When the United Nations was founded 80 years ago, it was built on a bold vision: that nations could unite in peace and solidarity to tackle the world’s greatest challenges.
Today, that vision is under threat. The world is facing more wars, more disasters, and shrinking aid budgets.
In response, the UN is preparing for its most ambitious reform in decades. UN80 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape how the UN contributes to global peace, equity, and prosperity.
For children, the stakes could not be higher.
2025 has been one of the hardest years in recent memory for children. Wars have torn families apart. Climate disasters have destroyed entire communities. Hunger and disease have stolen childhoods.
And just when children need help the most, some of the world’s wealthiest nations have cut their aid budgets. This means millions more children going without food, medicine, education and protection.
The collapse in nutrition funding alone is predicted to cut off treatment for more than 2.3 million severely malnourished children, putting 369,000 young lives at risk of preventable death.
I never imagined we’d be faced to make such impossible decisions at Save the Children. Do we shut down programmes that treat severely malnourished children, or those that protect babies born into warzones? These are decisions no organisation should ever have to make.
If UN reforms further weaken vital health, education, and protection services, 2026 could be even deadlier for children. We will not accept that.
What children need from UN80:
UN80 isn’t just about bureaucracy. It’s about choosing cooperation over division, and solidarity over indifference. It’s about creating a UN that emerges stronger, more inclusive, and more accountable.
At Save the Children, we know what’s possible when the world comes together. Since 2000, the global under-five mortality rate has fallen by over half, reflecting decades of investment and collaboration. But now, progress is stalling, and child mortality rates are predicted to rise for the first time in 25 years, driven by conflict, climate change and funding cuts.
This is not the time to turn our backs on children. We’re calling for UN reforms that put children at the centre.
Five Principles for a Child-Centred UN Reform:
- Put children first.
Cuts may be inevitable; harm to children is not. Children’s rights and safety must guide every decision, and children themselves must have a real voice in shaping their futures. - Include civil society.
Civil society brings expertise and legitimacy. They must have a seat at the table in every reform cluster. - Shift power and resources locally.
Too often, funding bypasses the organisations closest to children. Reforms must deliver more funding and decision-making directly to local organisations. - Protect children in conflict.
UN roles like the Special Representative on Children & Armed Conflict, and the staff who monitor violations, must be shielded from cuts. - Build an effective UN.
Streamline mandates, cut duplication, and strengthen governance so that decisions are fair, accountable, and always protect children.
If we get these reforms right, millions more children will survive, learn, and grow up safe. If we get it wrong, we risk losing a generation to war, hunger, and crisis.
In a world devasted by multiple crises, hope can sometimes feel out of reach. But I still believe in the UN’s founding vision - that peace is possible, and tomorrow can be better than today.
