Empowering women through table banking thus building a brighter future for children

By Yvonne Arunga, Country Director

As a set of programmes designed to support households and communities cope with economic and social vulnerabilities such as poverty, disability and natural disasters among others, social protection is increasingly used in Kenya to mitigate these risks.

Social protection is essential in providing safety nets for the most vulnerable groups in society. Children from low-income communities are a particularly vulnerable group. They share many of the same vulnerabilities as those of their communities as well as additional ones. Furthermore, the impact of economic and social risks weigh heavier on children, potentially resulting to malnutrition, diseases, lifetime poverty, reduced human capital development, abuse and exploitation.

Save the Children advocates for social protection programmes that are designed to accommodate the specific needs and vulnerabilities experienced by children and their
communities. Investing in children’s priorities and tackling the root causes of poverty promotes their growth, development, well-being and the opportunity for children to realize their full potential.

These investments not only provide immediate relief but also are a long-term investment in human capital development. Early childhood is a critical period for physical and psychological development that lays the foundation for lifelong health, learning and well- being. Save the Children draws the concept of children's well-being and protection from our vision of having a world where girls and boys attain the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.

In the face of shocks such as the protracted drought crisis in Kenya, social protection programmes go a long way to address children's needs. There is ample evidence that augmented and universal cash transfer programmes provide the greatest benefit to children.

In addition to making cash transfers to children's families, these programmes are designed to include training on positive parenting, nutrition and disability inclusion. Save the Children promotes universal child benefits as the approach with the greatest chance of alleviating child poverty. Save the Children, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Food Program (WFP) are currently running a universal child benefits pilot programme to provide key lessons for Kenya.

Strengthening social protection in Kenya will require a conducive legal and policy framework, adequate funding, care reform, investment in strong institutions along the chain and that these institutions coordinate their efforts across the range of support offered. Social protection plays a crucial role in reducing poverty, promoting social inclusion and supporting economic growth and development. It helps ensure all members, children in particular, have access to basic needs, can reach their full potential and participate fully in their communities.

This article was first published on 5^th April, 2023 on Daily Nation page 14