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Report Cards on children in industrialized countries

The Centre's Report Card series measures and compares the situation of children in OECD countries. This is the first UNICEF publication series devoted exclusively to the subject of children in industrialized countries.
The Report Cards aim to help improve the lives of children by revealing good and bad practice through a process of international comparison and the provision of new data. Each issue focuses on a topic relevant to the overall well-being of children and includes a league table of data, comparative analysis and an editorial. By bringing an international perspective to national statistics, the Report Cards provide a vital tool for policy-makers, parliamentarians, researchers, campaigners, the media and all those working to promote the interests of children in the industrialized world.

Publications

Child Poverty in Rich Countries 2005
Publication

Child Poverty in Rich Countries 2005

The proportion of children living in poverty has risen in a majority of the world's developed economies. No matter which of the commonly-used poverty measures is applied, the situation of children is seen to have deteriorated over the last decade. This publication is the sixth in a series of Innocenti Report Cards designed to monitor and compare the performance of the OECD countries in meeting the needs of their children.
Child Poverty and Changes in Child Poverty in Rich Countries since 1990
Publication

Child Poverty and Changes in Child Poverty in Rich Countries since 1990

This paper documents levels and changes in child poverty rates in 12 OECD countries using data from the Luxembourg Income Study project, and focusing upon an analysis of the reasons for changes over the 1990s. The objective is to uncover the relative role of income transfers from the state in determining the magnitude and direction of change in child poverty rates, holding other demographic and labour market factors constant. As such the paper offers a cross-country overview of child poverty, changes in child poverty and the impact of public policy in North America and Europe.
The Impact of Tax and  Transfer Systems on Children in the European Union
Publication

The Impact of Tax and Transfer Systems on Children in the European Union

The objective of this paper is to analyse the impact of fiscal policy on the economic resources available to children, and on the child poverty rate. A static microsimulation model specifically designed for the purposes of comparative fiscal analysis in the European Union, EUROMOD, is used to study the age incidence of government taxes and transfers in 2001 in 15 EU countries.
A Portrait of Child Poverty in Germany
Publication

A Portrait of Child Poverty in Germany

This paper offers a descriptive portrait of income poverty among children in Germany between the early 1980s and 2001, with a focus on developments since unification in 1991. Data from the German Socio-Economic Panel are used to estimate poverty rates, rates of entry to and exit from poverty, and the duration of time spent in and out of poverty. The analysis focuses upon comparisons between East and West Germany, by family structure, and citizenship status.
Principles and Practicalities in Measuring Child Poverty for the Rich Countries
Publication

Principles and Practicalities in Measuring Child Poverty for the Rich Countries

This paper has three objectives. The first is to discuss the major issues involved in defining and measuring child poverty. The choices that must be made are clarified and a set of six principles to serve as a guide for public policy is proposed. The second objective is to take stock of child poverty and changes in child poverty in the majority of OECD countries since about 1990 when the Convention on the Rights of the Child came into force. Finally, the third objective is to formulate a number of suggestions for setting credible targets for the elimination of child poverty in the rich countries. This involves the development of appropriate and timely information sources as well as the clarification of feasible targets that may vary across the OECD.
A League Table of Child Maltreatment Deaths in Rich Nations
Publication

A League Table of Child Maltreatment Deaths in Rich Nations

In the industrialized world, approximately 3,500 children die every year at the hands of those who should be caring for them. Many more live on with injuries - both physical and emotional. This fifth Report Card analyses and compares child abuse data from the OECD nations and asks why some countries have a better record than others.