EU-UNICEF Public Finance Facility in South and Southeast Asia – Phase 1 (2019-2023)

The first phase of the EU-UNICEF Public Finance Facility (PFF) in South and Southeast Asia was launched in 2019 to support the best possible use of public social sectors’ budgets. The four-year initiative ended in July 2024 and covered seven countries - Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar in Southeast Asia, and Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in South Asia.

The first phase brought notable achievements for the countries under the facility:

In Bangladesh, the PFF facilitated the first-ever comprehensive discussions among government officials, parliamentarians, and civil society on child-focused budget allocations. This collaborative effort has led to increased awareness and advocacy for prioritizing children's needs in national budgets.

In Cambodia, the introduction of ‘Citizen Budgets’ has enhanced public participation in sub-national budgeting processes, particularly for social assistance programmes, ensuring that the voices of young people are considered in decision-making processes. Additionally, the PFF contributed to and leveraged other resources to support nation-wide expansion of the disability identification mechanism helping more people with disabilities to receive Disability ID Cards and access and allowances to services. 

In Lao PDR, the PFF has focused on nutrition by developing budget briefs and conducting a public investment needs assessment for children. Findings and recommendations from the 2016–2019 budget brief and National Plan of Action on Nutrition (NPAN) review significantly shaped NPAN 2021–2025, influencing child nutrition policies and high-level discussions at national and subnational levels.

In Nepal, the PFF has supported the government in enhancing budget transparency and accountability through the establishment of participatory budgeting processes. This has empowered local communities to engage in budget discussions, ensuring that their voices are heard in decision-making.

Despite political challenges in Myanmar, the PFF has played a crucial role in reviewing social policy and budget reforms. It has generated evidence on local governance and social sector investments, helping to monitor and advocate for children's rights amidst challenging political circumstances.

In Sri Lanka, the PFF has successfully advocated for increased allocations for education and health sectors, resulting in a more child-centric approach to public finance. This has led to improved service delivery for children in vulnerable communities.

In Pakistan, the initiative has strengthened the capacity of local governments in the two provinces Sindh and Balochistan to allocate resources effectively for child welfare programs. By providing technical assistance in budget tracking, the PFF has improved the efficiency of social sector spending. 

Regional Level

While the facility worked closely with governments and other partners at the country level, it is at the regional level that the facility further catalysed the power of public finance management to catalyse results for children and their families, including the most vulnerable. Analyses done at the regional level sought to understand trends within countries and across Asia to comprehend the impact of external shocks on public finance and social sector spending, and the consequences for children and their families. National partners, country offices and governments were provided fora through for experience sharing and learning from those across national borders.