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/tumultuous-world-through-childrens-eyes

Designing a Youth-centred Journey to the Future

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/designing-youth-centred-journey-future

Growing up in an inner area: The lives of children and adolescents living in inner Cilento
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/growing-up-inner-cilento

Teachers for All: Côte d’Ivoire

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/teachers-for-all-cote-d-ivoire

Child-related Policies in the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in 40 Countries

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/documents/child-related-policies-first-year-covid-19-pandemic-40-
countries

Women in Learning Leadership (WiLL)

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/women-learning-leadership-will

A global review of selected digital inclusion policies

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/global-review-selected-digital-inclusion-policies

19 Annex 1: Publication highlights

 Accessible Digital Textbooks Jamaica
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/accessible-digital-textbooks-jamaica

What Works to Reduce Violence against Children and Women in the Home in
Low- and Middle-Income Countries?
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/what-works-reduce-violence-against-children-and-women

The role of women school principals in improving learning in French-speaking Africa

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/role-women-school-principals-improving-learning-french-
speaking-africa

What Works to Improve Outcomes for Children?

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/what-works-improve-outcomes-children

Off to Learn: Making offline digital learning work for vulnerable girls in Mauritania
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/off-to-learn

What Works in Pre-Primary Education Provision

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/what-works-pre-primary-education-provision

Social Contracts: Towards more child- and future-centred framings

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/social-contracts-towards-more-child-and-future-centred-
framings

Navigating Digital Learning

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/navigating-digital-learning

Mental Health in Displaced Child and Youth Populations: A developmental and family systems lens
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/mental-health-displaced-child-and-youth-populations

Known from Birth

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/known-from-birth

As They Move
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/as-they-move

Children’s exposure to hate messages and violent images online

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/documents/childrens-exposure-hate-messages-and-violent-images-
online

Child Work and Child Labour

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/child-work-and-child-labour

20 Annex 1: Publication highlights

 War and Economic Downturn
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/war-and-economic-downturn

How Gender-responsive Age-sensitive Social Protection is Related to the Climate Crisis

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/how-gender-responsive-age-sensitive-social-protection-
related-climate-crisis

Online Risk and Harm for Children in Eastern and Southern Africa
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/online-risk-and-harm-children-eastern-and-southern-africa

Lost time, Lost opportunities

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/lost-time-lost-opportunities

Learning on Hold
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/learning-on-hold

Children and the Cost-of-living Crisis

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/children-and-cost-living-crisis

The Metaverse, Extended Reality and Children

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/metaverse-extended-reality-and-children

What Works to Increase Uptake of Childhood Immunization

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/what-works-increase-uptake-childhood-immunization

Children and COVID-19 Research Library Quarterly Digest Issue 6

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/documents/children-and-covid-quarterly-digest-issue-6

Our Future Pledge: An agenda for futures by youth

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/our-future-pledge-agenda-futures-youth

Too Little, Too Late: An assessment of public spending on children by age in 84 countries
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/too-little-too-late

Agenda for Expert Consultation on Age-Related Public Expenditure and Policies

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/documents/agenda-expert-consultation-age-related-public-
expenditure-and-policies

Transforming Education in Kosovo with the Learning Passport

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/transforming-education-kosovo-learning-passport

Teachers for All: Zambia

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/teachers-for-all-zambia

21 Annex 1: Publication highlights

 Winning the Game
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/winning-game

Delivering the EU Child Guarantee: Practical lessons for effective interventions

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/delivering-eu-child-guarantee-practical-lessons-effective-
interventions

Evidence-based Intervention Design for Behaviour Change during a Health Emergency

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/evidence-based-intervention-design-behaviour-change-
during-health-emergency

Predictors of Protective Behaviours to Prevent the Community Spread of SARS-COV-2

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/predictors-protective-behaviours-prevent-community-
spread-sars-cov-2

Annual Report 2022

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/annual-report-2022

Parenting Programmes to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/parenting-programmes-reduce-violence-against-women-
and-children

Building Bright Futures: Early childhood education and care for Ukraine’s refugee children
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/building-bright-futures-ukraine

More than a billion reasons: The urgent need to build universal social protection
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/more-billion-reasons-urgent-need-build-universal-social-
protection

Unlocking Learning (Italy)

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/unlocking-learning-italy

Unlocking Learning (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/unlocking-learning-bosnia-and-herzegovina

Teachers for All: Madagascar

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/teachers-for-all-madagascar

Prospects for Children in the Polycrisis: A 2023 Global Outlook

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/prospects-children-polycrisis-2023-global-outlook

Data Must Speak: Côte d’Ivoire

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/data-must-speak-cote-divoire

22 Annex 1: Publication highlights

 Data Must Speak: Niger
https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/data-must-speak-niger

