CFAs: Strengthen Social Protection, Care Systems, and Public Financing for Children (Argentina)

Deadline: 29-Jun-2026

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is seeking partners in Argentina to support initiatives that reduce child poverty, strengthen social protection systems, improve care policies, and enhance public financing for children and adolescents. The call emphasizes evidence generation, policy development, technical assistance, municipal capacity building, and innovative financing approaches that improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

The initiative aims to address persistent child poverty and inequality in Argentina by supporting national, provincial, and local efforts to strengthen child-focused policies, improve access to services, and promote the rights and wellbeing of children and adolescents.

What is the UNICEF Argentina Child Poverty and Social Protection Call?

This UNICEF call for proposals seeks partnerships with organizations capable of supporting policies and programs that improve the lives of children and adolescents in Argentina.

The initiative focuses on reducing poverty, strengthening social protection systems, improving care services, and ensuring adequate public investment in children through evidence-based and rights-focused approaches.

Program Objectives

The call aims to:

• Reduce child and adolescent poverty.
• Strengthen social protection systems.
• Improve public financing for children.
• Support innovative child-focused financing mechanisms.
• Enhance care systems and caregiving policies.
• Build municipal capacity to deliver child-centered services.
• Generate evidence for better policymaking.
• Promote equitable access to services and opportunities.
• Address territorial and socioeconomic inequalities.
• Strengthen local implementation of children’s rights.

Background: Child Poverty in Argentina

Child poverty remains one of Argentina’s most significant social challenges.

Current Situation

According to the program description:

• 42.3% of children and adolescents live in poverty
• 9.4% live in extreme poverty

Although these figures have improved compared to peak levels recorded during 2024, poverty continues to affect millions of children across the country.

Key Drivers of Child Poverty

Poverty is particularly concentrated among households with:

• Low educational attainment
• Informal or unstable employment
• Residence in vulnerable urban or rural communities
• High caregiving responsibilities
• Single-parent households
• Female-headed households
• Limited access to social protection benefits

These factors create barriers to children’s health, education, nutrition, and long-term development.

Priority Focus Areas

1. Public Financing for Children

Projects may support:

• Monitoring child-related public expenditure
• Protection of social investment budgets
• Improved financing strategies for children
• National and provincial budget analysis
• Evidence-based financing recommendations

Why Public Financing Matters

Public investment directly influences:

• Education quality
• Healthcare access
• Nutrition programs
• Child protection services
• Social assistance systems

Strong financing helps ensure children’s rights are protected and services remain sustainable.

2. Innovative Financing for Children

UNICEF encourages initiatives that explore:

• New financing mechanisms
• Innovative investment approaches
• Resource mobilization strategies
• Sustainable funding solutions for child-focused programs

3. Evidence Generation and Research

Projects may contribute through:

• Data collection and analysis
• Child poverty monitoring
• Vulnerability assessments
• Policy evaluation
• Research on social protection outcomes

Importance of Evidence-Based Policy

Reliable data helps governments:

• Identify service gaps
• Target vulnerable populations
• Improve policy effectiveness
• Allocate resources efficiently

4. Social Protection Systems

The call supports efforts to strengthen:

• Cash transfer programs
• Family support services
• Child benefit systems
• Social assistance mechanisms
• Integrated protection approaches

Expected Outcomes

Improved social protection can help:

• Reduce poverty
• Improve child wellbeing
• Strengthen family resilience
• Increase access to basic services

5. Care Policies and Care Systems

Projects may focus on:

• Caregiving support systems
• Family care services
• Child development initiatives
• Community-based care approaches
• Gender-responsive care policies

6. Municipal Capacity Strengthening

A key component of the initiative involves supporting municipalities through the:

MUNA (Municipio Unido por la Niñez y la Adolescencia)

This initiative helps local governments strengthen child-focused planning, policy implementation, and service delivery.

Support may include:

• Technical assistance
• Capacity building
• Policy design
• Monitoring frameworks
• Local planning tools

7. Local Child Poverty Reduction Initiatives

Priority will be given to interventions targeting:

• Vulnerable urban communities
• Rural populations
• Marginalized children
• High-poverty municipalities
• Communities facing service-access challenges

Why Municipal Governments Matter

Argentina’s federal structure distributes responsibility for children’s rights across multiple levels of government.

