Free from Violence Newsletter

February 2025

Message from the Secretary General

Greetings Colleagues,
 
At ChildFund Alliance, we started 2025 with a new governance structure in place—featuring a smaller, skills-based Board of Directors and the establishment of a new Member Council. Both were formally approved at our gathering of Board members and CEOs in November in New York City.
 
The meeting coincided with the inaugural launch of our new flagship ChildFund Alliance World Index. Our 2024 report highlights the living conditions of women and children around the world and elevates the voices of more than 10,000 children and adolescents engaged in Alliance programming. Our time together in New York also provided the opportunity for members to engage with United Nations leaders and UN Missions regarding the Alliance’s key priorities.
 
As part of our strategy and engagement activities, we’ve been hard at work developing the new Alliance strategic plan for fiscal years 2026-2030, a timeline that aligns with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Members of our Working Group on Strategy are keenly focused on developing an Alliance-wide plan that results in greater collaboration amongst members with strategic initiatives that help us better drive change for children.

In the humanitarian sector, there is great uncertainty as numerous crises around the world affect the lives of so many children and their families in countries where Alliance members operate. Further, the loss of foreign aid that would normally be provided by the US government will undoubtedly impact humanitarian work worldwide. It is critical, therefore, that we collaborate and remain focused on responding to these crises, and developing humanitarian response plans that offer lifesaving support to those affected. 

Our Secretariat team in New York and in our Europe Office will be doubling down on our work with members to coordinate on time sensitive developments that have far-reaching and lasting impact. I encourage you to read about these and other Alliance developments in this edition of Free from Violence. 

Sincerely,
Meg Gardinier
Secretary General

News from the Secretariat

The Board of Directors, the CEO Forum, and the Secretariat met in New York City for the week of 11 to 15 November 2024. Our sessions and events included the inaugural launch of the ChildFund Alliance World Index, engaging with United Nations (UN) leaders and missions on our key priorities, formally agreeing to the governance reforms of Together 2030, and accelerating our membership growth strategy to be aligned with our forthcoming strategic plan for FY26-30.  

To further inform the development of our new strategic plan, we convened a session featuring Ambassador Robert Rae from the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations; Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children; and senior leaders from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Environment Program. Dr. Najat provided a timely update on the recent First Ministerial Conference on Violence against Children, which outlined specific calls to action that can inform our strategic plan. Panelists reasoned that above all else, we need a strengthened focus on child protection, with their rights and well-being now more important than ever. In a follow up to our discussions at the UN engagement session, the Alliance secured United Nations Mission visits with Australia, Canada, El Salvador, the European Union, France, Germany, Japan, Kirabiti, New Zealand, Sweden, and the USA. The meetings provided our members’ leadership with an opportunity to build strategic relationships and discuss policy issues with high-level decision makers within the UN community.

During other discussions over the course of the week, it was agreed that growing our members during the next strategic plan period will serve to strengthen our global advocacy and policy influence, increase our resources to reach more children, and achieve greater efficiencies through collaboration with members.  One of the core tenets of our Together 2030 governance initiative calls for a focus on membership growth in the Global South. To fully execute our strategy, we will need to engage potential members with an expertise in humanitarian action and climate change. More on our strategic planning process can be found in our Strategy & Engagement news. 

Advocacy & Policy News

WEB Safe & Wise: Creating a better digital world with children

Throughout the fiscal year, our Senior Advisor has participated in impactful events to raise awareness of the dangers of online safety.

