What Inequality means for Children
Evidence from Young Lives
In: The International Journal of Children's RightsSearch for other papers by Martin Woodhead in
Current site
Google Scholar
Search for other papers by Paul Dornan in
Current site
Google Scholar
Search for other papers by Helen Murray in
Current site
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Understanding how poverty and inequalities impact on children is the major goal of Young Lives, a unique longitudinal, mixed-methods study. Two cohorts totaling 12,000 children are being tracked since 2001, growing-up in Ethiopia, the state of Andhra Pradesh (ap) India, Peru and Vietnam. Earlier versions of this paper were prepared as Young Lives contribution to a unicef/un Women consultation on the post-2015 Development agenda (www.worldwewant2015.org/inequalities) and published as Woodhead, Dornan and Murray (2013).
We summarise Young Lives evidence to date on eight research issues that are central to any child rights agenda:
- 1. How inequalities interact in their impact on children’s development and the vulnerability of the most disadvantaged households.
- 2. The ways inequalities rapidly undermine the development of human potential.
- 3. How gender differences interconnect with other inequalities, but do not always advantage boys in Young Lives countries.
- 4. The links between poverty, early ‘stunting’, and later outcomes, including psycho-social functioning, as well as emerging evidence that some children recover.
- 5. Inequalities that open up during the later years of childhood, linked to transitions around leaving school, working, and anticipating marriage etc.
- 6. Children’s own perceptions of poverty and inequality, as these shape their well-being and long-term prospects.
- 7. Evidence of the growing significance of education, including the ways school systems can increase as well as reduce inequalities.
- 8. The potential of social protection programmes in poverty alleviation.
We conclude that since inequalities are multidimensional, so too must be the response. Equitable growth policies, education and health services, underpinned by effective social protection, all have a role to play.
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Le T.D. (2009), ‘The Effect of Early-age Stunting on Cognitive Achievement among Children in Vietnam’, Working Paper 45, Oxford: Young Lives.
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Murray H. (2010), ‘Early Childhood Care and Education as a Strategy for Poverty Reduction: Evidence from Young Lives’, Policy Brief 9, Oxford: Young Lives.
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Murray H. (2012), ‘Is School Education Breaking the Poverty Cycle for Children? Factors Shaping Education Inequalities in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam’, Policy Paper 6, Oxford: Young Lives.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1341 | 258 | 34 |
| Full Text Views | 409 | 33 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 332 | 52 | 3 |
What Inequality means for Children
Evidence from Young Lives
In: The International Journal of Children's RightsSearch for other papers by Martin Woodhead in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Paul Dornan in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Helen Murray in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Understanding how poverty and inequalities impact on children is the major goal of Young Lives, a unique longitudinal, mixed-methods study. Two cohorts totaling 12,000 children are being tracked since 2001, growing-up in Ethiopia, the state of Andhra Pradesh (ap) India, Peru and Vietnam. Earlier versions of this paper were prepared as Young Lives contribution to a unicef/un Women consultation on the post-2015 Development agenda (www.worldwewant2015.org/inequalities) and published as Woodhead, Dornan and Murray (2013).
We summarise Young Lives evidence to date on eight research issues that are central to any child rights agenda:
- 1. How inequalities interact in their impact on children’s development and the vulnerability of the most disadvantaged households.
- 2. The ways inequalities rapidly undermine the development of human potential.
- 3. How gender differences interconnect with other inequalities, but do not always advantage boys in Young Lives countries.
- 4. The links between poverty, early ‘stunting’, and later outcomes, including psycho-social functioning, as well as emerging evidence that some children recover.
- 5. Inequalities that open up during the later years of childhood, linked to transitions around leaving school, working, and anticipating marriage etc.
- 6. Children’s own perceptions of poverty and inequality, as these shape their well-being and long-term prospects.
- 7. Evidence of the growing significance of education, including the ways school systems can increase as well as reduce inequalities.
- 8. The potential of social protection programmes in poverty alleviation.
We conclude that since inequalities are multidimensional, so too must be the response. Equitable growth policies, education and health services, underpinned by effective social protection, all have a role to play.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1341 | 258 | 34 |
| Full Text Views | 409 | 33 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 332 | 52 | 3 |