SPRI Global is currently working with UNICEF Pacific Islands on a study to improve the quality and relevance of child poverty estimates in Kiribati and Tuvalu. Supported by the host governments, national statistics offices, social sector line ministries, finance ministries and national planning authorities, the goal of the study is to inform child centered national policies, programs, plans and budgets.

With a focus on protecting children from multi-dimensional vulnerabilities, risk, adversity and disadvantages, the consultancy will produce estimates on child poverty in terms of multidimensional deprivations based on latest available data in Kiribati and Tuvalu. Through this process, national awareness and capacities in multidimensional child poverty analysis are fostered and improved. Specifically, SPRI Global is conducting a National Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (N-MODA) based on the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) from 2019 for both Kiribati and Tuvalu.

SPRI Global is also organizing workshops, which are being attended by key local stakeholders. The workshops aim to define the age groups, indicators, dimensions of deprivation, thresholds and profiling variables for both children and the overall population, giving consideration to the local reality as well as the limitations of the data sets. Moreover, a road map is being developed for the application of N-MODA in both countries, specifying the required analysis, input, training and plans for dissemination of the study as well as provisions for additional analysis.

A report will be released with the results of the analysis, which are presented to relevant stakeholders to help inform their child centred policies, planning and budgeting. In addition, SPRI Global will also prepare recommendations on data collection/gaps that may facilitate future application of MODA and national surveys in both Kiribati and Tuvalu.