  • Keeping Children Safe Webinar: As an expert panelist, our Senior Advisor joined representatives from SOS Children’s Villages and DeafKidz International to discuss safeguarding children in the digital age. This webinar provided a valuable platform to share information about the Alliance’s work, including our parent guides and the Swipe Safe program, driving traffic to our campaign microsite.
  • INHOPE Summit 2024: This summit, held at Microsoft HQ in New York, brought together key stakeholders to address online child sexual abuse and exploitation. Our Senior Advisor emphasized the importance of child participation in online safety initiatives and introduced the concept of “child rights by design” for the tech industry. This sparked productive conversations with representatives from TikTok, Snap Inc., and Dropbox, who expressed interest in further collaboration.
  • UN General Assembly Side Event: Co-hosted by the OHCHR Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, UNICRI, the UAE Permanent Mission, and the EU Delegation to the UN, this high-level event focused on the risks posed by AI to children. Our Senior Advisor contributed to a crucial discussion on understanding trends in AI innovation and child sexual exploitation.
  • The 2024 WeProtect Global Summit: The 2024 WeProtect Global Summit, co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of the Interior, provided a dynamic platform for global collaboration on child online safety. It highlighted the urgent need to address the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in relation to child online safety and also fostered critical dialogue between governments, NGOs, and the tech industry, emphasizing the importance of collaborative action to protect children in the digital world. Lastly, in recognizing the crucial role of young people in shaping online safety strategies, the Summit showcased youth perspectives through the #MyVoiceMyFuture campaign, featuring a powerful film and a youth-led poem.

Visit the WEB Safe & Wise website

Amplifying Children’s Voices

In a powerful demonstration of our commitment to child participation, our Senior Advisor, Advocacy and Policy, and Senior Advisor, Humanitarian Action, collaborated with the WEB Safe & Wise Children’s Advisory Council to develop a call to action on the threats of generative AI. This call to action was presented to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale, Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse of Children, Ms. Mama Fatima Singhateh, who then consulted with the Council to inform her report to the 79th UN General Assembly. This direct engagement exemplifies our dedication to ensuring children’s voices are heard at the highest levels.

Farewell to the WEB Safe & Wise Children’s Advisory Council

After two years of extraordinary dedication and service, the members of the WEB Safe & Wise Children’s Advisory Council have concluded their term. Their contributions to WSW have been invaluable, shaping our initiatives and ensuring that the voices of children are at the forefront of our efforts to create a safer digital world.

The Council played a pivotal role in providing feedback on campaign materials, including our child-friendly campaign overview. They also had an instrumental role in our Safer Internet Day event in the Philippines in February 2024, engaging in meaningful discussions with experts and policymakers, sharing their perspectives on online safety, and advocating for a better digital environment for children and youth. A key achievement was their work to develop the call to action on Generative AI presented to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale, Sexual Exploitation, and Sexual Abuse of Children.  

With their term at an end, we expressed our deepest gratitude to the members of the Children’s Advisory Council during a farewell call on February 12 and wished them great success in their future endeavors. Their dedication, passion, and commitment to child online protection have been an inspiration to us and we hope they will continue to be advocates for a safer and more inclusive digital world. Here are some of the comments they shared with us:

“Without a doubt the campaign had an extreme impact on me and my community since I was able to share very important information with my peers and thus protect ourselves, take care of each other, and, above all, fight for our rights to safe internet browsing.” Moisés, boy, Mexico

“Now I feel like a young person with more information about my rights on social networks, about the possible vulnerabilities that one as a young person can face with these new technologies and to be even more alert than ever.” Tihitna, girl, Ethiopia

“La experiencia me dio muchas satisfacciones , conocermuchas personas geniales de quienes aprendi mucho yamigos de potras ciudades d emi pais y fuera de mi pais.” Heriberto, boy, Paraguay  [English translation: The experience gave me a lot of satisfaction, meeting many great people from whom I learned a lot and friends from other cities in my country and outside my country.”

“Safer Internet Day illustrated different ways we, as young people, can prevent negative outcomes while surfing the internet. It encouraged me to share what I have learned with my peers so they can also protect themselves and their families.” Ashanti, girl, Mozambique

“I have had the best experience because advocacy isn’t something that you just wake up one day and do, it takes courage, confidence and guidance to advocate for the many. And this was all possible because I was given the opportunity to be a Council member.” Apio Santa, girl, Uganda

Looking Ahead

The Alliance remains committed to advancing the WEB Safe & Wise campaign and prioritizing the participation of children in online safety initiatives. We will continue to build strong partnerships, advocate for child rights by design, and amplify the voices of young people to create a safer digital world for all children. As the campaign winds down, a comprehensive end-term review is underway to assess its overall impact and effectiveness. The review will be available by the end of the fiscal year and will encompass these key areas:

