Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697630644171.pdf (Australia)
Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Submission to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee 29 March 2018 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Contents 1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

6.)
UNICEF AUSTRALIA .......................................................................................... 3 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................... 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................... 4 RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................... 5 CHILDREN IN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (2030 AGENDA) 8 AUSTRALIA’S IMPLEMENTATION OF 2030 AGENDA .................................... 10 Gaps in Australia’s performance .............................................................................. 10 Opportunities for Domestic implementation ............................................................. 11 7.)
KEY ISSUES ..................................................................................................... 11 Poverty .................................................................................................................... 11 Quality and Inclusive Education ............................................................................... 13 Ending Violence ...................................................................................................... 14 Youth Participation .................................................................................................. 15 8.)
VULNERABLE GROUPS OF CHILDREN ......................................................... 17 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and the SDGs .................................. 17 Children living in the Indo Pacific - Investing in children as a central building block for sustainable development, equality and equitable growth ......................................... 18 Adolescents ............................................................................................................. 22 9.)
PERFORMANCE AND MONITORING .............................................................. 24 10.)

DATA: COUNTING EVERY CHILD ................................................................... 25 11.)

GOOD PRACTICES .......................................................................................... 27 12.)
CONTACT ......................................................................................................... 28 2 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 1.)

UNICEF AUSTRALIA 1.

UNICEF is a multilateral organisation that works in over 190 countries to promote and protect the rights of children.
UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, clean water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, abuse and HIV.

UNICEF is unique among world organisations for our rights based and participatory approach to working with children and young people.
UNICEF Australia is a national committee of UNICEF, which advocates for the rights of all children and works to improve public and government support for child rights and international development.

2.

UNICEF Australia is available as a trusted advisor to government to provide technical advice and expertise on how children’s rights can be integrated as a core consideration in legislation, policies, frameworks and programmes, aimed at achieving the 2030 agenda.

2.)

BACKGROUND 3.
2.)

BACKGROUND 3.

UNICEF Australia welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Inquiry on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

4.

UNICEF Australia notes that over 90 per cent of the SDG’s are linked to international human rights standards.

Subsequently, the human rights framework offers important guidance for the implementation of the SDG 2030 Agenda.

Similarly, the SDG 2030 Agenda can contribute in substance to the realisation of human rights in Australia.
We further note that human rights treaties offer a frame to assist us to measure the implementation of the SDG’s.

Formal, coordinated mechanisms to track domestic progress regarding human rights treaties could ease the states reporting burden against Australia’s treaty obligations and the SDG’s 2030 Agenda.

5.
UNICEF Australia emphasises the importance of a human rights based approach to development globally and this includes the following:  Development should progress the realisation of human rights  Human rights standards are a key guide to implementation measures for the SDG’s 2030 Framework 3 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)  There should be ongoing capacity building of duty-bearers to meet their obligations, and community education to build the understanding of rights holders.
6.

This approach to the SDG 2030 Framework is in accordance with the Australian Government’s leadership role on the Human Rights Council.

3.)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7.


In supporting the implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, UNICEF has committed to:  focus on the poorest and most vulnerable children and their families irrespective of the country;  convene partners around specific challenges and issues;  strive to integrate humanitarian and development action through joint, risk- informed planning and programming approaches as well as funding appeals which link the two structurally and operationally.

8.
8.

UNICEF Australia notes that the “Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development” is about more than the SDGs – it should be considered a holistic, comprehensive agenda, which also includes the outcomes from the Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa (July 2015)1; COP 21 in Paris (December 2015)2; and the Sendai Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (March 2015)3.

9.
9.

The broad vision of the new agenda also reaches across the traditional divide between humanitarian and development operations to focus on strengthening resilience, preparedness and prevention, and early recovery and peacebuilding.

10.

Agenda 2030 has required different stakeholders – including UNICEF – to go through a mindset shift – embracing emerging issues and really exploring the potential for cross- sectoral approaches and integration across traditional silos and pillars.
Governments – as well as multilateral agencies – can no longer afford to take an approach that is separated by sectors as we approach the SDGs.

1 Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, viewed at http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/publications/aaaa-outcome.html on the 26th March 2018.

2 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, viewed at http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/cop21/ on the 26th of March 2018.
3 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, viewed at https://www.unisdr.org/we/coordinate/sendai- framework on the 26th of March 2018.

4 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 11.

Under Agenda 2030, states have pledged to leave no one behind and to reach the furthest behind first4.
This commitment puts equity—the idea of equality with fairness—at the heart of the SDGs.

UNICEF has bolstered the case for equity in its report, Narrowing The Gaps: the Power of Investing in the Poorest Children5.
The report shows that the higher cost of reaching the poorest children with life-saving, high-impact health interventions is outweighed by greater results and that the number of lives saved by investing in the most deprived is almost twice as high as the number saved by equivalent investment in less deprived groups.

In summary: equity is good for efficiency.

4.)

RECOMMENDATIONS UNICEF Australia recommends that: 1.
The Australian Government introduce a multi-dimensional measure for poverty UNICEF Australia calls on the Federal Government and all State and Territory Governments, working in bipartisan partnership, to establish a measure and plan to address child poverty in Australia through:  Establishing, by 2020, a national definition of multidimensional poverty (and multidimensional child poverty), and a national absolute ‘poverty line’.
The dimensions relevant to child poverty must account for the specific needs of children and adolescents (persons under 18 years of age), and should ideally include dimensions specific to different stages of child and adolescent development (0-4; 5-9; 10-14; 15-17 years); and  Resourcing the longitudinal collection of data for each dimension of poverty to at least 2030.
This data must identify the number of children experiencing poverty in Australia (not a household in aggregate), and be capable of being disaggregated (for example, according to age, region, gender, rural–urban location, socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity); and  Adopting and implementing evidence-based strategies, foster collaboration and mobilise resources to reduce, at least by half, the number of people, including children, experiencing poverty by 2030 2.
The Australian Government improves access to quality and inclusive education by: 4 United Nations.

Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Viewed at https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld on 27th of March 2018.

