Integrated Strategic Planning January 2014

Common Programme Classification

28 January, 2015
The common programme classification is one of four deliverables under the Integrated Strategic Planning workstream.
Objective
To present a standard programme classification, below the impact area level, to provide a consistent way for COs and NOs to
identify and discuss programme priorities.
This will facilitate dialogue to align activities and resources. For example, COs will find it easier to identify which NOs to
approach to support specific areas of their programming. NOs will find it easier to identify programme priorities across the
organization that matches donor opportunities.
Description
The table below classifies the different programme areas that Plans work covers. It is based on our eight impact areas (set
out in column 1):
The right to a Healthy Start in life
The right to Sexual and Reproductive Health (including HIV)
The right to Education
The right to Water and Improved Sanitation
The right to Economic Security
The right to Protection
The right to Participate as Citizens
The right to Protection and Assistance in Emergencies
Each impact area is split into sub-areas (column 2). There are 36 sub-areas in total. There has been a natural process of
compromise to identify the most clear and relevant sub-areas and to keep this list to a manageable length. It is recognised
that these headings will not cover every single aspect of our work and this will be accommodated in our systems with an
Other for example, Healthy Start Other - category. Each sub-area is also mapped to the most relevant IATI 1 code
(column 4). This will make it easier for Plan entities to report against IATI standards, if they wish to.
Current programme classification in SAP and Revised programme classification (below)
1 IATI (International Aid Transparency Initiative) is a leading initiative that has established common standards for publishing information about aid spending, in order to
make that information much easier to access, compare and understand.

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Integrated Strategic Planning January 2014

The new SAP system, which continues to be rolled out in FY15, includes a programme classification. This should be referred to
as the current programme classification (link to full list). It follows a similar structure of: Impact area - sub-area and more
detailed output level for project planning. It has 72 sub-areas including various management activities. This will continue to
be used for classifying costs. But it does not work in terms of identifying and matching CO and NO priorities (for example,
you wouldnt try and match Education-Programme Management). To address this, the revised programme classification
set out in this document has been developed. It is important to note the difference between the two types of programme
classification. The revised programme classification will be used in the following strategic documents: CSP, CO Annual
Funding Profile, NO Programme Strategy, NO-CO Priorities and Profiles table. The revised programme classification will be
integrated into our information systems (i.e. SAP) 2 . We will keep the organization updated when this integration happens.
Using information on impact areas and sub-areas in key documents

CSP. Section 5 (Strategic Response) identifies the programming areas (impact areas and sub-areas) covered by each
Strategic Objective that Plan will focus on during the CSP period. The impact areas and sub-areas will be selected from
the Common Programme Classification.
NO Programme Strategy. Section 5 (Strategic Reponses) uses the impact areas and sub- areas to identify priorities.
NO-CO Priorities and Profiles table. Future versions of the NO-CO Priorities and Profiles table, that identifies NO
geographic and thematic priorities will use the impact areas and sub-areas to identify thematic priorities.

The programme classification below is the result of extensive consultation. Draft 1 was shared in July 2013 and feedback was
received from ROs, NOs and COs. Draft 2 was shared in November with the ISP Reference Group, Programme Quality
Department, ISP Sponsors, Programme Effectiveness Team and Global Technical Leads. This Common Programme
Classification was approved by the GMC on February 18 th 20143.
Future updates
This document will be reviewed, as a minimum, every two years to respond to any changes in priorities or approach for the
organisation.

2 The timing of these has not yet been scheduled.

3 Subsequent revisions have been to improve the title of the sub-areas and define the Main areas of work and issues addressed.
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Integrated Strategic Planning January 2014

Impact
area

Sub-areas

Main areas of work and issues addressed

IATI Codes (click

here for full list)

The right
to a
healthy
start in life

Maternal, neonatal and child

health

Physical and mental health of mothers and young children;

including pregnancy and delivery, post-delivery/neonatal care,
prevention and treatment of childhood diseases, and detection of
developmental issues.
Diet and feeding practices which are appropriate to the needs of
the developing child, including breastfeeding, appropriate
complementary feeding, diversified diet and nutritional
supplements, as well as maternal nutrition and household food
security.
Childrens emotional, cognitive
and social development,
including parents/caregivers skills for
play, interaction and
stimulation in the home; community based mechanisms/ spaces
for early childhood care and education; access, quality and
governance of formal early education services.
Awareness, prevention and treatment of communicable diseases
affecting the wider population with emphasis on vectorborne/parasitic disease4 and tuberculosis; including healthcare,
mass treatments and environmental management.
Prevention and treatment of malaria in children and adults;
including awareness-raising campaigns, mosquito vector control,
treatment.
Family sexual reproductive health; access to information and
youth friendly services on sexual reproductive health and rights
including contraception, safe abortion and care, prevention of
sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Awareness and access to HIV prevention and behavior change
including testing and treatment, care and support services;
awareness and prevention of stigma/discrimination; community
based support to groups, families and children living with or
affected by HIV/AIDS.