  • Evaluation of campaign goals: an analysis of the extent to which the campaign achieved its stated goals.
  • Impact assessment: a measurement of the campaign’s impact on child online protection using indicators such as elevated awareness, and improved prevention and response mechanisms.
  • Sustainability and scalability: an assessment of the long-term sustainability of the campaign’s interventions and identification of opportunities to scale up successful initiatives to reach a wider audience.
  • Lessons learned and best practices: involves documenting key lessons learnt and identifying best practices which could inform future initiatives in child online protection.
  • Recommendations for future action: formulation of concrete recommendations for future Alliance action to ensure the continued advancement of child online safety efforts.

ChildFund Alliance World Index on the Rights of Women and Children

Children’s Voices on their Right to the Future

On November 13, ChildFund Alliance launched its flagship World Index report during a 90-minute program at the Church Center of the United Nations in New York. The event featured keynote remarks from Manuel Fontaine, Special Adviser, Child Rights at UNICEF. Casey Harden, CEO & General Secretary of the YWCA facilitated a panel discussion with representatives from the UN Joint SDG Fund, the Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues, UN Women, the International Youth Foundation, and WeWorld. Alliance Board Chairman Simon Whyte and Secretary General Meg Gardinier also spoke during the event.

The ChildFund Alliance World Index is a valuable resource for understanding the living conditions of women and children around the world. It provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing children and women and it highlights the need for continued action to protect their rights and promote their well-being.  

Key Highlights from the World Index 2024:

  • Evaluates 157 countries on their implementation of women’s and children’s human rights
  • Reveals that 1 in 3 children and more than 1 in 4 women live in countries with limited or minimal human rights implementation
  • Projects it will take 113 years to achieve full implementation of rights across assessed countries
  • Shows a decline in democratic and safe environments for women and children since 2015, despite improvements in access to information and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene services
  • Highlights progress in children’s health but stagnation in educational rights since 2020
  • Notes an increase in women’s education and decision-making participation, but underscores their continued vulnerability and marginalization
  • Sweden, Iceland, and Norway lead the global ranking; Chad ranks the lowest, with women’s rights particularly endangered in Afghanistan  

ChildFund Alliance, through its Advocacy Task Force (ATF), also conducted a global consultation, gathering insights from over 10,000 children and adolescents from 41 countries on their feelings about their Right to the Future.

High-level Findings from the Global Consultation of Children and Adolescents:

  • Primary concerns about the future: The children and youth identified unemployment, poverty, and health epidemics as their main worries.
  • Priority requests: They emphasized the need for improved access to quality education, protection from violence and discrimination, adults actively seeking and listening to their opinions, understanding and respect, and encouragement, guidance, and support.
  • Regional variations: The consultation also revealed regional differences in priorities. For instance, children in Central and West Africa were more concerned about forced displacement, while those in East and South Africa prioritized living without war or conflict.

We encourage you to learn more about the conditions of women and children in your country or region via the report or by visiting our Voices for a Brighter Future dashboard. The Index can serve as a valuable tool for policy makers, advocates, and more, so share it widely with your networks and stay tuned for updates on the European launch of the Index, slated for April 2025 in Brussels.

Download the World Index 2024

Listen and watch children share their views and concerns.

Strategy & Engagement News

Shining a Spotlight on the World Index and Member Activities

The World Index 2024 represented a rebranding of the WeWorld Index that was previously a stand-alone report published annually by WeWorld since 2015. This edition was the first to be embraced Alliance-wide as a signature product of ChildFund Alliance. To prepare for its release, the Director of Strategy & Engagement provided copyedits, worked on the preface, assisted with securing translations, and oversaw the production of collateral including the US media release, talking points, visuals and social media assets. The Director also worked with a videographer following the event to produce a highlights reel on the critical importance of empowering women and girls to create a more equitable and sustainable future for all. You can watch the full length program here.

Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children

To help promote the Alliance’s participation in the first ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children held in Bogotá in early November, the Director collaborated with member colleagues to prepare a dedicated webpage and printed collateral highlighting the many examples of ChildFund Alliance members’ EVAC efforts. She also worked closely with colleagues to bring attention to the ongoing crises around the world that are being supported by our member organizations. Efforts have included posting flash updates, joint statements and response plans to the website and across social platforms, and sharing member spotlights. Learn more about our members’ work featured in our online Member Spotlight section of our website:

New Constitution and Governance Structure will Drive Change for Children

At the bi-annual meeting of CEOs and Board members held in New York in November, the ChildFund Alliance Board of Directors and members of the Alliance approved a new constitution and governance structure, which went into effect on January 1, 2025. The approval concluded the Together 2030 initiative that the Board, in tandem with the CEOs, formally authorized in November 2021. The project’s primary purpose was to support and strengthen conditions for the success of ChildFund Alliance, its mission, values, and strategic plan. The newly adopted structure gives voice to all members on key matters and decision making through the establishment of a smaller, skills-based Board of Directors and a new Member Council.

The smaller Board aims to allow for more efficient management of business and avoid unlimited expansion in times of member growth. Additional changes to the Board include the establishment of a nominations committee and a rotational retirement structure to ensure the Board is refreshed regularly and by individuals who can significantly contribute to the vision and mission through their skills and experience.

The new Member Council, comprising the chief executives from each member organizations and the Secretary General of the Alliance, is charged with providing ongoing strategy and policy recommendations and advice to the ChildFund Alliance Board. A priority of the Member Council is overseeing development of the next Alliance strategic plan and providing leadership and vision for member growth and collaboration.

Planning Continues for a New Alliance Strategic Plan

Over the past nine months members of the Working Group on Strategy (WGS), chaired by CEOs Margaret Sheehan and Josie Pagani, continued to meet to shape the next Alliance strategic plan for fiscal years 2026-2030. An online survey and focus group sessions with member CEOs and program experts in mid- to late 2024 identified three thematic pillars that will drive the new plan—protecting children from all forms of violence; humanitarian action; and the impacts on children from climate change, with two cross-cutting core elements reflected throughout—child participation and locally led development. The new plan is intended to serve as a vehicle for joint advocacy and programming leading to greater collaboration; build upon and promote brand awareness; and offer a shared vision of where we are going. Most recently, members of the WGS are leading discussions with experts on the three pillars to gain input on the top long-term goal, strategic outcomes, and activities that can help ensure success. Next steps will include synthesizing the input from the pillar groups, and writing a preliminary draft that can be shared with the Member Council in April. A final draft, when ready, will be shared with the Board of Directors before they reconvene in June, with the goal of formally adopting the plan.

CMC Activities

In alignment with our existing strategic priority to Work Together as One, members of the CMC gathered in Berlin the week of October 18. The Director of Strategy & Engagement virtually joined the meeting, and together with CMC co-chair Corinne Habel, presented an overview of the Alliance’s brand guidelines, last adopted in February 2024. Other discussions focused on the World Index; policies and procedures for approving Alliance-wide materials for dissemination; and review of the CMC’s mandate and terms of reference. Secretary General Meg Gardinier provided a presentation on the second day of the gathering to highlight the work of the Joining Forces partnership and to seek participation by a member of the CMC on the Joining Forces Communications Working Group. In the lead up to the close of the meeting, it was agreed that co-chair Rob Doole from ChildFund International will step down as co-chair, a role he held for seven years. Michael Carmody from Children Believe now serves as co-chair with Corinne Habel from ChildFund Australia. Rob, who was thanked for his many years of service, remains on the CMC as a contributing committee member.

Humanitarian Action

ChildFund Alliance Humanitarian Response

2024 was a year of increasingly volatile humanitarian crises around the world that are affecting the lives of many of the children and their families in countries where the Alliance operates. This critical work, currently led by WeWorld and supported by members, is being done in Afghanistan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), Syria, and Ukraine. Since October 2023, Alliance members have contributed more than 2.2 million Euros for WeWorld response efforts in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Gaza, Syria, and the Ukraine. To learn more about the operations in these countries, kindly refer to the Alliance member’s only website for Situation Reports, Program Updates, Flash Appeals and Response Plans.