5 UNICEF, Narrowing The Gaps: the Power of Investing in the Poorest Children, viewed at https://www.unicef.org/publications/index_96534.html on 27th of March 2018.
5 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2.1 Increasing access and funding for early childhood education and care  Maintain and improve access to at least two days of quality preschool per week in the year before school, for all children.
 Provide at least two days (20 hours) of subsidised quality early learning per week for particularly vulnerable children from birth to two years of age.

 Provide sustainable and ongoing block funding to integrated early childhood services that supports improved outcomes for vulnerable families.

 Provide early childhood services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with opportunities for ongoing funding with a focus on providing free or affordable access.
 Develop practical strategies and advice on how to support and promote children’s rights by collaboration between the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, the National Children’s Commissioner and the early childhood sector6.

2.2 Improving access and funding for inclusive education  Strengthen existing systems of inclusive and alternative education by refiguring the role of policies and funding practices.
 Strengthen service provision to engage with prospective learners and support learners to articulate and advocate for what they need.

 Invest in a single stream, learner-focused model that recognises that education of young people happens in a variety of settings rather than only ‘mainstream’ and ‘non- mainstream’ settings.

 Invest in culturally safe and respectful education environments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and provide services that demonstrate cultural understanding.7 3.
The Australian Government strengthens efforts to reduce violence against all children in key settings.

It is recommended that state, territory and Commonwealth governments provide the necessary human, technical and financial resources to: 6 Australian Child Rights Taskforce.

CRC25: Australian Child Rights Progress Report, p. 7.

Viewed at https://www.unicef.org.au/Upload/UNICEF/Media/Documents/CRC25-Australian-Progress-Report.pdf on 27th of March 2018.

7 Ibid.
7 Ibid.

6 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)  For the next two years, adequately fund and prioritise the implementation of the National Framework, including the Third Action Plan8.
 In preparation for the expiration of The National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020, implement a new comprehensive national framework which protects all children from violence – especially children experiencing high levels of risk – in all settings such as in the home, Out of Home Care (OOHC), schools and in institutions, and that this framework: a.
Responds to causal drivers of familial violence and the complex intersection of factors contributing to risk, prioritising investment in early intervention to prevent family crisis.

b.

Builds on the resilience and culturally strong practice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to protect children.

4.

The Australia Government provide a sustainable mechanism to enable meaningful participation of children in the monitoring and evaluation of Australia’s progress in achieving the SDGs.
The Australian Government should budget for and provide a community based/led mechanism to enable meaningful participation of children in the monitoring and evaluation of Australia’s progress in achieving the SDGs.
The Australian Government should implement measures to support participatory forms of social accountability for children and adolescents such as:  provision of safe places online and offline for children to provide their views and opinions;  provision of child rights education tools framed around the SDGS and timely, accessible information in formats and languages that children understand;  formal mechanisms at the local, states and federal level where children’s views can be heard and acted upon by decision makers;  the use of perception data to complement official statistics and fill data gaps.
5.

The Australian Government escalate efforts to achieve the SDG’s on schedule in the Indo Pacific through:  Develop a schedule to restore the aid budget to its pre-existing level $5.5 billion (or 0.3 percent of GNI) within the current Parliamentary term.
8 Protecting Children is Everyone’s Business: National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009–2020 — Third Action Plan 2015–2018, viewed at https://www.dss.gov.au/families-and-children/programmes- services/children/protecting-children-is-everyones-business-national-framework-for-protecting-australias-children- 2009-2020-third-action-plan-2015-2018 on 27th of March 2018.
7 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)  Position Australia on a trajectory to ensure that aid levels reach 0.7 per cent of GNI by 2030.

 Increasing the proportion of child focused ODA in the Asia Pacific region and ensuring these investments are more coherent and better targeted within a child rights framework.
 Investing in the capacity building of young leaders and positive peace building in the region.

 Investing in programming for, and monitoring equitable development outcomes.

6.

The Australian Government strengthens data collection systems at home and abroad.
While each government is ultimately accountable to generate the data that will guide and measure achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Australian Government and the international community more broadly, has an obligation to partner with these countries to make sure the SDG targets are met.
Therefore, UNICEF Australia recommends that through its Official Development Assistance programme, the Australian Government renew its efforts to address the global data-deficiency by investing in strengthening countries national data institutions and capacity by:  Building strong measurement into service delivery systems, whether in health or education, social services or border control;  Contributing to systematic and coordinated efforts to ensure that all countries have minimum data coverage for children, irrespective of their resources and capabilities;  Establishing stronger shared norms on data concerning children, including common approaches to measuring emerging threats facing children, capturing missing child populations, and sharing data to enable vulnerable children to be more effectively identified, while protecting children’s privacy.
5.)

CHILDREN IN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (2030 AGENDA) 12.

The 2030 Agenda presents an opportunity to support the rights and best interests of all children.

It is a chance to provide children with the best start in life, and to ensure that they survive and thrive.

The 2030 Agenda is a comprehensive and holistic framework that creates a vision for the world where children can live free from violence and abuse and in an environment that supports their healthy development.
8 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 13.
Specifically, the 2030 Agenda outlines a vision for a world where;  Every child has the opportunity to survive and thrive9 (Goal 2; 3)  Every child has the opportunity to learn10 (Goal 4)  Every child is protected from violence, exploitation and harmful practices11 (Goals 5; 8; 16)  Every child lives in a safe and clean environment12 (Goals 1; 3; 6; 7; 13)  Every child has a fair chance in life13 (Goal 1) 14.
Importantly, the 2030 Agenda contains commitments that are intended to be implemented in line with international human rights law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (CRC)14.
The rights of the child must be protected and promoted throughout all aspects of implementation and guided by the four general principles of the CRC:  Non-discrimination (Article 2);  The best interest of the child (Article 3);  The right to life, survival and development (Article 6); and  The right to be heard (Article 12).

15.
15.

A key commitment by States in the 2030 Agenda is to leave none behind and to reach the furthest behind first, as well as a commitment to prioritise the most excluded and those at most risk of having their rights denied15.