12220
healthcare

Basic

12240
nutrition

Basic

Nutrition

Early
stimulation and
early childhood
education
Prevention/contr
ol of
communicable
diseases
Malaria
The right
to sexual
and
reproducti
ve health,
including
HIV
prevention

Sexual and
reproductive
health
HIV and AIDS
prevention,
treatment and
care

4 Malaria classified separately below

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11240
Early
childhood education

12250 Infectious
disease control
12262
control

Malaria

13020 - Reproductive
healthcare
13040 - STD control,
including HIV/AIDS

Integrated Strategic Planning January 2014

Impact
area

Sub-areas

Main areas of work and issues addressed

IATI Codes (click

here for full list)

, care and
treatment

Comprehensive
sexuality
education/life
skills

13020 Reproductive
healthcare

The right
to
Education

Primary
education

Information and education on sexual reproductive health and

rights in/out-of-school; life skills including gender identity and
roles, sexual orientation, ability to make informed decisions
about own sexuality and life choices; behavior change among
youths, family, communities.
Access to quality, inclusive education opportunities including
education policy and legislation, child friendly and inclusive
teaching methods and materials, safe, inclusive infrastructure in
schools; re-entry of out-of-school children,
parent and
community support to education; participation in school
governance; community monitoring of education.
Access to quality, inclusive education opportunities including
education policy and legislation, child friendly and inclusive
teaching methods and materials, safe, inclusive infrastructure in
schools; re-entry of out-of-school children and youth, curriculum
for life and employment skills, parent and community support to
education; participation in school governance; community
monitoring of education.
Alternative education and learning opportunities for youths and
adults including literacy/financial literacy, community learning
initiatives and mobilization for education.
Access to and use of safe drinking water systems in
communities, schools and clinics; promotion of household water
treatment and safe storage; capacity building for water supply
and management.

14030
Drinking
Supply
and
Sanitation

Basic
Water
Basic

Community led approaches to total sanitation; access to and use

of sanitation facilities and systems in communities and public
facilities; sanitation marketing to support supply side responses
to demand, child friendly and gender sensitive sanitation in
schools; and support to solid waste disposal systems and
services.

14030
Drinking
Supply
and
Sanitation

Basic
Water
Basic

Secondary
education

Non-formal
education
The right
to water
and
improved
sanitation

Water supply

Sanitation

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11220
education

Primary

11320 - Secondary
education

11320 - Secondary
education

Integrated Strategic Planning January 2014

Impact
area

Sub-areas

Main areas of work and issues addressed

IATI Codes (click

here for full list)

Hygiene

Improved hygiene practices in communities and schools

including hand washing with soap; menstrual hygiene
management;
public awareness campaign on hygiene;
behaviour change communication and capacity building, hygiene
education and facilities in schools.

12261
education

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Health

Integrated Strategic Planning January 2014

Impact
area

Sub-areas

Main areas of work and issues addressed

IATI Codes (click

here for full list)

The right
to
economic
security

Savings groups

Community based, savings groups or similar methodologies,

potentially incorporating awareness raising and training, for
example on rights, gender, literacy, business skills etc.

24040 - Informal/
semi-formal financial
intermediaries

Microfinance

Formalised credit, savings and insurance services to groups and

individuals, usually delivered by professionally managed
institutions.
Combined interventions to support youth to engage in productive
/economic activity including skills/vocational training, life skills,
financial/business and employment training, work with
employers to create apprenticeships/jobs, savings groups,
mentoring and coaching etc.
Improved agricultural practice including crop rotation, improved
seeds, livestock, irrigation, crop storage; support to household
food production to improve income and nutrition; support to
farmer cooperatives, value chain development and links to
market.
Local and national systems that aim to prevent and respond to
all forms of violence including laws, policies, and child protection
services within health, education, judiciary; cultural beliefs and
practices, safe environment.
Targeted effort to reduce vulnerability, prevent and respond to
violence against particular children at risk including orphans,
street children, child involved in armed groups; discrimatory
practice, etc.
Prevention and response of all forms of violence against children
at home and in community, schools, health services including
harmful practices, corporal punishment, sexual and other
exploitation.
Targeted effort to address all forms of violence based on gender;
including harmful practices such as female cutting, female
infanticide, early marriage; sexual violence and abuse;
discrimination or exclusion based on gender and gender
stereotypes.