Climate Change and Humanitarian Action

Building on our longstanding engagement with the partners in the Children in a Changing Climate coalition and the Children’s Environmental Rights Initiative, we help to coordinate strong and strategic positioning on a COP Fit for Children. We do this by calling on stakeholders to take actions to ensure the safe, meaningful and active participation of children and young people in COP processes. During the 2029 COP, held in Baku in November, we partnered with UNICEF, Sendia Children and Youth Group, and the Sendai Stakeholders Engagement Mechanism to organize the side event: Together for Tomorrow: Children and Youth for DRR and Climate Action. The event promoted a child and youth-centered approach to Disaster Risk Reduction and climate action. It also provided a space for governments, child focused organizations, and children to reflect on COP28 achievements and challenges for achieving stated goals. Climate Advisor Velma Oseko from Barnfonden served as the ChildFund Alliance representative on the panel. Members on the Alliance’s Climate and Environment Working Group and our Director of Strategy & Engagement collaborated to produce a designed policy brief, A Call to Action for COP: Essential Decisions for Protecting Children’s Futures with important messages to share during COP29.  

Updates from Alliance Committees

Based on the decision from the last CEO meeting in Malmo in 2023, the Child Protection in Humanitarian Action and DRR Task Force was renamed to the Humanitarian Action Subcommittee, making the past Task Force a subcommittee of the Alliance Program Committee (APC). This change recognizes that humanitarian response is a specific program area of work within the broader APC’s mandate. Since the mandate revision, we have adopted several key actions as follows:

  1. Monthly Meetings: We continue to hold our regular monthly meetings, sharing updates on the current crises where members are responding and discussing key technical issues of the sector. These meetings have included country specific situations such as Gaza, oPt, Ukraine, the Sahel, and others. These meeting have provided a space to discuss initiatives that members are involved in, allowing time for coordinated support and information sharing on key humanitarian issues. It is also a place for planning and participating in activities on key networks such as VOICE, ACPHA, EWC and GADERRRES.
  2. Harmonizing HACU Templates: We have also been able to update the templates for reporting information on emergencies in the field, also known as the SITREP. This was necessary to facilitate the fast and accurate flow of information from our members during emergencies and to have a harmonized document to share relevant information. With the collective action of the subcommittee, and other committees within the Alliance, we have agreed on standardized templates for both internal and external reporting of information via HACU and to external partners such as OCHA and other United Nations entities respectively.
  3. Updating of the Program standards to include the Humanitarian Standards: The APC is in the process of updating the Alliance Program Standards, developed in 2017. The Humanitarian Action Subcommittee members are responsible for updating the document to include the recently updated Core Humanitarian Standards on Quality and Accountability and the Minimum Standard for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action. The subcommittee and the leadership of the Secretariat plan to host an internal webinar in 2025 for field-based staff on these standards as part of capacity strengthening of our staff and partners. 

Survey of the HACU Tool: The subcommittee is also currently conducting a survey to review information shared in the current HACU tools: Flash Updates, Response Plans and Situation Reports (SITREP). This survey aims to assess the information shared in these tools with members of the Alliance via the HACU mailing list. The overall objective of the review process is to evaluate the relevance, efficiency, and effectiveness of the information. The results of the survey will help us to adapt the tools to better serve the needs of the members.

News from our United Nations Representative

2024 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) Side-Event

ChildFund Alliance organized a climate themed side-event (see recording) on the margins of the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on 10 July to highlight the harmful impacts of the climate crisis on children. The session, The Intersectionality of Climate Insecurity and Violence against Children: How Young Leaders Are Taking Climate Action to Protect Themselves, was attended by approximately 100 guests and also live-streamed. Caritas Internationalis co-organized the event, with additional support from World Vision and Save the Children International. The Permanent Missions of Luxembourg and Malta to the UN, as well as the office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children (SRSG-VAC), co-sponsored the program. The event’s highlight was a child-led interactive roundtable with four young climate action leaders, including 17 year-old Sathana (Children Believe India) and 16 year-old Anastasia (ChildFund Indonesia). In recounting their efforts towards mitigating the harmful impacts of climate change on children’s safety and wellbeing, their participation illustrated the positive impact children and young people have when they are a part of the solution. Keeva Duffey, Sr. Advisor Climate Action at ChildFund International, provided a summary as well as recommendations for concrete actions to combat the climate crisis, based on Alliance members’ work. Secretary General Meg Gardinier moderated and gave closing remarks.

