This document outlines a framework for conducting a child rights-based country context analysis. It discusses key definitions and international legal frameworks related to child rights. It then describes several tools and steps to integrate a child rights lens into development cooperation, including: [1] conducting a causal analysis to understand root, underlying and immediate causes of issues affecting children; [2] analyzing the roles, relationships, capacities and gaps of duty bearers and rights holders; and [3] examining the broader social, policy, legislative and budgetary issues that influence child rights. The overall aim is to accurately identify deprivations facing children, understand barriers to realizing their rights, and ensure the most marginalized children are prioritized in development efforts.

3.  Regional priorities
 Key facts
 Definitions, international legal framework
 General Measures of Implementation
 Translating international commitments into practice
 Child-rights based Country Context Analysis

4. Child rights refers to:
 A set of legally binding norms and standards
for the care and protection of children – that
apply to all children at all times in all situations
Key treaties:
 CRC
 CEDAW
 CRPD
 African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
 African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of
the Child

5.  According to the CRC:
 Children are defined in the CRC as all those below the
age of 18 years.
 Childhood
 Is recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights as a period “entitled to special care and
assistance.”

6.  Non-discrimination
 Best interests of the child
 Life, survival, and development
 Participation

7.  Survival and development rights
 Rights to the resources, skills and contributions
necessary for survival and full development
 Protection rights
 Protection from all forms of child abuse, neglect,
exploitation and violence
 Participation rights
 Entitled to express their opinions and to have a say in
all matters that affect them

8.  Specific provisions of the Charter relative to the
CRC
 Emerging priorities based on review of country
reports and consultations on the African
Common Position on Post-2015
 Opportunities for international cooperation in
Africa

9.  It is an Obligation
 Legal and political moral/ethical obligation by national
governments
 Obligation of international cooperation actors as well
(EU commitments, UNICEF mandate, etc)
 It is an Opportunity
 Necessary for the achievement of development
outcomes

10. Translating the CRC commitments into practice
1. Legislation must be compatible with the CRC
2. Develop process of assessing impact of laws/policies
3. Developing a national strategy for children
4. Ensuring adequate resources allocations
5. Permanent mechanisms in gov’t for M&E
6. Training, education & capacity building
7. Cooperation/coordination with civil society
8. Appropriate indicators and sufficient data collection
9. Statutory independent children’s rights institutions

12. An essential first step to integrating child rights
commitments into development cooperation
 Accurately identify trends, patterns, incidence and causes
of key deprivations
 Identify and analyse barriers and bottlenecks
 Ensure that the most marginalized and excluded
populations are prioritized
 Analyse whether evidence-based interventions and
services are prioritized in national policies, laws, strategies,
plans and budgets

13.  For policy dialogue
 Basis for dialogue with partner governments
 During project identification
 Are child rights objectives articulated?
 Do activities contribute to/challenge existing inequalities?
 Are there child rights issues not addressed?
 During identification & formulation phases
 Identify entry points for actions needed to meet child rights
objectives
 During monitoring & evaluation:
 Ensure a child rights-sensitive M&E system is in place
 Establish indicators to measure achievement of objectives

14. Step 1:
 Review critical resources
 CRC Committee’s concluding observations
 UNICEF situation analysis
 Reports & analyses from child rights organizations
such as Save the Children
 Other sources of data
 Assess whether additional data is needed
 Identify data gaps

15.  Step 2: Analyse patterns of social exclusion and
identify underlying factors
1. Causality analysis
2. Role-pattern analysis
3. Capacity-gap analysis
4. Analysis of the enabling environment

16. Development challenge/Rights not fulfilled
Basic /structural causes
“Society, Policies, Resources”
Underlying causes
“Services, Access, Practices”
Immediate causes
“Status, and direct influences”

17. Manifestation
of problem
Immediate
Underlying
Root
Root
Underlying
Root
Root
Immediate
Underlying
Root
Root
Underlying
Root
Root
Causes
Effects
The problem tree is a
tool for consensus
building and
participation. It allows
discussion with rights-
holders and duty bearers
on the main development
challenges and root
causes

18. Problem 1: increasing
HIV/AIDS infection rates
Problem 2:
Girls’ Education
→ Immediate Causes
→ Underlying Causes
→ Root Causes
Core Problem Area:
Gender Discrimination
Gender discrimination
affects the realization of
multiple MDGs and their
associated rights

19.  Facts of the case
 As you review the facts of
the case, consider the full
range of issues described
 In groups, discuss:
 How would you define the
key problem in this case
from a child-rights
standpoint?

