Policy innovations for and with children

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Which future will our children see?

Children in All Policies 2030

Catalysing health and well-being for future generations

The future for 2.4 billion children is under unprecedented threat, yet bad outcomes are not inevitable. We can, across the world, make better choices. CAP-2030 works to centre children’s health and well-being in all policies, to ensure an equitable, sustainable future. We implement the recommendations of the WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Commission by promoting children’s rights and protecting their health through science, advocacy and coalition-building.

Child Health and Well-Being Dashboard

Making data available to improve child and adolescent well-being and health

This dashboard, developed by WHO, UNICEF and CAP 2030, allows policymakers, governments and organisations to easily monitor and compare a selection of indicators by region, country, age group, domain and income. The dashboard is developed in support of the Convention of the Rights of the Child.

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EPIC: Engaging Policymakers in Intersectoral Collaboration for children in early childhood

Intersectoral action is key to improving early childhood development (ECD) outcomes, yet major evidence gaps persist about how intersectoral policies are successfully
designed and implemented

Building on formative work conducted by the CAP-2030 consortium, FLACSO-Argentina, the Center for Learning for Childhood Development–Ghana, and UCL are collaborating on a five-year research project funded by the U.K. National Institute for Health Research and Care (NIHR). The research aims to improve policymaking for ECD in Argentina and Ghana based on measurements of ECD status amongst target populations and via an intervention to improve collaborative policymaking amongst actors from government, civil society, community groups and children themselves.

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Country Stories

Explore the interactive map

Explore the interactive map

CAP-2030 works in countries around the world, bringing together policymakers, scientists, and advocates and children themselves to solve the most pressing challenges facing children and future generations. Our consortium is always welcoming new members - click on a country to learn more - or reach out to join our global movement for children!

Meet The Youth Advisory Board

CAP-2030’s Youth Advisory Board includes 21 young people from 16 different countries. YAB members provide valuable input across different areas of CAP-2030's work, including:

• data for decision-making
• harmful commercial marketing
• climate change education
• racism and child health

YAB members participate in critical conversations about the most important issues facing children and young people today!

This inspiring group of young people have so much to teach the CAP-2030 team and we are excited to work with them!

Learn more about them here

News & Events

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Foundations for a better future

A future for the world’s children?

A WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Commission report provides the foundations of CAP-2030, which seeks to implement the recommendations of the report. Calling for bold politicians, courageous community leaders and international agencies to make radical changes the Commission report highlights the threats to children’s futures and the need to act now. No excuses, and no time to lose.

Read more about CAP-2030’s ambitious plans to implement the recommendations set out in the Commission Report here in our recently published Lancet Comment

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LANCET COMMENT

The Stakes

Children’s needs, health and well-being are not being prioritised by adults and global leaders. The climate crisis and exploitative commercial marketing threaten children’s health and their futures, everywhere, in all countries. The evidence is clear: successful societies invest in their children – and yet no country is doing enough. But a brighter future is possible, with children at the centre.

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Sweden

Sweden has one of the world’s highest rankings on the Child Flourishing Index according to the WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Commission report. However, children and adolescents still have issues, The Karolinska Institutet will lead an initiative focusing on children’s mental health and wellbeing, which has been getting worse.

Senegal

Senegal is a country which has in many ways prioritised children’s health in its policies. However, the needs of newborns and very young children are not adequately understood by families, communities, and policymakers. The Institute of Social Paediatrics at Cheikh Anta Diop University, which works to improve the health conditions of mothers and children living in disadvantaged rural and suburban areas of Senegal, will lead an initiative on the ‘first 1,000 days’ of a child’s life. This is a critical period for setting the health and development trajectory for the entire life-course. The work will include advocacy among key policymakers and decisions-makers to devote resources to protect and promote health during the child’s first 1,000 days, as well as sensitising families and communities.

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France

France ranks among the top countries in the world for ensuring children survive and thrive, although population inequities mean that not all children are equally valued and cared for. Furthermore, France’s excess CO2 emissions put the future of all children at risk by contributing to the climate crisis. CAP-2030 will work with the CRI (Centre for Research and Interdisciplinarity) and other partners to interact with children about their ideas, hopes and fears about climate change. They will then develop communications tools to help adults effectively engage with the ‘silent mass’ of non-activist children and sensitively process the stress of climate change with children and adolescents.

Ghana

Ghana has made significant investments in child health and well-being in recent years, resulting in large decreases in child mortality. However, despite recent momentum towards prioritising children in policy, their needs are not being addressed holistically using an all-of-government approach. CAP-2030 will work with the Center for Learning and Child Development in Ghana, which will hold sector-specific consultations to promote child-friendly strategic planning. They will also organize a multisectoral conference at national level to mobilise stakeholders to place children at the centre of Ghana’s pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Argentina

In Argentina, historical fragmentation of policy for children and adolescents has resulted in inequalities in service provision across provinces, with lack of coordination between sectors such as health, education, housing and water & sanitation. FLACSO, the Latin American School of Social Sciences, is leading an initiative to develop cross-sector approaches to promote children’s rights to health and well-being and build a more child-inclusive society. They will map the critical issues, bring together the relevant people to exchange knowledge, and advocate to centre the rights of the child in today’s political agenda.

South Africa

In South Africa, the negative effects of alcohol on children occur across the life course, beginning in the womb. The Western Cape province has one of the highest prevalence rates of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders in the world with long term consequences for children’s growth, education and life opportunities. Harmful alcohol use by parents also increases risk of child maltreatment, neglect and household poverty. Partners at the University of Western Cape, South African MRC and Stellenbosch University will seek to capitalise on the observed effects of recent COVID-19 alcohol sales bans. They will explore policy options for long-term, multi-sectoral alcohol policy reform, to improve the health and safety of children and families in South Africa.

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India

In part due to the large number of children living in poverty in India, the country ranks low on the WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Commission’s Child Flourishing Index. In particular, the number of children living in informal housing poses major challenges in terms of access to social services, social protection, welfare regimes, and other important policy interventions on children’s health and well-being. The Indian Institute for Human Settlements will lead a programme of work on children’s health, housing and social protection, in particular as this concerns children in families supported by informal workers.

Nepal

In Nepal, children’s health and well-being is inescapably linked to climate change: issues include poor nutritional status, challenges to agricultural production, loss of biodiversity and exposure to climate-induced risks such as droughts, extreme heat, floods, and landslides. The status of children tends to be more critical in remote areas with limited access to market, health, and educational facilities. The climate-related disaster risks for children differ by agro-ecological zone, which vary from south to north across the country. Kathmandu Living Labs and Avni Centre for Sustainability will explore a portfolio of citizen science activities focused on schoolchildren and youth, with the aim of documenting and monitoring climate-change related issues of interest to the children and their communities.

Pacific Island Countries

Pacific Island countries are among those most affected by the climate crisis, and Indigenous children and youth from these countries are some of the most powerful voices speaking out against climate change in the world today. CAP-2030 will work to amplify the voices and perspectives of Indigenous youth activists on climate change, especially on the issue of environmental justice, as these messages have important implications for all children living today.