24040 - Informal/
semi-formal financial
intermediaries
16020 - Employment
Policy and
Administrative
Management

Youth
Employment

Agriculture

The right
to
protection
from all
forms of
abuse,
neglect,
exploitatio
n and
violence

Child protection
systems
Children at
risk/orphans and
vulnerable
children
Violence against
children
Gender-based
violence

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31120 - Agricultural
development

16010 Social
welfare/services
16010 - Social
welfare/services
16010 Social/
welfare services
15164 Womens
equality
organizations and
institutions

Integrated Strategic Planning January 2014

Impact
area

The right
to
participate
as citizens

Sub-areas

Main areas of work and issues addressed

IATI Codes (click

here for full list)

Children with
disabilities

Targeted effort to address issues of disability and support to

children, youth and families affected by different forms of
disability including community based prevention, identification
and rehabilitation of children with disability, national and local
law and policy; access to special or mainstream services.
Public registration systems (digital and non digital) on
birth/death registration and other vital statistics; law and policy
on registration, improved registration services and mechanisms,
awareness and knowledge of registration.
Capacities of children and youth groups to, for example, access
and understand information, communicate, negotiate and
influence, monitor public services, network, implement own
projects ; child media; child and youth parliaments.
Capacities and commitment of civil society organizations to
better organize, network and influence, to monitor Child Rights
and hold government institutions to account; facilitating State
and Civil Society dialogues/ platforms.

16010 - Social
welfare/services

Policies, commitment and capacities of government institutions

at different levels to provide support to improve services and
public information; make policy-planning and budgeting more
transparent, accountable and responsive to youth and adults;
facilitating links and dialogue between state and citizens.
Alternative periodic reporting for the CRC or other global and
regional human rights instruments; civil society organization and
network capacity to, for example, collect data and information
and contribute to CRC monitoring and reporting.

15110 - Economic
and Development
Policy/ Planning

Civil
Registration &
Vital Statistics
Child/youth
groups and
organizations
Strengthening
civil society to
improve
government
accountability
Strengthening
duty-bearer
accountability
CRC / HR
monitoring /
alternative
reporting

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13010 - Population
policy and
administrative
management
15150 Strengthening civil
society
15150 Strengthening civil
society

15162 - Human rights

Integrated Strategic Planning January 2014

Impact
area

Sub-areas

Main areas of work and issues addressed

IATI Codes (click

here for full list)

The right
to
protection
and
assistance
in
emergenci
es and
improved
resilience
to natural
and manmade
hazards5

Disaster risk
reduction and
climate change
adaptation

Reducing disaster risks through addressing the causal factors of

disasters, including reduced exposure to hazards, lessened
vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land
and the environment. Climate Change Adaptation refers to the
adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or
expected climate stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm
or exploits beneficial opportunities.
Development of knowledge and capacities in governments,
professional response and recovery organizations, communities
and individuals to effectively anticipate, plan and prepare for,
respond to, and recover from, the impacts of likely, imminent or
current hazard events or conditions.
Prevention of and response to abuse, neglect, exploitation of and
violence against children in emergencies including specific
mechanisms such as safe spaces, psychosocial support, support
to unaccompanied/separated children, local and national
systems and capacities on child protection.
Diverse learning opportunities for children and youth including
temporary learning spaces; adapted curricula and learning
approaches; schools feeding; mobilisation and training of
teachers and other education personnel; resumption/adaptation
of formal education systems; laws and policies; support and
protection of infants and young children including learning
through play; capacity of parents and caregivers on child
development, health, nutrition and water and sanitation.
Access to food including in-kind food, voucher or cash transfers;
nutrition and/or addressing malnutrition; protection and support
of livelihood assets such as seeds, livestock, etc.; building
resilience and capacities.

74010 - Disaster
prevention and
preparedness

Disaster
preparedness

Child Protection
in Emergencies
(CPiE)
Education in
Emergencies
(EiE) and ECCD

Food, nutrition,
cash or
livelihood
assistance in
emergencies

74010 - Disaster
prevention and
preparedness
72050 - Relief coordination; protection
and support services
73010 Reconstruction relief
and rehabilitation

72040 - Emergency
food aid

5 Please note that the sub-area definitions have been defined in a way that avoids overlap between the different sub-areas.
For this reason, the definitions may vary from standard UN Humanitarian definitions.
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Integrated Strategic Planning January 2014

Impact
area

Sub-areas

Main areas of work and issues addressed

Humanitarian
Assistance,
other (Health,
WASH or
temporary
shelter)

Efforts to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain and protect 73010 human dignity during and in the aftermath of emergencies; Reconstruction relief
including material resources, services, food aid and relief and rehabilitation
coordination; reconstruction and rehabilitation.

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IATI Codes (click

here for full list)