Despite important efforts globally to meet sustainable development goal targets and contribute to realising children’s Rights, progress has stalled, been reversed or is simply insufficient.

Now, at the mid-point to 2030, most countries are faced with compounding constraints, including the unequal recovery from COVID-19 pandemic, conflict, displacement, the rise of the cost of living and dire climate crises.  Identifying critical strategies proven to accelerate progress and prioritising these in domestic and international financing decisions, is therefore imperative.

This project identifies and unpacks challenges and constraints to accelerating progress in achieving the child-focused sustainable development goals. It draws key findings and recommendations from two desk reviews of recent data and global literature, as well as interviews with UNICEF Headquarter Divisions, Regional Offices, and input from country offices by region, and  national governments  across regions to incorporate children’s perspectives.

Trends are analysed through an economic, social, environmental, and political-economy lens, including how these affect specific decisions and investments in children.

The study seeks to articulate actionable, cost-effective, and evidence-based solutions that will optimise children’s outcomes, in support of UNICEF, in order to offer evidence to Member States and contribute to shaping critical positioning around the upcoming UN Summit of the Future in 2024, and the second World Summit for Social Development in 2025. The project runs from March to November 2024.