Exploring the influence of international governmental organisations on domestic child welfare policy and practice

Abstract

The influence of international governmental organisations (IGOs) on child welfare policy and practice in individual sovereign states is little explored. This article sets out the nature of these bodies' main work with children. It then considers the mechanisms through which they seek to influence national child welfare policy and practice and the extent to which they can make nation states comply. 'Soft' mechanisms, such as awareness-raising, compiling statistical data and demonstration projects are contrasted with 'hard' mechanisms, such as making law and financial intervention. The article then reviews the effects of this activity and the factors explaining the varied pattern. It concludes that child welfare policy and practice are increasingly subject to supranational influence and that this has important implications for those seeking to influence this field. 1

Children and global social policy: Exploring the impact of international governmental organisations

“…Although some policies and programmes are clearly targeted at disadvantaged children, for instance the sexually exploited or the poor, others are universal in their reach, notably those focusing on vocational training or political rights. A related article has analysed in more detail the similarities and differences between IGOs as regards their child welfare activities (Axford, 2010), but here the focus is on the impact of these agencies.…”