This strongly aligns with the human rights imperative to tackle inequality and discrimination16 which undermines the realisation of children’s rights across the globe.
9 SDG 2: Stunting, wasting, overweight; SDG 3: Births attended by skilled personnel, under-five mortality, neonatal mortality, new HIV infections (children under 5, adolescent girls and boys 10-19 years), essential health services, MCV1, DTP3, maternal mortality ratio, malaria incidence, adolescent birth rate* 10 SDG 4: Minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics in lower secondary, children under-five developmentally on track, participation in organized learning one year before primary, proportion of schools with access to WASH 11 SDG 5: Violence against girls by intimate partner, violence against girls by someone other than intimate partner, child marriage, female genital mutilation/cutting; SDG 8: Child labour; SDG 16: Intentional homicide, conflict-related deaths*, violence from caregiver, sexual violence on girls and boys under 18, birth registration 12 SDG 1: Basic drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services; SDG 3: Mortality rate from household/ambient air pollution; SDG 6: Safely managed drinking water, safely managed sanitation services, handwashing facilities, open defecation; SDG 7: Clean fuels used; SDG 13: Deaths from natural disasters* 13 SDG 1: Extreme poverty, below national poverty line, multi-dimensional poverty, social protection floors/system 14 Convention on the Rights of the Child, 20 November 1989, viewed at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CRC.aspx on 27th of March.
15, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, viewed at http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda/, on the 27th of March, 2018.

16 Article 2, Convention on the Rights of the Child, 20 November 1989, viewed at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CRC.aspx on 27th of March.

9 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6.)
AUSTRALIA’S IMPLEMENTATION OF 2030 AGENDA 16.

UNICEF Australia commends the Australian Government’s efforts to date regarding tracking progress on the SDG’s including research investment and engagement with civil society and children as stakeholders.

Gaps in Australia’s performance 17.


The Australian Government does not currently have a comprehensive monitoring plan for our work on the SDG’s; a list of research priorities/data gap priorities or a comprehensive plan to capture the view of children and young people.

18.

In 2017 UNICEF released Building the Future, Children and the Sustainable Development Goals in Rich Countries17.
This Report Card outlined a number of gaps in Australia’s performance for children, in particular around quality education and food security.

19.

The report found that in relation to child well-being indicators, Australia was rated 21st out of 41 EU/OECD countries.

Australia ranked 39th out of 41 EU/OECD countries in terms of quality education.
The data also revealed that 71.7 per cent of 15-year-olds in Australia are achieving baseline competency in reading, mathematics and science (2015) and 80 per cent of children are participating in organised learning one year before the start of compulsory schooling (2013/14)18.

20.
20.

Equally concerning in terms of health and nutrition, the report found that Australia ranks 30th out of 41 EU/OECD countries, with 16 per cent of children below the age of 15 living with an adult who is food insecure (2014/15)19.

When you take into account ACOSS national data from 2016 that suggests around 40 per cent of children living in a single parent household in Australia were living in poverty at the time of the report.
17 Issued by the UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, Building the Future: Children and the Sustainable Development Goals in Rich Countries is the first report to assess the status of children in 41 high-income countries of the European Union (EU) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identified as most important for child well- being.
It ranks countries based on their performance and details the challenges and opportunities that advanced economies face in achieving global commitments to children.

18 Building the Future: Children and the Sustainable Development Goals in Rich Countries, viewed at https://www.unicef.org/publications/index_96413.html, on 27th of March 2018.

19 Ibid.
19 Ibid.

10 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 21.

Following Building the Future, in 2018 UNICEF released Progress for Every Child in the SDG Era.2021 The report found that Australia is failing young people when it comes to reading, mathematics and HIV infections.
The proportion of Australian children achieving at least minimum proficiency in reading or mathematics by 2030 will not be met, nor will the target associated with the number of new HIV infections among 15-19 year old boys and girls22.

Opportunities for Domestic implementation 22.

Investing in children and adolescents is a strategic investment that provides a solid foundation for achieving all of the SDG’s by 2030.

23.
23.

Prioritising the education, protection, health and well-being of children and adolescents constitutes the best and most robust investment the Australian Government can make to fulfil its promise of Agenda 2030 – for children and young people themselves and their fundamental rights – and for peace, human security and sustainable development.

24.

The 2030 Agenda provides Australia with the opportunity to make serious inroads in reducing inequality and bring an end to child poverty.

25.
25.

Adolescents in Australia will inherit the 2030 Framework as we approach the 2030 deadline.

7.)

KEY ISSUES Poverty 26.

Of the three million people living in poverty in Australia, 731,000 are children.

One in six (17.4%) of children under the age of 15 lives in poverty23.

Research shows that social disadvantage in Australia is entrenched and has been concentrated in certain outer suburbs and rural areas for a long period of time.

(Vinson & Rawsthorne 2015)24.


20 Progress for Every Child in the SDG Era, viewed at https://data.unicef.org/resources/progress-for-every-child- 2018/, on 27th of March 2018.

21 The report contains a country profile on Australia based on an assessment of 44 child-related indictors across the 17 SDGs.

22 Progress for Every Child in the SDG Era, viewed at https://data.unicef.org/resources/progress-for-every-child- 2018/, on 27th of March 2018.
23 The Australian Council of Social Services, viewed at https://www.acoss.org.au/poverty/ on 27th of March 2018 24 CRC25: Australian Child Rights Progress Report, Child Rights Task Force, viewed at https://www.unicef.org.au/Upload/UNICEF/Media/Documents/CRC25-Australian-Progress-Report.pdf on 27th of March 2018.

11 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 27.
Despite more than two decades of consecutive economic growth in Australia, many children still live in poverty.

These children experience a range of disadvantages, including being at greater risk of poor health outcomes, social problems and poor academic performance (Engle & Black 2008).

Families experiencing poverty are also more likely to suffer from conflict and violence (Engle & Black 2008)25.

28.
28.

Through committing to the Sustainable Development Goals, Australia ambitiously committed to ‘end poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030’.

As part of this, Australia pledged to work towards the goal of reducing, at least by half, the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions by 2030.

29.
29.

Measuring child poverty in all its dimensions, and monitoring progress towards ‘ending child poverty in all its forms’, is a universal and cross-cutting issue that can help to reinforce the indivisibility of the SDGs and avoid compartmentalisation.

30.

However, Australia has not established a definition of child poverty for our national context, and we have not put in place a system to measure and track the number of children in Australia in poverty.
In contrast, around 90 countries in the world have such a system.

