Mokoro provided a team to develop a framework for a financial benchmark for Child Protection (CP) on behalf of UNICEF. The purpose of financial benchmarking for CP is to obtain a better and comparable measurement of actual expenditure on CP systems across countries and to be used as an indicator for adequacy of public spending on CP. This makes up a critical part of CP reform.

The purpose of the assignment was to develop a framework for a CP indicator which would have the potential to be translated into a manual to be tested in countries. To reach this objective, the team undertook a literature review of existing financial benchmarking methodologies and uses within the public and private sector.

A discussion on CP financial benchmarking was framed around: (i) the scope of CP expenditure to be included (ii) data acquisition processes; (iii) numerator and denominator; (iv) interpretation; and (v) disaggregation potential. From a review of the different options produced a preferred option was chosen and a roadmap of next steps was developed. This will result in a manual to be piloted in-country during the next phase of work.