Summit of the Future (SOTF) and Summit of the Future Action Days

Leading up to the 2024 Summit of the Future (22-23 September), the “ImPACT Coalition on Child Rights and Child Participation” on 20 September hosted the side-event Implementing the Pact for the Future: For and With Children. The ImPACT Coalition includes ChildFund Alliance, Plan International, Save the Children International, SOS Children’s Villages, World Vision International, and an estimated 20 other child-rights outfits from across the world. The coalition was formed during the UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi in May 2024 as an advocacy group focused on ensuring the inclusion and participation of children in the Summit of the Future. The Permanent Missions of Portugal and the Dominican Republic to the UN co-sponsored the session, and featured speakers included Portugal’s Deputy Permanent Representative and the Dominican Republic’s Vice Minister of the Presidency. Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, the SRSG on Violence against Children delivered remarks and UNICEF, also a co-sponsor, was represented by Manuel Fontaine, Special Adviser to the Executive Director on Child Rights. The discussion underscored the critical need to ensure the outcomes of the Summit of the Future take into consideration the needs and rights of children.

Successful Year-Long Advocacy for Inclusion of Child-Sensitive Language in Summit of the Future’s Three Outcome Documents

The SOTF resulted in the adoption on 22 September of three outcome documents: Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact (annex), and the Declaration on Future Generations (annex). Since the release of each document’s “zero-draft” version in early 2024, which contained little to no mention of children, ChildFund Alliance and its child focused agency partners worked tirelessly with member states and UN agencies to write child-sensitive language into the documents. These collective efforts contributed to the successful inclusion of strong references to children’s rights and needs, as well as actionable steps on how to address them, in the final versions of all three documents. Though none are legally binding or enforceable, the inclusion of children is vital because the documents set the global agenda and outline priority actions for governments worldwide. Had children not been included, the result would have been the continued de-prioritization of their needs in the global arena, with severe and likely deadly consequences.

Engagement with the First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children

Organized by the Government of Colombia – with support from the Government of Sweden, UNICEF, WHO, and the office of the SRSG on Violence against Children – this conference took place in Bogotá on 7-8 November (main program) and 4-6 November (“satellite events” organized by CSOs). The Alliance Secretariat was involved in preparations of the conference in several ways:

  • Preparation of a ChildFund Alliance in-person delegation comprising two representatives from ChildFund Australia and two from ChildFund International;
  • Development of ChildFund Alliance advocacy collateral (web page, executive summary, brochure, social posts) on our EVAC priorities for dissemination at the conference, based on input from Alliance members;
  • Collaboration with ChildFund Sierra Leone led to the selection of Morison (age 16) as 1 of 12 participants in the conference’s official “Child Delegation” activities and sessions (fully funded for child and chaperone);
  • Co-organization of a satellite event with WHO and Save the Children on “Ending Corporal Punishment of Children: The March of Progress”, held on 6 November;
  • Close collaboration and joint advocacy with the CSO Forum on EVAC since the beginning of the year made possible the participation of civil society, which the organizers had initially not envisaged;
  • Development (with the CSO Forum) of various resources for NGO engagement (guidance notes for children’s participation, how to get involved in National Preparatory Sessions at the country level, templates for sharing children’s insights, etc.);

In a welcome and significant step forward, eight countries on 7 November made new pledges to ban corporal punishment, the most common form of violence against children. Overall, more than 100 countries have made pledges related to EVAC. Advocates are calling this a fundamental shift for more than 100 million children and young people under the age of 18.