31.

Australia needs such a system to tell us what types of deprivation children across Australia experience, which children face the biggest challenges and what strategies will be the most effective and efficient to reduce poverty.

Although measurement can be hard, it is an important and simple representation of the level of opportunity we are providing for children growing up in Australia.

32.
32.

In the context of Australia’s Aid Program, the Australian Government has recognised the importance of good data on the problems we face, and is supporting a number of initiatives including the Individual Deprivation Measure which provides an individual, gender sensitive and multidimensional measure of poverty26.

33.

Australia is well positioned to use this experience, and our existing systems of data collection such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics27, the Longitudinal Study of 25 Ibid.
26 Individual Deprivation Measure, viewed at http://www.individualdeprivationmeasure.org/, on 27th of March 2018.

27 Australian Bureau of Statistics, viewed at http://www.abs.gov.au/ on 27th of March, 2018.
12 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Australia’s Children28, the Productivity Commission’s research into Deep and Persistent Disadvantage29, and the data collections of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare30 to establish a national definition of poverty, including child poverty.

34.
34.

Only through defining this measure, and recording data over time, can we ensure that public policy, private sector plans and community efforts have the best opportunity to address the underlying causes of poverty; improve the well-being of children and families, and increase the human capital of Australian society.

See Recommendation 1 – The Australian Government introduce a multi-dimensional measure for poverty Quality and Inclusive Education Early childhood education and care (ECEC) 35.
In Australia, participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) by children who are three years old is below many comparable countries and requires urgent attention31.

36.

The most significant barrier to participation remains the affordability of ECEC services with childcare prices having increased significantly over the past 10 years32.

37.

The major challenge facing Australia is to improve the participation of all children in high quality ECEC programs.
This means addressing access and affordability issues and supporting the inclusion of key groups of children including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and children with disability33.

Quality and Inclusive Education 28 Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), viewed at https://growingupinaustralia.gov.au/about-study, on 27th of March 2018.
29 Deep and Persistent Disadvantage in Australia, Rosalie McLachlan, Geoff Gilfillan and Jenny Gordon, 11 July 2013, viewed at http://www.pc.gov.au/research/supporting/deep-persistent-disadvantage, on 27th of March 2018.

30Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, viewed at https://www.aihw.gov.au/about-our-data on 27th of March 2018.
31 CRC25: Australian Child Rights Progress Report, Child Rights Task Force, viewed at https://www.unicef.org.au/Upload/UNICEF/Media/Documents/CRC25-Australian-Progress-Report.pdf on 27th of March 2018.

32 Ibid.

33 CRC25: Australian Child Rights Progress Report, Child Rights Task Force, viewed at https://www.unicef.org.au/Upload/UNICEF/Media/Documents/CRC25-Australian-Progress-Report.pdf on 27th of March 2018.
13 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 39.

UNICEF’s Building The Future report found that Australia ranked 39th out of 41 EU/OECD countries in terms of quality education.
The data also revealed that 71.7 per cent of 15-year-olds in Australia are achieving baseline competency in reading, mathematics and science (2015) and 80 per cent of children are participating in organised learning one year before the start of compulsory schooling (2013/14)34.

40.

Australia also lags in terms of inclusive learning as increasing numbers of young people are saying they feel they do not belong in Australian schools.
Research has shown that those who miss out in education are more likely to be from low socioeconomic backgrounds, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or from rural areas35.

41.

If Australia is to reverse these trends and make progress towards achieving SDG 4, then education systems must be flexible and resourced to recognise learner diversity and provide learning opportunities that fit the learners, rather than require learners to fit the system.
This means supporting young people to articulate and advocate for what they need – be that mainstream or alternative approaches to education36.

See Recommendation 2 - The Australian Government improves access to quality and inclusive education Ending Violence 42.

In Australia, violence remains a reality for many children.

Violence against children, abuse and exploitation impedes the healthy growth and development of children and adolescents and have high costs across the lifecycle.

43.
43.

Violence against young children results in long-term exposure to toxic stress and this is known to inhibit optimal brain development.

This has potentially irreversible impact on the young developing brain can lead to a failure to thrive among affected children and poorer performance once the child enters the educational system.

44.
44.

Australia’s complex system of family law on the one hand, and care and protection services on the other, has led to both jurisdictional and investigatory gaps that 34 Building the Future, Children and the Sustainable Development Goals in Rich Countries, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, 2017, viewed at https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/RC14_eng.pdf on 27th of March 2018.
35 CRC25: Australian Child Rights Progress Report, Child Rights Task Force, viewed at https://www.unicef.org.au/Upload/UNICEF/Media/Documents/CRC25-Australian-Progress-Report.pdf on 27th of March 2018.

36 Ibid.

14 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) compromise safety of victims and result in significant financial cost to those involved.
While there has been notable progress in strengthening Australia’s child protection system through the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020, and the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Children 2010-2022, reform has been inhibited and slow.

The current child protection systems were established as tertiary crisis care and response to violence after it has occurred.
Current government spending remains skewed towards this end of protection rather than a more balanced approach towards investment in support for families (primary), early intervention (secondary) and crisis care (tertiary)[1].

45.

If Australia is to ensure every child is protected from violence, exploitation and harmful practices[2] (Goals 5; 8; 16) then Australia must reform, standardise and adequately fund an effective child protection system that is fit for purpose.
We know that many children who enter child protection systems across Australia exit experiencing more distress and harm, and poorer life outcomes (including education outcomes) than when they entered.
Fundamental reform of Australia’s child protection systems should be guided by:  Recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse  Recommendations made by the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory  A multi-disciplinary dialogue with stakeholders about the design/modelling of a child protection system based on the rights and recovery of children  Consideration of options for community based child protection measures.
See Recommendation 3 - The Australian Government strengthens efforts to reduce violence against all children in key settings.

Youth Participation 46.


As a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Australia has an obligation to ensure children are afforded the right to be heard and provided with the [1] CRC25: Australian Child Rights Progress Report, Child Rights Task Force, viewed at https://www.unicef.org.au/Upload/UNICEF/Media/Documents/CRC25-Australian-Progress-Report.pdf on 27th of March 2018.
[2] SDG 5: Violence against girls by intimate partner, violence against girls by someone other than intimate partner, child marriage, female genital mutilation/cutting; SDG 8: Child labour; SDG 16: Intentional homicide, conflict-related deaths*, violence from caregiver, sexual violence on girls and boys under 18, birth registration 15 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) opportunity to express their views freely and for those views to be given due weight in accordance with the child’s development37.
47.