20. Review the background scenario with your group
 Define the problem statement for your case based on
your scenario
 Using the cards on your table
note down:
 One immediate cause
 One underlying cause
 One root cause
Manifestation
of problem
Immediate
Underlying
Root
Root
Underlying
Root
Root
Immediate
Underlying
Root
Root
Underlying
Root
Root

21. Problem
Statement
Negative impact of economic migration on adolescent well-being in the Philippines.
Immediate
Causes
 Long-term separation from primary care-giver (mother)
 Lack of consistent health care and attention
 Lack of trusted parental guidance
 Social stigmatization
Underlying
Causes  Employment opportunities
 Feminization of migration (traditionally women’s jobs – nursing, domestic
workers, food and hospitality work)
 Household income needs beyond immediate family
 Lack of compensatory support from family and community
 Lack of special needs programmes in schools
 Financial crisis (lower remittances)
Root/structural
Causes  Reliance on remittances to support GNI
 Economic growth strategies based on export of skilled and semi-skilled labour
 Population dynamics – large population of young people seeking high-quality
and high-wage employment
 Social status of women and women’s labour (exportable)

22. 2. Capacity-gap analysis
 Examines the capacity of key individuals and
institutions responsible for respecting, protecting and
fulfilling the rights of children.
3. Role-pattern analysis
 Delves into the roles and relationships between duty-
bearers and rights holders in relation to specific rights.

23. Level/type of
duty
Role-pattern
analysis
Capacity and gap analysis
As defined in
relation to the
issue at hand and
local situation
Who is supposed
to do what to help
solve the
problem?
Motivation
Does the duty-
bearer accept
the
responsibility?
If not, why?
Authority
Does the duty-
bearer have the
authority to carry
out the role? If
not, who does?
Resources
Does the duty-bearer have knowledge, skills and
organizational, human, financial and materials
resources? If not, what is missing?
Knowledge
and skills
Organization
al and
human
resources
Financial
Resources
Immediate care
giver
1. Provide
psychosocial
support to
children left
behind;
2. Advocate for
their interests
with school
authorities
No because
they may not
realize the
extent of the
suffering of the
children
Yes the
immediate
family is
expected to
provide all forms
of care for the
children
including
psychosocial
care
No. Many
OFW families
do not know
how to
address
children’s
feelings of
isolation and
discrimination
No No. Many families
of OFW are
substantially
dependent on
remittances. That
said, the social
and emotional
well-being of
children and
adolescents left
behind may not
require substantial
financial
resources.

24.  Examines broader policy, legal, administrative
and budgetary issues and social norms that
influence the realization of the human rights of
children and women and the reduction of
inequalities.

25. Guide for analysis of enabling environment
Social norms
analysis
A social norm is a rule or behaviour that members of a community follow
because there are positive social rewards or negative sanctions attached to it.
 Lack of jobs for women at home as a viable economic alternative to migration/ foreign
unemployment.
 Women’s labour viewed as exportable.
 Severe gender based occupational segregation.
Policy-gap
analysis
Examines the principles and long-term goals that form the basis for making
rules and guidelines, giving overall direction to planning and development.
 No systematic data collection on children left behind.
Legislative
analysis
Should examine and highlight the degree to which the national legislative
framework is compatible with the provisions of the CRC, CEDAW and the CRPD.
• While export of workers is a policy for the Philippines, there are not sufficient policies to support
children left behind and low knowledge of the existing measures in place for support.

27. Review the background scenario with your group
 Using the blank forms, work through the different
levels of analysis with your group:
 Causal analysis, using the problem statement developed
during buzz groups
 Role-pattern and Capacity-gap analysis
 Enabling environment analysis