National Government

Responsible for:

• National policy frameworks
• Social protection financing
• Regulatory systems

Provincial Governments

Responsible for:

• Major social sector investments
• Program implementation
• Service delivery systems

Municipal Governments

Responsible for:

• Local implementation
• Community outreach
• Direct engagement with families
• Coordination of local services

Municipalities often face resource and capacity constraints, making technical assistance especially important.

Who Should Apply?

Organizations with expertise in the following areas are particularly relevant:

Civil Society Organizations

• Child rights organizations
• Social development NGOs
• Community-based organizations
• Advocacy groups

Research and Academic Institutions

• Universities
• Research centers
• Policy institutes
• Data and evaluation organizations

Technical Assistance Providers

Organizations experienced in:

• Public policy
• Governance
• Social protection
• Public finance
• Local government strengthening

Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships

Collaborations involving:

• Government institutions
• Civil society organizations
• Academic institutions
• Development agencies
• Community organizations

Eligible Project Activities

Examples of potential activities include:

• Child poverty research and monitoring
• Public expenditure analysis
• Social protection system strengthening
• Municipal capacity-building programs
• Development of child-focused policy tools
• Care policy design and implementation support
• Evidence-generation initiatives
• Technical assistance for governments
• Advocacy and awareness campaigns
• Data collection and policy evaluation

How to Develop a Strong Proposal

Step 1: Identify a Priority Challenge

Clearly define:

• The child poverty issue
• The target population
• The geographic focus
• Existing service gaps

Step 2: Use Evidence

Include:

• Data on child poverty
• Needs assessments
• Policy analysis
• Existing research findings

Step 3: Demonstrate Impact

Explain:

• Expected outcomes
• Beneficiary reach
• Policy improvements
• Sustainability plans

Step 4: Align with UNICEF Priorities

Show how the proposal contributes to:

• Child rights
• Social protection
• Public financing
• Care systems
• Municipal strengthening

Step 5: Build Partnerships

Strong proposals often involve:

• Government collaboration
• Community engagement
• Multi-sector coordination
• Local stakeholder participation

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Proposals lacking evidence or data.
• Weak monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
• Limited focus on vulnerable populations.
• Activities not linked to measurable outcomes.
• Insufficient sustainability planning.
• Lack of coordination with government systems.
• Broad objectives without clear implementation strategies.

Why This Initiative Matters

Child poverty affects access to education, healthcare, nutrition, protection, and future opportunities.

By strengthening social protection systems, improving financing for children, and supporting local governments, this initiative aims to:

• Reduce inequalities.
• Protect children’s rights.
• Improve service delivery.
• Strengthen family wellbeing.
• Promote long-term social inclusion.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the main goal of this UNICEF call?

To reduce child poverty and strengthen social protection, care systems, public financing, and local capacities that support children and adolescents in Argentina.

2. What are the priority themes?

Public financing for children, innovative financing, social protection, care policies, municipal strengthening, evidence generation, and child poverty reduction.

3. What is MUNA?

MUNA (Municipio Unido por la Niñez y la Adolescencia) is a UNICEF-supported initiative that helps municipalities strengthen policies and services for children and adolescents.

4. Who are the primary beneficiaries?

Children and adolescents, especially those living in poverty, vulnerable households, rural areas, marginalized communities, and underserved urban neighborhoods.

5. What types of organizations are most relevant?

Civil society organizations, research institutions, policy organizations, technical assistance providers, and multi-stakeholder partnerships.

6. Why is public financing a major focus?

Adequate and effective public investment is essential for delivering education, health, social protection, and child development services.

7. How does this initiative support local governments?

Through technical assistance, capacity-building, policy support, evidence generation, and strengthening municipal systems for child-focused service delivery.

Conclusion

UNICEF’s Argentina Child Poverty and Social Protection initiative seeks partners capable of advancing child rights through stronger social protection systems, improved public financing, evidence-based policymaking, and municipal capacity development. By supporting innovative and rights-based approaches, the program aims to reduce poverty, address inequalities, and create better opportunities for children and adolescents across Argentina.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.