Participation begins with awareness -- people understanding their human rights and the importance and practical application of sustainable development to their own lives – and this awareness must begin with children and youth.

It is not only a child’s right to learn about issues that affect their lives and communities, it is the smart way to guarantee that future generations become the torch bearers for sustainable development.

48.
48.

UNICEF have been involved with two initiatives aimed at building awareness of the SDGs among children and young people and inspiring them to take action.

The World’s Largest Lesson38 brings the messages of the SDGs to schools across the globe and includes lessons, comics and videos as well as SDG Action Projects for students.
And Comics Uniting Nations39 brings the messages of the SDGs to the world through the medium of comics -- working with some of the most iconic illustrators and comics’ creators in the business.

Both of these initiatives are based on the premise that in order for children to be inspired to take action, they must be aware of the issues.
Using a combination of both educational and creative content is a proven effective means to reach children, inspire positive behaviour change and shift social norms and behaviours.

49.

If the SDGs do not resonate with the Australian public in a meaningful way – particularly the young public – they will be doomed to fail.

The 2030 Agenda defines children as active agents of change and recognises their capacities to be active partners in realising the SDGs40.
Getting children and youth involved as actors and agents of change and fostering long term behaviour change and shifts in social norms are the means to ensure lasting and sustainable results on the SDGs.

50.

World Children’s Day41 (20 November)42 is a day that the Australian Government and other stakeholder can celebrate child participation and make commitments to take further action.
While children and adolescents are taking action on the SDGs through the year in their lives, schools and communities, the occasion of World’s Children’s Day is a key annual opportunity to amplify their voices; take stock of programmes, and for the 37 Article 12, Convention on the Rights of the Child, 20 November 1989, viewed at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CRC.aspx on 27th of March.
38 The World’s Largest Lesson, viewed at http://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/ on 27th of March 2018.

39 Comics Uniting Nations, viewed at http://www.comicsunitingnations.org/ on 27th of March 2018.

40 United Nations.

Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Viewed at https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld on 27th of March 2018.
41 The 20th of November is the anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified human rights treaty in existence.

42Universal Children’s Day, viewed at http://www.un.org/en/events/childrenday/ on 27th of March 2018.
16 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Australian Government, the private sector, civil society, the UN system and others to make new commitments towards fulfilling the rights of every child and meaningfully engaging children as global citizens and positive agents of change.

51.
51.

By linking the fulfilment of the SDGs to the child rights agenda, the Australian Government can win support for the cause of children from key stakeholders and the wider public and better harness the strengths of different actors for this cause – whether from the business world, other governments, civil society or other stakeholder groups.
See Recommendation 4 - The Australia Government provide a sustainable mechanism to enable meaningful participation of children in the monitoring and evaluation of Australia’s progress in achieving the SDGs.

8.)

VULNERABLE GROUPS OF CHILDREN Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and the SDGs 52.

Values of non-discrimination and inclusion lie at the heart of the Agenda for Sustainable Development, reflected in its central promise of “leaving no one behind”.

53.
53.

National averages can conceal forms of vulnerability, often rendering invisible the most disadvantaged and excluded children.

These may include indigenous children, migrant and refugee children, children with disabilities or those outside family care.

54.

Indigenous children in Australia face rates of poverty higher than the national average.
In 2011, 19.3 per cent of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population were living in poverty, compared to 12.4 per cent of the total Australian population43 55.

Indigenous children in Australia perform poorly on many health and well-being indicators.

In 2011, 11 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies in Australia were born with low birthweight – more than twice the proportion of non-indigenous babies.

56.
56.

Despite progress in many countries, closing the education gap between indigenous and non-indigenous children remains a challenge.
According to a 2015 Australian government report Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continued to lag behind their nonindigenous peers in reading and numeracy, with low attendance being one of 43 Poverty in Australia 2014, p. 10, The Australian Council of Social Services, viewed at https://www.acoss.org.au/images/uploads/ACOSS_Poverty_in_Australia_2014.pdf on 27th of March 2018.
17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) the critical factors behind this achievement gap.

Language is a factor in low school attendance, and preschool programmes have an important role to play in supporting indigenous languages44.
Children living in the Indo Pacific - Investing in children as a central building block for sustainable development, equality and equitable growth 57.

Investing in human capital is the foundation for achieving all SDGS -- this begins with investing in children starting in the earliest years and through the second decade of life (their survival, health, quality education, protection and a clean, safe and nurturing environment to grow up in).
This is both a moral imperative, but also smart from an economic perspective in terms of ROI per dollar spent and broader societal benefits.

58.

The Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) recognises the link between child- and youth- focused investments and growth by treating children and youth not just as passive recipients of social services and assistance but as active agents of inclusive development.
Specifically, the Agenda:  Recognizes that investing in children and youth is critical to achieving inclusive, equitable and sustainable development for present and future generations (AAAA para 7);  Recognizes the need to support countries that face particular challenges to make the requisite investments in children and youth (AAAA para 7);  Reaffirms the vital importance of promoting and protecting the rights of all children, and ensuring that no child is left behind (AAAA para 7);  Commits to promote national youth strategies as a key instrument for meeting the needs and aspirations of young people (AAAA para 16)45.
59.

Increased investment in development programs which target children and adolescents in the Indo Pacific capitalises on important gains achieved under the Australian Government’s Gender equality and women’s empowerment strategy 2016, appointment of an Ambassador for Women and Girls and financial investments in development outcomes for girls.
It also capitalises on the existing investments that the Australian Government has made in child related ODA in the Asia Pacific region, particularly in education and health sectors.

An estimated AUD $408 million out of a total of AUD $1.7 billion was allocated to investments that can be broadly classified as child-related ODA in 44 Building the Future: Children and the Sustainable Development Goals in Rich Countries, viewed at https://www.unicef.org/publications/index_96413.html, on 27th of March 2018.
45 Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, United Nations, 2015, viewed at http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/AAAA_Outcome.pdf on 27th of March 2018.

