PCRN
Research Fellowship Program on Children
Explore our growing network of individual and institutional members advancing child rights research in the Philippines.
Background
Filipino children represent a significant proportion of the Philippine population and embody great diversity in culture, geography, and lived experience. Despite progress in some child welfare indicators, multidimensional inequality persists across health, education, protection, and opportunity. Recent analyses presented at the 11th National Social Science Congress highlighted persistent gaps in child health, educational outcomes, access to protection services, and environmental risks. These underscore the need for robust, equity‑driven research that addresses the realities of children’s lives.
The Philippine Children Research Network (PCRN), with the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC) as its Secretariat and with support from UNICEF Philippines, is launching the Research Fellowship Program (RFP) on Children. The program aims to support Filipino social scientists in producing rigorous and policy-relevant research. It seeks to strengthen the evidence base that informs national and local policies, programs, and interventions for Filipino children.
The RFP is anchored on the principle that children are rights holders. It promotes ethical, inclusive, and participatory research approaches. It focuses on key thematic areas, including health and nutrition, ECCD, child poverty, child protection, environmental safety, equitable life opportunities, and civic participation. The program aims to generate evidence that informs policy, strengthens child-centered decision-making, and advances research-based advocacy.
The PCRN RFP on Children aligns with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Child Rights Research Agenda of the Research Consortium for Children’s Rights (RCCR) headed by the Council for the Welfare of Children.
About the Fellowship
The PCRN RFP on Children will offer two types of grants: individual fellowships and an institutional grant. Two individual fellows will each be awarded PHP 150,000 to support the completion of their research. One institutional member of the PCRN will receive a grant amounting to PHP 100,000 to support scientific activity to be organized by a member institution of the PCRN. It is open to researchers and faculty members from higher education institutions; research institutes and think tanks; government agencies and public institutions; civil society and non-government organizations; multidisciplinary research teams and consortia; and PhD students, provided that they are supervised by a qualified faculty adviser or principal investigator.
Please note that PCRN is committed to promoting child rights, child participation, and child safeguarding in alt to l supported research activities. Fellows who will be funded under the PCRN RFP on Children are expected to uphold the principles of dignity, non-discrimination, participation, best interests of the child, and protection from harm throughout the conduct of the study.
Individual Fellowship Grant
PHP 150,000 / 2 fellows
Institutional Fellowship Grant
PHP 100,000
Individual Fellowship - Research Grant
The first individual fellowship grant shall focus on documenting and analyzing good practices in child-focused research in the Philippines. It aims to identify ethical, participatory, inclusive, and child-sensitive approaches that ensure safeguarding, meaningful child engagement, and the production of high-quality evidence. The study is expected to build a knowledge base on ethical child-centered research practices, inform future research and institutional capacity-building, and potentially contribute to the development of national ethical standards for research involving children.
The selected fellow will be required to secure ethics review approval from the PSSC Social Science Ethics Review Board (PSSC-SSERB) prior to data collection. The PCRN will help facilitate an expedited review process given project timelines.
The second individual fellowship grant shall support research aligned with the priority thematic areas of the RFP, including children’s health and nutrition, education and skills development, protection from violence, safe and sustainable environments, and equitable opportunities for marginalized and vulnerable children. Recognizing that children’s development is shaped by multiple ecological systems and relationships, proposals may also examine the roles of families, schools, communities, institutions, and other duty-bearers in influencing children’s health, wellbeing, development, and life outcomes.
Proposals are expected to be innovative, interdisciplinary, and policy-relevant, with strong methodological rigor and ethical sensitivity. Preference will be given to studies that engage children and/or families and communities meaningfully and generate actionable recommendations for policy and practice. Studies that explore the interactions between children and the broader social, institutional, and environmental contexts in which they live and develop are likewise encouraged.
Given the short timeline and its nature as a top-up research support grant, the second individual fellowship will prioritize proposals with ongoing data collection and secured ethical clearance from a recognized ethics review body.
- Must be an individual member of the PCRN
- Must hold at least a master’s degree
- Must have at least one (1) peer-reviewed publication related to children
- Must be able to undertake and complete the proposed research within the project period (July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026)
- Cover Letter indicating which thematic area of the Research Agenda the applicant intends to address
- Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages) detailing relevant research experience, publications, awards, and academic or professional positions held
- Research Proposal (maximum of 7 pages) including the title of the study, research rationale, objectives and framework, significance of the study, review of related literature, methodology (study design, study population and sampling, data collection procedures, data analysis plan), ethical considerations, work plan and timeline, budget proposal, and references
- Ethical Considerations. Please note that all funded research involving children must comply with ethical standards, child safeguarding principles, and applicable data privacy regulations.
