During the 2024 winter session, the Swiss Parliament cut its development aid budget for 2025 to the tune of 110 million francs. Some of these cuts will hurt society’s weakest members: the children.
The budget adjustments in development aid will be mainly from cuts in contributions to multilateral organizations. These cuts will also affect UNICEF. Starting in 2025, core contributions to the United Nations Children’s Fund will be cut by 25%. In addition, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is discontinuing its focus on basic education in bilateral aid programs. In multilateral aid, the SDC will also be cutting over seven million francs in contributions to the Global Partnership for Education.
These budget cuts will have far-reaching consequences – because the fate of the world’s children has never been so precarious. One in six children live in conflict zones ranging from Ukraine to the Middle East and Sudan. One billion children live in countries that are experiencing the effects of climate change.
The most vulnerable children will be hit the hardest by cuts to international aid budgets. Global progress in public health is in jeopardy – with the possibility of rises in preventable diseases and infant mortality. Cuts to basic education also mean fewer funds for long-term support for schools and teacher training, resulting in negative impacts on education levels as well as on economic development in countries that are already struggling.
In this context, the withdrawal from multilateral aid must be seen as especially critical. In this time of unilateral action and polarization, the world needs independent, non-partisan organizations that can operate across divisions to advance sustainable development goals.
Investment in children has proven to be especially effective. Since 1990, UNICEF has helped save the lives of almost 100 million newborn infants all over the world. Since 2000, the number of chronically undernourished children under five has fallen from 200 million to 148 million. Another success is the near universalization of primary education. In the 1950’s, about half of the world’s primary school–aged children had no access to education; today, almost nine out of ten children go to school.
We shape the future – and that future depends critically on the children of this world. A better life is possible for everyone in a world where every child can grow up healthy and safe. That’s why we’re there to help – before, during and after emergencies. And that’s why we fight for the rights of children every day. We never give up.
