Social Protection for Every Child

Every child has the right to social protection. Yet poverty, inequality, conflict, displacement and climate shocks continue to deprive millions of children of access to essential services and opportunities. Guided by UNICEF’s Global Social Protection Programme Framework and the European Union’s priorities on social inclusion, resilience and human development, UNICEF and the EU work together to strengthen inclusive, shock‑responsive and child‑sensitive social protection systems -so that no child is left behind.

What UNICEF and the EU deliver together

Reducing child poverty and vulnerability

EU‑funded UNICEF programmes help countries expand social assistance and cash transfer programmes that directly benefit children and families living in poverty. In countries such as Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria and Jordan, EU support enables the design and scale‑up of child‑sensitive social protection measures that improve access to food, health care, education and basic services.

Shock‑responsive social protection

In contexts affected by conflict, displacement, climate shocks and economic crises, UNICEF and the EU strengthen shock‑responsive social protection systems that can rapidly scale up support for vulnerable households. Programmes in Lesotho, Madagascar, Zambia and crisis‑affected settings link humanitarian assistance with longer‑term social protection systems, ensuring continuity of support for children during emergencies.

Strengthening systems and governance

Beyond direct support to families, EU‑funded UNICEF programmes strengthen the foundations of social protection systems, including:

• Policy and legal frameworks;
• Institutional capacity and coordination;
• Digital delivery systems and social registries;
• Integration with health, education and child protection services.

Examples include system‑strengthening initiatives in Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and the Middle East, aligned with EU accession and reform processes.

Linking social protection with human capital development

Reflecting shared UNICEF-EU priorities, social protection programmes are closely linked with health, nutrition and education outcomes, ensuring that cash and social services translate into improved child well‑being, learning and development—particularly in the first years of life and during adolescence.

Equity, inclusion and gender

EU‑supported UNICEF programmes prioritize gender‑responsive and inclusive social protection, addressing the specific needs of women, adolescent girls, children with disabilities, refugees and displaced populations. This includes strengthening access to services and benefits for the most marginalized households.