18 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2015.46 There is significant opportunity to retain, deepen and build on these investments.

60.
60.

In 2015, 26 per cent of Australia’s total ODA or $1.16 billion was dedicated to projects that can be broadly classified as child related.

This is a reduction from $1.5 billion (or approximately 24 per cent) at the peak period of investment in 2012.

During the same period, all other ODA from Australia declined 17 per cent, demonstrating that child- related ODA has declined disproportionately to other aid.47 61.
While Australia has a significantly high proportion of its current ODA allocation dedicated to child-related investments, it has declined disproportionately to other aid.

From 2012- 2015, child related ODA decreased by 24 per cent as compared to 17 per cent for all other ODA from Australia.48 62.

With a significant reduction in ODA contribution since 2012, it is critical for Australia to carefully consider strategies to increase the impact of their investment.
Reduced overall ODA heightens the requirement for more efficient programs with greater returns on investment.

There is an opportunity to increase the impact of these investments by developing a policy framework that more explicitly and holistically prioritises advancing the rights of children and accelerating their development.

As discussed in section 6, investing in children produces high returns and has powerful long-term impacts.

63.
63.

Significant development gains were made under the Millennium Development Goals framework globally, particularly in relation to improving maternal health and child vaccination rates, and decreasing child mortality.

However, progress for children overall was significantly uneven.

64.
64.

UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children Report 2016 identifies progress for the most disadvantaged children as the defining condition for delivering on the SDG’s 2030.49 In the report UNICEF defines equity as “all children having the same opportunities to survive, develop and attain their full potential”50 46 This data was produced from research commissioned by UNICEF Australia and World Vision on (a.)

the economic benefits of investing in children in a development context and (b.)
trends in ODA expenditure on projects relating to children by Australia in the six focus countries.

This will include time series analysis relying on the OECD Development Assistance Committee Creditor Reporting System (CRS) from 2002 to 2014.

Each of the over 4,200 line items in the OECD CRS for these countries and years will be individually coded by how focused the project is on child development.

47 Ibid 48 Ibid 49 UNICEF.

2016.


State of the World’s Children: A fair chance for every child, viewed at: https://www.unicef.org/sowc2016/ (accessed 10 February 2017) 50 Ibid p 7.

19 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 65.
Achieving equitable growth and development requires policy platforms that focus explicitly on those children, families and communities who are being left behind.
Equity is also a critical and cross cutting component of the SDG 2030 Framework in:  SDG 3 (health and well-being for all ages)  SDG 5 (achieve gender equality and empowerment)  SDG 10 (reduce inequality within and between countries)  SDG 17.18 (countries to increase availability of data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location by 2020) 66.
Children make up to close of half of the world’s extreme poor with nearly 900 million people living under the international poverty line of US $1.90 per day.51 These deprivations leave a life-long imprint.

In 2014, 160 million children globally were stunted.52 67.
If we don’t act now to increase the rate of progress to achieve the SDG’s and address inequity, projections are that in 2030:  167 million children will live in extreme poverty in 2030  69 million children will die before the age of five between 2016 and 2030  60 million children of primary school will be out of school.53 68.

The SDG Index and Dashboards report (2016) ranks Australia as 20th in regard to progress to achieve the SDGs by 2030.54 69.
The Australian Government could usefully prioritise mobilising additional resources to address financing gaps in underfunded SDG priority areas with the greatest impacts for children.

The Index identifies that greater action is required in Australia to reduce inequality, and to achieve environmental goals.

70.
70.

In accordance with Article 12 of the CRC, UNICEF Australia supports greater direct participation from children domestically and across region to bolster improved progress towards achieving the SDG’s 2030 on schedule.

The Australian Government could also 51 Ibid 52 Ibid p 45.

53 SOWC 2016 54 Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

2016.
Sustainable Development Index and Dashboards: Global Report, viewed at https://www.dropbox.com/s/gy2zmh9065v0mr5/SDG_Index_Dashboard_full.pdf?dl=0 (accessed 12 January 2015) 20 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) increase their focus on the equity dimension of the SDG’s Framework holistically through country level programs, monitoring, accountability measures and advocacy.
71. International development assistance and cooperation is an essential contribution to mobilising the resources needed to achieve the SDGs.

However, Australia’s declining volume of Official Development Assistance (ODA) is currently discordant with the overall aid trajectories of many OECD countries, including emerging major donors (and growing powers) such as China and India.55 In fact Australia’s ODA investment has continued to starkly trend downwards as compared to our OECD counterparts.

72.
72.

UNICEF Australia further notes that the disbursement of ODA has not been properly geared towards a regional surge in the youth population.

Our preliminary analysis shows that while approximately 41 per cent of the population in the Asia Pacific region are children, only 26 per cent of ODA is directed to investments that are broadly classified as child related.56 Climate change and children living in the Indo-Pacific 73.
In UNICEF’s global Unless We Act Now Report (2015), demonstrates that the trajectory of climate change presents a grave threat to the world’s poorest children.

Children are at the front line of climate change, which will degrade the environment, increase the frequency and intensity of disasters, deepen inequalities and drive displacement.57 The Indo-Pacific region is particularly prone to extreme weather related natural disasters.
Floods, cyclones and droughts can disrupt or set back a countries progress in achieving the SDGs.

74.

It is critical the Australian Government continues to provide strong investment into disaster risk reduction and resilience programmes in the Indo-Pacific and ensure that its 55 Davies.

R. 2014.
R. 2014.

Never dive alone: Australia’s aid cuts in a global context, viewed at: http://devpolicy.org/never-dive-alone-australias-aid-cut-in-a-global-context-20141218-2/ (accessed on 10 January 2017) 56This data was produced from research commissioned by UNICEF Australia and World Vision on (a.)

the economic benefits of investing in children in a development context and (b.)

trends in ODA expenditure on projects relating to children by Australia in the six focus countries.
This will include time series analysis relying on the OECD Development Assistance Committee Creditor Reporting System (CRS) from 2002 to 2014.

Each of the over 4,200 line items in the OECD CRS for these countries and years will be individually coded by how focused the project is on child development.