For the first individual fellowship, which focuses on documenting good practices in child-focused research in the Philippines, the selected fellow shall be required to secure ethics review approval from the PSSC Social Science Ethics Review Board (PSSC-SSERB) prior to data collection. In consideration of the project timeline, the PCRN, through PSSC, shall facilitate an expedited ethics review process.
For the second individual fellowship, applicants must provide proof of ethics review application or approval. Such proof must indicate the approving ethics review body or institution, together with the corresponding protocol or approval number.
- Soft copies of major published works
- Full research paper
First Individual Fellowship: A comprehensive manuscript documenting and analyzing good practices in child-focused research in the Philippines, highlighting ethical, participatory, inclusive, and child-sensitive approaches, and providing actionable insights to inform future research, institutional capacity-building, and the development of ethical standards for research involving children.
- Second Individual Fellowship: A full research paper on a priority Child Rights Research Agenda topic that generates new, policy-relevant evidence on children’s health, education, protection, and wellbeing within their family, institutional, and community contexts, addressing key knowledge gaps and offering actionable recommendations for policy and practice.
- Policy brief — a concise, evidence-based document that synthesizes key research findings into clear, actionable policy recommendations for relevant decision-makers and stakeholders, aimed at informing policy and program development.
- Scientific lecture presentation — an oral presentation of research findings to an academic or policy audience, fostering knowledge sharing and dialogue among stakeholders.
Criterion | Focus Areas | Weight |
Significance of the Study |
| 40% |
Feasibility and Implementation Capacity |
| 40% |
Concept, Writing, and Content |
| 20% |
Institutional Fellowship - Scientific Activity Grant
The institutional fellowship grant shall support the organization or hosting of a scientific activity (conference, symposium, workshop, or research forum) by a member institution of the PCRN, with thematic focus aligned with the thematic areas outlined above. It shall aim to disseminate child-focused research and facilitate knowledge exchange among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. It may also support capacity-building activities aimed at strengthening research competencies and improving the use of evidence in child-related policy and practice. Both modalities shall promote interdisciplinary collaboration and strengthen networks across child rights, child development, and social protection sectors.
- Must be an institutional member of the PCRN
- Must designate a focal person or representative, who must be an individual member of the PCRN
- Must have demonstrated experience in research, policy, or programs related to children
- Must be able to organize or participate in a scientific activity aligned with the program objectives
- Cover Letter indicating the focus of the scientific activity
- Curriculum Vitae (maximum of 3 pages) of the project leader/conference chair, detailing relevant research experience, publications, awards, and academic or professional positions held
- Scientific Activity Proposal (maximum 7 pages) including rationale, objectives, expected outputs, methodology/approach, references and budget proposal
- Institutional profile (maximum 3 pages) detailing organizational experience, relevant programs, publications, and key personnel
- Soft copies of major published works or organizational outputs relevant to the proposed activity
- Activity Proposal (pre-implementation requirement) – A concise concept note outlining the objectives of the scientific activity, thematic focus aligned with the priority thematic areas, target participants, program design, and expected results. The document should demonstrate strategic relevance, feasibility, and anticipated contributions to knowledge generation and policy engagement.
- Proceedings — a comprehensive and publication-ready report documenting presented research, key discussions, and policy-relevant insights, including clear recommendations and identified research gaps.
- Financial Report — a 1 page summary of grant utilization, detailing major expense categories and confirming alignment with the approved budget.
Criterion | Focus Areas | Weight |
Relevance and Significance |
| 40% |
Feasibility and Functionality |
| 40% |
Concept, Writing, and Content |
| 20% |
Financial Support
Two approved proposals shall be eligible for research funding support worth PHP 150,000 each to support the completion of their research, and PHP 100,000 to support the conduct of a scientific activity organized by the member institution. The said amount cover, subject to approval and allowable costs: personnel services, data collection and fieldwork expenses, training and capacity-building activities, software and research materials, dissemination and publication activities.
Other Terms and Conditions
PCRN reserves the right to adjust, withhold, or suspend the release of funds based on project performance, compliance with reporting requirements, and adherence to agreed work and financial plans.
No extension of the grant period shall be permitted, as the implementation timeline is aligned with the existing project agreement between the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC) and UNICEF.
In the event that a fellow discontinues or terminates the research project prior to completion, PCRN shall conduct an assessment of expenditures and deliverables. PCRN may require the grantee to refund all or a portion of funds disbursed, including unutilized or unsupported amounts, in accordance with applicable guidelines, grant conditions, and contractual provisions governing the award.
Timeline
Call for Submission | June 1-30, 2026 |
Assessment | July 1-15, 2026 |
Announcement and Contract Signing | July 30, 2026 |
Conduct of Research / Activity | July to December 2026 |
Presentation | (to be organized by PCRN in 2027) |
How to Submit
Applicants must submit their applications through the official link provided below no later than 30 June 2026 at 11:59 PM. Late submissions will not be accepted.
