This World Children’s Day, children’s lives are at a crossroads. As UNICEF’s signature State of the World's Children 2024 report reveals, children are facing a future of continued, rapid change influenced by disruptive technology, major demographic shifts, and climate disasters. Right now, the lives and rights of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance, as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection children deserve.

A better future for all children is possible. As we head into the 119th Congress, we urge GCE member organizations and allies to join us in prioritizing the well-being of children — both at home and around the globe — by promoting policymaking to shape the future. Addressing child poverty, investing in child protection, advancing peace and human rights through international partnership, and ensuring young people are included in decision-making processes – these are the issues our elected officials should be prioritizing for children all around the world.

The State of the World’s Children 2024 underscores how world leaders, including policymakers, need to prepare for demographic transitions by investing in early childhood, primary and secondary education; job creation for youth; and ensuring social protection systems, including paid parental leave and universal child benefits.

UNICEF USA is supporting this message through its advocacy on the READ Act Reauthorization, mobilizing supporters to support this bipartisan bill which would continue U.S. efforts to expand equitable access to quality education for children in foreign assistance. The READ Act ensures the U.S. government will continue to update and report on its strategy to improve foundational literacy and numeracy in basic education around the globe.

This World Children’s Day, a global day of action for children, by children, UNICEF USA is bringing Congress together alongside youth leaders, UNICEF experts, and committed advocates to highlight UNICEF’s programmatic achievements and present awards to bipartisan members of Congress who have shown a deep commitment to children through their policy efforts.

This is only the kickoff of a campaign to demonstrate to policymakers that the biggest challenges of our time have the potential to be the greatest legacies of the people who solve them. UNICEF USA, a strictly nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, through its support by individual constituents, corporate partners, faith-based and other non-governmental organizations, and high school and college students, invites everyone to take part to ensure children and youth will survive and thrive this day and long into the future.