Youth and Children: Resource Guide

<< Back to Youth and Children page

International Guidelines, Recommendations and Principles:

Child and Youth Friendly Banking Principles (2014, CYFI) - The CYFI Secretariat worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders from the public and private financial sectors, and social and academic sectors, to develop the Child and Youth Friendly Banking Product Principles in order to facilitate an international benchmark for safe and reliable banking products for children and youth. The 8 Principles for Child and Youth Friendly Banking Products are based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and are applicable to savings and current bank accounts for children and youth.

Core Competencies Framework on Financial Literacy for Youth (2015, OECD/INFE) - An international core competencies framework on financial literacy for youth (between the ages 15 and 18) provides a range of benefits to policy makers and other stakeholders.

Financial Education for Youth: The Role of Schools  (2014, OECD) - This publication addresses the challenges linked to the introduction of financial education in schools. It includes practical guidance and case studies to assist policymakers, and a comparative analysis of existing learning frameworks for financial education in the formal school system.

Safer Payment Products for Minors: Guiding Minors Towards Financial Autonomy (2017, Child and Youth Finance International, MasterCard Foundation) - Guide to 10 recommended practices in developing payment products for youth, created in collaboration with a multi-stakeholder group to provide a tool for financial service providers to:

  • Help make payment products for minors safer;
  • Encourage responsible spending behaviour;  
  • Promote active money management from an early age.

Children’s Rights and Business Principles - A comprehensive framework for understanding and addressing the impact of business on the rights and well-being of children. Developed by Save the Children, the UN Global Compact and UNICEF to serve as inspiration and a guide for all business in their interactions with children. The document, Children’s Rights and Business Principles: Good Practices Per Principle (UN Global Compact 2012 2015) provides a range of examples of how companies can put into practice each of the Children’s Principles.

Organizations and Programs

Child & Youth Finance International (CYFI) – CYFI is a global network organization, dedicated to empowering children & youth through financial inclusion and economic citizenship. CYFI also leads the Global Money Week campaign, the largest awareness-raising celebration about finance-related matters for youth.

Mastercard Foundation is a global foundation whose programs promote financial inclusion and advance youth learning and livelihoods in Africa. Mastercard Foundation is one of the major donors of youth financial inclusion projects, and publishes a wide range of lessons learned about the outcomes of the supported initiatives.

Youth Economic Opportunities - Global resource, hosted by Making Cents International, on Youth Workforce Development, Entrepreneurship & Financial Inclusion.

YouthSave - is a consortium project led by Save the Children in partnership with the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis (CSD), New America (NA), CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), and supported by The MasterCard Foundation.

YouthStart (UNCDF) -  The YouthStart Regional Pilot (2010-2015) UNCDF’s initiative established in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, aims to increase access to financial services for low-income youth in sub-Saharan Africa. YouthStart Global’s goal is to increase the number of youth engaged in entrepreneurship, decent employment, school, or further education and training, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Campaigns and Initiatives:

#BankTheYouth Campaign is an exciting new advocacy campaign, delivered in partnership between Child & Youth Finance International (CYFI) and the United National Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), which seeks to increase access to responsible, accessible, and affordable finance for children and youth around the world. It was launched in 7 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa during Global Money Week 2017.

Global Money Week (GMW) is an annual global celebration, initiated by Child & Youth Finance International (CYFI), with local and regional events and activities aimed at inspiring children and youth to learn about money, saving, creating livelihoods, gaining employment and becoming an entrepreneur.

Global Inclusion Awards (GIA), a CYFI initiative, to recognize and honour those that achieve greatness and demonstrate innovation in financial, social and livelihoods education, financial inclusion, and entrepreneurial support for children and youth at the national, regional and international level. The Child & Youth Friendly Banking Award acknowledges the accomplishments of financial service providers that pioneer innovative and original Child and Youth Friendly Banking Products (savings and current products), combined with an education component.

<< Back to Youth and Children page