57 UNICEF.

2015.
Unless we act now: the impact of climate change on children, viewed at: https://www.unicef.org/publications/files/Unless_we_act_now_The_impact_of_climate_change_on_ch ildren.pdf (accessed 14 January 2017) 21 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) programs consider the particular needs and vulnerabilities of children and adolescents as well as the opportunities for their participation in preparedness and response.
Adolescents 75.

Adolescence is a pivotal period during which the gains of childhood can either be consolidated or lost.58 The second decade of life presents an opportunity to build on gains made in childhood and to invest in programmes that contribute to healthy, safe, informed and empowered transitions to adulthood.

Unfortunately it can also be a forgotten stage.

76.
76.

There is strong cumulative evidence that illustrates the heightened protection risks experienced during adolescence.59 However traditionally there is a global lack of investment in this important phase, sometimes due to limited resources or political, cultural or social sensitivities.

77.

Inequities frequently become starkly pronounced during adolescence.
During this period children who are poor or marginalised are considerably less likely to transition to secondary education and may be more likely to experience early sex, child marriage, conflict with the law, violence, hazardous work and domestic labour.

Adolescence creates new vulnerabilities and risks for girls in particular.

The intergenerational transmission of poverty is also most apparent among adolescent girls.

78.
78.

Violence against children, abuse and exploitation impedes the healthy growth and development of children and adolescents and have high costs across the lifecycle.

Evidence supports the principle that prevention pays in relation to children and young people.
A 2014 study conducted by the Overseas Development Institute found that:60  the global costs related to physical, psychological and sexual violence estimated by this study are between 3 per cent and 8 per cent of global GDP  the estimated global economic costs resulting from the consequences of physical, psychological and sexual violence against children is US $7 trillion 58 There is no universally accepted definition of adolescence; however the United Nations defines it as the period from 10 to nineteen years.
However, UNICEF recognises that the development is highly specific to an individual child, their culture and specific context.

59 UNICEF.

2011.

The State of the World’s Children: An Age of Opportunity, viewed at: https://www.unicef.org/adolescence/files/SOWC_2011_Main_Report_EN_02092011.pdf (accessed 23 February 2017).

60 Overseas Development Institute.

2014.
The costs and economic impacts on violence against children, viewed at: https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/9177.pdf (accessed 15 February 2017) 22 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)  the economic costs of the worst forms of child labour is estimated at US $97 billion, and costs associated with children involved in armed conflict is up to US $144 billion.
79.

The Copenhagen Consensus is an international think tank with specialised economists who are dedicated to costing and resolving complex global problems.

In 2015, Copenhagen Consensus consultants costed the global direct and indirect costs of VAC at US $9.5 trillion dollars of 11 per cent of global GDP.

Violence specifically against children, including homicide, child abuse and child sexual violence was estimated at US $3.7 trillion or 4.3 per cent of global GDP.61 80.
Violence against young children results in long-term exposure to toxic stress and this is known to inhibit optimal brain development.

This has potentially irreversible impact on the young developing brain can lead to a failure to thrive among affected children and poorer performance once the child enters the educational system.

81.

Children affected by armed conflict have their lives severely disrupted and their development impeded.
As of 2014, 24 million children in crisis affected areas were out of the school.62 According to the Global Education Commission, if current trends continue, by 2030 over three-quarters of a billion young people in low and middle-income countries will not be on track to acquire basic secondary-level skills, putting the trajectory towards achieving the SDGs at serious risk.63 82.

In low-income countries, only one out of 10 will be on track.
Without urgent change, more than 1.5 billion adults will have no education beyond primary school in 2030.

This potential outcome is in stark contrast to the stated intention of SDG Goal 4.

83.

UNICEF’s historical analysis shows that low educational attainment consistently predicts the outbreak and continuation of violent conflict.

Inequality fuels unrest and when educational inequality doubles, the probability of conflict more than doubles.

84.
84.

UNICEF Australia supports increased investment in education in emergencies as a strategy to protect and develop children, and create generational stability.

In addition, 61 Special Rep to the SG on VAC: http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/viewpoint/2015-07-13_1307 62 UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

2015.
2015.

A growing number of children are out of children and adolescents are out of school as aid fails to meet the mark, viewed at: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/Documents/fs-31-out- of-school-children-en.pdf (accessed 20 February 2017).

63 Global Education Commission 2015.
The Learning Generation: investing in education for a changing world, viewed at: file:///C:/Users/alamoin/Downloads/Learning_Generation_Exec_Summary.pdf (accessed 10 February) 23 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) we invite the Australian Government to consider endorsing the International Safe Schools Declaration and Guidelines to protect children and their right to education, and strengthen respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
See Recommendation 5 – The Australian Government escalate efforts to achieve the SDG’s on schedule in the Indo Pacific.

9.)

PERFORMANCE AND MONITORING 85.

Participatory approaches to accountability64 can provide information on gaps in implementation and identify those children most at risk of being left behind.

This will help ensure implementation remains on track and allow government to better track progress.

86.

Such an approach also empower children as right holders.
Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) outlines the right for children to express their views freely in accordance with their age and maturity65.

87.

Perception data is another tool that can assist strengthen the monitoring the progress of 2030 Agenda and involve key stakeholders in the collection of qualitative data.

Perception data is collected directly from people and aims to understand their personal views and perceptions on key topics such as healthcare and education.

88.
88.

Perception data polls and surveys differ from other instruments like traditional household surveys in that the main motivation is to uncover what people think and solicit their views on specific issues.

These channels allow people to share whether or not the SDGs are actually resulting in positive changes to their lives, schools and communities and can help to better inform governments and other key decision-makers on the views and ideas of their constituencies.

89.
89.

Although not a replacement for official data, collection and analysis of perception data would assist the Australian government take more informed, efficient and effective decisions and would assist in addressing data gaps, where official statistics are not available.

64 Human Rights-based Approach to Programming, Social Accountability, https://www.unicef.org/policyanalysis/rights/index_82581.html, accessed 22nd March 2018.
65 Article 12, Convention on the Rights of the Child, 20 November 1989, viewed at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CRC.aspx on 27th of March.

