On Monday, 23 September, the Learning for Well-being Institute joined UNICEF’s high-level event, “Proven Solutions for Children: Accelerating Progress towards the SDGs and Beyond,” during UN General Assembly week in New York.
At the heart of the gathering was the launch of the Proven Solutions for Children policy brief—a joint initiative between UNICEF and the Learning for Well-being Institute. The brief outlines evidence-based, cost-effective policy solutions that can measurably improve children’s outcomes around the world. While the full report will be published later this year, the discussions centred on scalable actions that governments can take immediately.
Why Proven Solutions for Children Matter
The policy brief identifies a targeted set of proven solutions for children that address multiple aspects of well-being. These include:
- Child benefits that reduce poverty while fostering long-term economic stability for families
- Immunisation coverage scaled to reach 90% by 2030, with the potential to save millions of lives
- Early childhood development, particularly nutrition and care in the first 1,000 days of life
- Investment in quality secondary education for girls, advancing both gender equity and economic progress
These interventions are not only effective—they are transformative, with ripple effects that benefit entire communities, societies, and economies.
Urgent Voices, Clear Messages
Throughout the event, leaders and advocates emphasised the urgency of government action:
- Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro highlighted the success of the U.S. Child Tax Credit in lifting 5.6 million children out of poverty, urging its reinstatement.
- Sidsel Marie Kristensen, CEO of the LEGO Foundation, stressed that 80% of brain development occurs early, calling for early and coordinated investment in children’s holistic well-being.
- Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Laureate, made a powerful call for girls’ education, declaring: “In some countries, girls are still denied this basic right. I advocate for education—including higher education—as part of integral learning.”
- Tamilore Omojola, Malala Fund Girls’ Vision Co-Lead, added: “We still live in a world where girls are denied education because of their gender. The solutions must come from girls—they see themselves as changemakers.”
A Call to Accelerate Action for 2030
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell opened the event with a direct message:
“We must do better for children, and we can—we’ve done it before.”
She emphasised the need to scale investments in immunisation, social protection, and education to build resilient systems and safeguard the futures of all children.
As the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline draws near, the message from this event was clear: the challenges are great, but the solutions are proven. The moment for bold policy action is now.