Numerous Statements before Leaders of UN Agencies and Member States at High-Level Meetings

The UN Representative was the penholder for a number of statements ChildFund Alliance delivered at the UN, in a continuous effort to advocate for children’s rights and participation, and based on the work and priorities of Alliance members. These included:

  • Opening remarks and moderation of a session titled Empowering Women and Children for Global Progress at the second annual Global Climate Innovation Coalition (GCIC) Summit at the UN (September);
  • A statement in July before the Group of Friends of Children and the SDGs (GoF), a 71-member-state advocacy group committed to mobilizing and coordinating support for children’s rights and protection within key intergovernmental processes. The UN Representative seized this important opportunity to position the climate crisis at the heart of children’s wellbeing and as a rights issue – in line with the Alliance’s forthcoming Strategic Plan 2026-30 – in front of numerous permanent representatives and the UNICEF leadership.
  • A statement before the president and collective leadership of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), as well as numerous ministers and ambassadors from member states. It focused on the importance of including children meaningfully in policy-making decisions that affect them, in line with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Speaking in the presence of such a high-level crowd of UN and member state leaders constituted a unique opportunity for organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC, such as the Alliance, to make a valuable contribution to issues of critical concern to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (e.g., child rights).
  • Statements at two UNICEF Executive Board meetings. The June statement urged the need for improved resources for Education in Emergencies (EiE), citing life-saving interventions by Alliance members. The September statement emphasized the climate crisis’ multiple threats to children, and also outlined four concrete recommendations on how to effectively address climate crisis concerns raised by children and young people around the world, based on Alliance members’ work.

News from our Europe Office

Advancing Children’s Rights in the New EU Political Agenda

As the European Union embarked on a new five-year political cycle in 2024—with the European Parliament elections in June and the renewal of the European Commission in November—the ChildFund Alliance Europe Office has been actively engaged in a series of initiatives to raise awareness among new EU leaders about the centrality of children’s rights in the EU’s political agenda and budgeting priorities for 2024-2029.

This upcoming EU mandate is of critical importance, as the clock is ticking to achieve the goals set in the 2030 Agenda. As the world’s largest development and humanitarian donor and a key global political actor, the EU plays a central role in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing children’s rights worldwide.

In collaboration with our partners in the Child Rights Action Group (CRAG), we have participated in the Vote for Children campaign surrounding the European Parliament elections, worked on re-establishing the European Parliament Intergroup on Children’s Rights, and contributed to the European Parliament hearings for new Commissioners.

The re-establishment of the European Parliament Intergroup on Children’s Rights in December 2024 represents a significant advocacy achievement. It is the first formal body within the European Parliament dedicated to mainstreaming children’s rights and assessing the impact of both legislative and non-legislative work on children. This Intergroup is crucial as it serves as a vital platform for ensuring that children’s voices are heard in legislative processes, advocating for policies that protect their rights—particularly in areas like education, safety, and climate action.

Looking ahead, the months to come will be key for setting the political agenda, presenting a major opportunity for the Joining Forces partnership to advocate for placing girls and boys at the center of EU priorities. With a pressing need for increased investment in children, JF CEOs met online for a series of discussions in early February to discuss the presence and influence of the JF partnership at the EU level, what can be achieved collaboratively, and bring the urgent need for greater investment in children to the attention of the world’s largest donor. They also discussed the impact of the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement, and the funding implications of the USG’s Executive Order on UNESCO, UNRWA, and UNHRC announced on 4 February, 2025. The EO details the US withdrawing from and ending funding to certain UN organizations and reviewing US support to all international organizations.