24 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 90.
In 2017, UNICEF worked with partners including WFP, SDG Action Campaign and IDS to conduct a series of “We the Peoples (WTP)” pilots in order to: 1. illustrate the potential of perception data for monitoring and reviewing SDG activities; 2. build interest in some of existing tools that can be used to collect such data; and 3. showcase how the UN system, academic and civil society partners can assist governments in this endeavour.

91.
91.

The pilots provided evidence that there is an appetite by governments around the world for perception data.

Moreover, such data is indispensable because it can complement official statistics, fill data gaps, and improve development results by considering people’s viewpoints on issues like service delivery.

10.)

DATA: COUNTING EVERY CHILD 92.

The SDG 2030 Framework requires that we have sufficient data sets to ensure that the most vulnerable children are counted.
UNICEF knows based on our global programming experience that unmeasured problems frequently go unresolved.

When the most vulnerable children fall off our statistical maps, it is impossible to accurately measure progress for them, or to measure equitable development.

93.

In the Is Every Child Counted?


Report UNICEF identifies that data availability for over half of the child-related SDG indicators is unavailable, limited or poor.66 This means in practice that there is no reliable baseline from which to measure progress for a number of goals.
In addition to our own domestic responsibilities in relation to the SDGs, as a leading donor in the region we should cooperate with recipient states to (I) organize existing data sets and (II) and generate (reliable) data and evidence where required.

These steps may require a strengthening of our data systems for children and are necessary to create alignment with SDG metrics.

94.
94.

UNICEF Australia notes that availability of data sets exists predominantly with OECD country and that there are many missing data points for low and middle-income countries, including Pacific Island Countries.

66 UNICEF.

2016.
66 UNICEF.

2016.

Is Every Child Counted?, viewed at: https://data.unicef.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/SDGs- and-Data-for-Children-Brochure.pdf (accessed 2 February 2017) 25 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 95.
Globally national and international data information systems for children focus mostly on the early years, where data may be available through school attendance.

The scope for having more and better information regarding children remains considerable with persistent data gaps in relation to children with disabilities, adolescents, all forms of violence, child labour, and child marriage.
Notably, according to the UNICEF Division of Data, Research and Policy identifies that:  One in three countries does not have comparable measures on child poverty and 77 out of 155 (monitored) countries do not have adequate poverty data.67  Every child has a right to a name and a nationality however one in four births under the age of five globally is not registered (contributing the population of stateless children).68  There is a shortage of accurate and comparable data on the number of children with disabilities in almost all countries.
 Every day over 800 mothers’ die of complications related to childbirth, yet there are persistent data caps relating to the quality of maternal care.

 Stunting denies children a fair chance of survival and development, yet 105 out of 197 countries do not have recent data on stunting.69 96.

Further there are persistent and critical gaps in relation to gender data70:  Approximately 120 million girls aged under 20 years are estimated to have been subjected to forced sexual acts.
Boys also experience risk, but almost no data is available.

 Only 41 per cent of countries produce ongoing data sets on violence against women.

There is a need for OECD Governments as the leading donor countries in particular to consider how new information technologies and existing data infrastructure can be positively leveraged.

97.
97.

UNICEF’s latest comprehensive report on SDG progress for children71 reveals that more than 650 million children – approaching one-third of the world’s children – live in 52 countries that are off track on at least two-thirds of the child-related SDG indicators for which they have data.

Many of those countries are situated within the Indo-Pacific 67 World Data Forum.

2016.
2016.

Fact sheet, viewed at http://undataforum.org/WorldDataForum/wp- content/uploads/2017/01/Fact-Sheet-20170106.pdf (accessed 20 February 2017) pp2-3.

68 UNICEF.

2017.

The births of nearly one fourth of the global population under five have never been registered, viewed at http://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/birth-registration/ (accessed 3 February 2017).
69 http://undataforum.org/WorldDataForum/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Fact-Sheet-20170106.pdf 70 Ibid p.5 71 Progress for Every Child in the SDG Era, UNICEF 2018, viewed at https://data.unicef.org/resources/progress- for-every-child-2018/ on 28th of March 2018.

26 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) region.
The report also reveals that over half a billion children live in 64 countries that lack sufficient data to assess if these countries are on or off track for at least two-thirds of all child-related SDG indictors.

98.
The report finds that given current trends, unless we accelerate progress to meet the child-related SDG targets, between 2018 and 20130:  10 million children will die from preventable causes before reaching their fifth birthday;  As many as 31 million children will be stunted due to lack of adequate nutrition;  At least 22 million children will miss out on pre-primary education;  150 million girls will marry before their 18th birthday;  670 million people, many of them children, will be left without basic drinking water72.
See Recommendation 6 - The Australian Government strengthens data collection systems at home and abroad.

99.

In addition to Recommendation 6, UNICEF Australia notes the recommendations outlined in the A World that Counts: Mobilising Data Revolution for Sustainable Development report and its recommendations in relation to accessible data, data literacy, the importance of measuring progress for all groups (or quality disaggregated data) and data innovation.

11.)

GOOD PRACTICES 100.


The Group of Friends of Children and the SDGs73 was formed during the SDG negotiations’ process with a very important mission - to ensure that children’s rights formed an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Currently, fifty- five UN Member States belong to the Group and UNICEF serves as the Group's Secretariat.
During the SDG negotiations the Group's contributions led to the adoption of a truly transformative and inclusive 2030 Agenda that recognises children as agents of change and promises to leave no one behind.
Following the adoption of the Agenda the Group continues to work with the strong conviction that children’s participation is crucial for the successful implementation of the SDGs and for achieving sustainable future for 72 Progress for Every Child in the SDG Era, UNICEF 2018, viewed at https://data.unicef.org/resources/progress- for-every-child-2018/ on 28th of March 2018.

73 Group of Friends of Children and the SDGs, viewed at https://www.unicef.org/agenda2030/69525_100608.html on 27th of March 2018.
27 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87 UNICEF Australia Submission to inform the Inquiry into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) all.

The Group of Friends has made several joint statements, where individual Member States choose to align to the statement in their own national capacities.
UNICEF Australia recommends that the Australian Government considers joining The Group of Friends of Children and the SDGs and work collaboratively with this group of states to ensure children’s rights remain at the forefront of Agenda 2030.

28 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)Submission 87