Data Must Speak: Ghana

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/data-must-speak-ghana

Data Must Speak: Togo

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/data-must-speak-togo

Data Must Speak: Madagascar

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/data-must-speak-madagascar

Data Must Speak: Zambia

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/data-must-speak-zambia

Data Must Speak: Nepal

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/data-must-speak-nepal

Data Must Speak: Lao People’s Democratic Republic

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/data-must-speak-lao-pdr

Data Must Speak: Mali

https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/reports/data-must-speak-mali

23 Annex 1: Publication highlights

 Annex 2: UNICEF Innocenti
partners
1. Abidan Development
2. Action Research for Co-Development (ARCO)
3. African Economic Research Consortium
4. African Union Development Agency-NEPAD
5. Alma Economics
6. Akelius Foundation
7. Atlantic Council
8. Barça Foundation
9. BookFusion
10. Bureau d’Etudes, Nahaza
11. Centre de Recherches et d’Etudes Sociales (CRES), Tunisia
12. Children’s Environmental Rights Initiative (CERI)
13. DiploFoundation
14. Dubai Future Foundation
15. Economic Research Group (ERG)
16. ECPAT International
17. EDI Global
18. Equimundo – Center for Masculinities and Social Justice
19. European University Institute, Italy
20. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland
21. Frontieri Consult, Ethiopia
22. Gender at the Centre Initiative
23. Georgetown University – Institute for the Study of International Migration
24. Global Metrics, Bulgaria
25. Government of Finland
26. Groupement d’Intérêts Scientifiques des Statisticiens Economistes (GISSE), Mali
27. Health Media Labs
28. Hewlett Foundation
29. HML Institute Review Board – Ethics Review Board
30. Institut de Sondage et de Traitement de l’Information Statistique (ISTIS), Tunisia
31. Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP), Burkina Faso
32. Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex
33. Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), Ghana

24 Annex 2: UNICEF Innocenti partners

 34. International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD)
35. International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)
36. International Development Research Centre, Canada (Knowledge and Innovation Exchange)
37. International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO), Dakar
38. International Labour Organization (ILO)
39. International Organization for Migration (IOM)
40. Ivo Pilar Institute, Croatia
41. Jacobs Foundation
42. LEGO Foundation
43. LEGO Group
44. London Metropolitan University
45. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
46. Loss and Damage Youth Coalition (LDYC)
47. Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya Foundation (MVF)
48. Mundi Consulting
49. National Institute of Statistics (INE), Angola
50. National Institute of Statistics (INS), the Democratic Republic of the Congo
51. National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), Mali
52. Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH)
53. Pedagogical University of Maputo
54. Plan-Eval, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
55. Plan International
56. Population Council, India
57. Prevention Collaborative
58. Public University of Cape Verde
59. Safe Online
60. Save the Children International
61. Schools2030
62. Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI)
63. SMERU Research Institute, Indonesia
64. Société de Développement International
65. South Africa Centre for Evidence (SACE)
66. Southern Cross University – Centre for Children and Young People
67. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
68. The Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures
69. The Khana Group
70. The Learning for Well-Being Institute, the Netherlands
71. The Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital, Austria

25 Annex 2: UNICEF Innocenti partners

 72. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
73. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
74. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
75. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
76. United Nations University-Center for Policy Research (UNU-CPR)
77. United Nations Women
78. University at Buffalo
79. University of North Carolina
80. University of Virginia, USA
81. Western Sydney University
82. World Bank
83. World Bank-UNHCR Joint Data Center
84. World Economic Forum
85. World Health Organization
86. World Vision International
87. Young Lives

26 Annex 2: UNICEF Innocenti partners

About us

UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and
adolescents and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Across 190 countries and
territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfil their potential, from
early childhood through adolescence.

And we never give up.

UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight tackles the current and
emerging questions of greatest importance for children. It drives change through research and
foresight on a wide range of child rights issues, sparking global discourse and actively engaging
young people in its work.

UNICEF Innocenti equips thought leaders and decision-makers with the evidence they need
to build a better, safer world for children. The office undertakes research on unresolved and
emerging issues, using primary and secondary data that represent the voices of children and
families themselves. It uses foresight to set the agenda for children, including horizon scanning,
trends analysis and scenario development.

The office produces a diverse and dynamic library of high-level reports, analyses and policy
papers, and provides a platform for debate and advocacy on a wide range of child rights issues.

UNICEF Innocenti provides, for every child, answers to their most pressing concerns.
Cover photo:
Anwar, 25, from Jerash, is a Youth Climate Leader
© UNICEF/UN0750171/Bseiso

Published by

UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight

Via degli Alfani, 58
50121, Florence, Italy

Tel: (+39) 055 20 330

Email: [email protected]
Social media: @UNICEFInnocenti on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and
YouTube

UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight,

Annual Report 2023, UNICEF Innocenti, Florence, April 2024.

© United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), April 2024.

for every child, answers