Sheria ya Vijana!: Empower, Engage, and Connect young people to lead the twin green and digital transition in Kenya

Sheria ya Vijana! is the latest ChildFund Alliance multi-member collaboration project, selected for funding by the European Union in late 2024. It is designed to empower youth to engage in political dialogue and access opportunities in the green and digital economy. Sheria ya Vijana! will capitalize on the enormous untapped opportunitiesthe green and digital transition bring for youth leadership in climate action and youth equal participation in technological advancements. The initiative will be led by Barnfonden, in partnership with WeWorld and four local organizations as co-implementers. ChildFund International will support the initiative via its office in Kenya. ChildFund Alliance Europe Office actively participated in the designing phase of this project and celebrates the project, as it will strengthen ChildFund’s collaborative efforts on climate action and foster new innovations and insights. The initiative will partner with UNESCO and others to enhance Kenya’s Technical and Vocational Education curriculum, preparing youth for green and climate-friendly jobs. It will also explore the use of AI-powered tools for capacity building, awareness-raising, and youth-led advocacy. And much more!

Sheria ya Vijana! will kick off in April 2025 and run for 36 months.

ChildFund Alliance at the COP29 (11 – 24 November 2024)

The ChildFund Alliance team consisting of country teams and two youth champions from Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone and the Europe Office’s Program and Partnership Development Advisor, engaged actively in the UNFCCC Climate Conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan.  The team participated in networking and advocacy events and presented in four different side-events, showcasing the work of the Alliance in raising the voices of children and youth on the climate crisis. Important connections were made with several youth networks and civil society climate actors from across the world and with several initiatives supporting youth changemakers, negotiators etc. These offer rich opportunities for engagement for the Alliance and its members, particularly with regards to supporting the meaningful participation of youth and children in strategic climate-related policymaking and decision-making processes. The COP Call to Action produced by the Alliance Climate and Environment Working Group can be found at this link: COP Call to Action.

A similar opportunity for the Alliance to influence donor policy and practice on climate and environmental action has been secured through the Europe Office’s participation in the VOICE Resilience and Nexus Working Group’s sub-group on Climate Action’s consultations with DG ECHO on anticipatory action in humanitarian action. This has helped to provide crucial civil society input to ECHO’s evolving policies, tools and funding for anticipatory action.

Leadership Changes

At the conclusion of the meeting of the CEOs and ChildFund Alliance Board of Directors in November 2024, Alliance leadership bid an emotional and heartfelt farewell to several of the Alliance’s highly dedicated and respected Board members. The outgoing chair, Simon Whyte, who served as chair since 2019, kicked off the evening at the UN Church Center by saying what a privilege and honor it had been to serve on ChildFund Alliance’s Board of Directors. He said his years with ChildFund had been deeply impactful and that he was grateful to have had the opportunity to contribute to making a meaningful difference in the lives of children.

Simon also thanked his departing colleagues, praising them for their commitment and dedication to their respective organizations and the Alliance network. He thanked David Shortland from ChildFund Australia, saying his expertise and hard work was critical to the success of the new governance structure. He also expressed gratitude to other departing Board members including Hans-Juergen Foerster of ChildFund Deutschland, Helen Thompson and Isam Ghanim of ChildFund International USA, Alain Gibert of Un Enfant par la Main, and Youngkey Huang of ChildFund Korea. Chairman Whyte thanked them for leaving the Alliance stronger and better positioned to advocate for children’s rights and safety, especially during times of escalating crises.

In turn, others thanked Simon for his wise and steady leadership during his tenure. Several spoke to Simon’s perseverance and steady guidance during the Together 2030 project, with then incoming Board Chair Tamar Manuelyan Atinc noting that Simon set a high bar for all those who follow in his footsteps. At the conclusion of remarks, Secretary General Meg Gardinier presented the outgoing board members with parting mementos as a thank you for their years of service with ChildFund Alliance.

Tamar Manuelyan Atinc assumed the position of chair in January, overseeing the new eight-person Board of Directors. She is also vice-chair of the ChildFund International Board of Directors, offering over 30 years of experience in development policies and programs. She is currently a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, having previously served at the World Bank advancing policy and programs in Europe and Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, and Africa. Also serving on the new skills-based Board of Directors are Marco Chiesara of WeWorld; Misako Fukushima of ChildFund Japan; Sonia Ruiz Mas with Educo; Yasemin Arhan Modéer of Barnfonden; Aklilu Mulat with Children Believe; Martin McCann of ChildFund International; and Michael Pain with ChildFund Australia.