Child rights monitoring
There are widening equity gaps between national averages and the most marginalized children.
- Available in:
- Srpski
- English
Challenge
Problems that are unmeasured remain unresolved. For children, problems that are not registered, or in any way captured by official data, leave them with a greater risk of being left behind.
That is why it is imperative to establish monitoring systems that encompass all child-related issues.
If their situation is known and understood, action can be taken to make it better.
- Reliable national data on the number of children with disabilities is not yet available.
- Disaggregated data is needed for monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure no one is left behind.
- Lack of cross-sectoral data on the prevalence of violence against children prevents a cost analysis on the impact of violence.
- Children and young people have limited opportunities to participate in decisions that shape their lives and to monitor the status of their rights.
- Children are at greater risk of poverty than the overall adult population.
Solution
To improve the national systems for data collection and management, particularly in the fields of inclusive education, violence prevention and monitoring the changes in social norms, UNICEF is working to increase the availability of reliable disaggregated data on the position of children and women in Serbia.
Where possible, data are disaggregated by gender, age, residence, household income, education, and other key social and demographic variables to help uncover possible risk factors and inequities.
UNICEF supports the process of system reforms, and we are active in monitoring the implementation of laws and policies aimed at children and establishing an accountability system.
We analyse data trends and emphasize patterns found within the data.
We advise on how these data can be used strategically to inform the development and/or implementation of inclusive national policies, laws and programmes, as well as the development of mechanisms for monitoring and addressing violations of child rights.
UNICEF supports national governmental and independent bodies, as well as local self-governments, to expand their knowledge on child rights and child-centred, evidence-based policy-making, budgeting and monitoring.
We support child rights monitoring by both civil society as well as independent monitoring institutions (the Ombudsman and the Commissioner for Equality), the Office for Human and Minority Rights and others.
We support parliaments at national, provincial and local levels in building the capacity of parliamentary members to oversee the planning, implementation and budgeting of policies related to children.
- A total of 10,000 households, of which 2,000 Roma households, are included in the Multiple Indicator Cluster (MICS6) survey in 2019.
- The introduction of an education information system in 2019 will enable evidence-based decision-making, contributing to the quality of education.
- Indicators to monitor the implementation of recommendations by the UN Committee for Child Rights have been formulated in collaboration with civil society and the Office for Human and Minority Rights.
- The Government of the Republic of Serbia signed a national Call for Action on Early Childhood Development.
- A methodological guideline for the future Registry on Children with Disabilities has been developed, and is based on a functional assessment of children’s disability.
- The Ombudsman, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Office for Human and Minority Rights and the Parliament have been supported and strengthened for improved monitoring of child rights.
- A training on child rights for civil servants in local self-governments is being developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government.
- Adolescents and young people articulated their priorities that correspond to the Sustainable Development Goals and this was reflected in the Voluntary National Review of the Republic of Serbia at the UN High-Level Political Forum in 2019
- UNICEF uses evidence to achieve results for children. In this context, together with partners, we have completed major studies, including: R3P – Determinants and Factors of Violence against Children in Serbia, Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices in Immunisation, Situation Analysis on Services for Infants and Small Children with Disabilities, How to be a Caring School, Child Marriage among the Roma Population in Serbia, and Monitoring Social Inclusion in the Republic of Serbia.
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