This paper was accepted under the "Addressing Inequalities" Global Thematic Consultation - Call for Proposals for Background Papers, Oct 2012
Understanding how poverty and inequalities impact on children is the major goal of Young Lives. A new paper summarises the key findings so far, with a focus on 8 key messages:
Message 1. Inequalities in children’s development originate in multiple disadvantages, which compound to affect children’s long-term outcomes
Message 2. Inequalities undermine the development of human potential: children from disadvantaged families quickly fall behind
Message 3. In Young Lives countries, gender differences become more significant as children get older, but boys are not always advantaged
Message 4. Early malnutrition has serious, long-term consequences for children’s development, but there is also evidence that some children may recover and ‘catch up’
Message 5. Inequalities open up during middle and later childhood, as children grow up
Message 6. How children feel about themselves and their well-being is both a major indicator of inequality and also a channel for the transmission of poverty
Message 7. Education is regarded by both adults and children as having the potential to transform their lives, but doesn’t always compensate for disadvantage and may reinforce differences between children
Message 8. Social protection programmes can reduce disadvantage, but impacts are often complex, some may be unintended and they may not always benefit children.
This paper concludes that since inequalities are multidimensional, so too must be the response. Equitable growth policies, education and health services, underpinned by effective social protection, all have a role to play.
Young Lives aims to provide evidence-based messages that can support the development of the post-2015 global goals, as well as informing robust local policies and interventions. For more information, visit the Global Consultation website: www.worldwewant2015.org/inequalities