The Ministry of Labour, along with partners focused on children’s affairs, is advocating for the expansion of a social protection program that has shown promising health outcomes and improved family incomes during its pilot in three counties.
Launched in 2017 to address deficiencies in existing schemes, the Universal Child Benefit (UCB) project has matured, and experts believe it should be extended to cover more children, broaden the age range of eligible beneficiaries, and increase the monthly financial support per child.
The initiative was piloted in Kisumu, Kajiado, and Embu counties, targeting 8,300 children aged 0 to 36 months, each receiving Ksh 800 per month.
According to Save the Children, a non-governmental organization focused on children’s issues, the UCB has positively impacted its beneficiaries by enhancing nutritional and food security and reducing rates of stunting and underweight among children.
The UCB pilot focused on children 0-36 months [under three years] but it is feasible for future interventions to target children under five in keeping with the Ministry of Health’s nutritional targets,” said Richard Obiga, senior programmes officer at the Ministry of Labour.
The pilot targeted 8,300 children but ended up with about 7,000.
Obiga hopes that once the national rollout kicks off, a few counties and sub-counties that have the worst outcomes on nutrition nationally will be considered first.
“We are still some steps away from the national rollout – to be sincere – because we are making proposals – meaning we are looking at the best option that is also sustainable for the government to have in place,” Obiga said.
“Some of the questions we are asking ourselves include, do we do it zero to 17 nationally or do we do it zero to three years, nationally, or we begin with certain geography, certain counties, so that it is feasible financially, and can be afforded.”
In a proposal being evaluated at a higher level in the ministry, Obiga said, a team working on this issue has suggested that the amount per child be increased from Sh800 to Sh1,000.
