SPRI Global is currently working with UNICEF Sierra Leone, Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL), the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone (MoPED), and other relevant stakeholders in measuring child poverty with the multidimensional approach Multidimensional Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (MODA). The objectives of the assignment are:

1) To generate updated measures on multidimensional and monetary child poverty in Sierra Leone in alignment with SDG indicator 1.2
2) To further strengthen national capacity in Sierra Leone to generate estimates on multidimensional and monetary child poverty

The MODA analysis is being done based on the 2019 Demographic and Household Survey (DHS), which provides an opportunity to update the previous child multidimensional poverty estimates. The results will be disaggregated by gender, age group, districts and urban/rural location of residence, as well as in any other criteria that should be interesting for the national context. The report will include these results, and will also assess monetary child poverty, in according with the 2018 Sierra Leone integrated Household Survey (SLIHS), as well as provide key strategic policy recommendations.

Through this work, SPRI Global is contributing to strengthening the capacity of government officials from Stats SL, MoPED and other stakeholders on methodologies for child poverty measurement, primarily multidimensional child poverty. Building institutional capacity will enable the government of Sierra Leone to independently generate estimates to measure achievement of SDG goal 1.2. in the future. SPRI Global is also learning from Sierra Leone’s context and stakeholders’ expertise in the field of child poverty.

SPRI Global is working in close collaboration with government officials from Stats SL and MoPED to develop the report on multidimensional child poverty and formulate strategic policy recommendations. A cross-sectoral Technical Working Group on Child Poverty has been created, which is continuously involved in making strategic decisions on the dimensions and indicator selection, validation of findings and recommendations, and to support the dissemination of research results.