Joint statement at the UNICEF Executive Board: UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026–2029

- check against delivery - 

Mr/Madam President
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union as a donor, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and my country Sweden.

Let me start by expressing our appreciation to UNICEF for the transparent and inclusive consultations undertaken to the development of this Strategic Plan. 

We welcome the Strategic Plan’s strong normative and human rights-based approach, with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, gender equality and non-discrimination as key guiding principles. At a time of increasing challenges to children’s rights, it is of great importance that the Plan explicitly positions UNICEF as an advocate for these rights.  The emphasis on reaching every child, with a priority to the children most in need, including children from marginalised populations, children facing climate risks, and children with disabilities, is manifest through-out the Plan, and should follow through to guide its implementation.

We note with appreciation the linkage made in the final draft between the Strategic Plan and the Gender Equality Action Plan 2026-2029. This underscores that gender equality and the empowerment of girls and women remain at the heart of UNICEF’s programming and institutional systems.

We support the approach to achieving increased scale and impact through evidence-based solutions. Focusing on a limited number of measurable high-level results, integrated responses across sectors, and systems strengthening in programme countries, will contribute to accelerating progress for children. Strengthening joint programming with other UN agencies at country level must be a clear priority. 

We appreciate that the references to UNICEF’s humanitarian work have been strengthened. The emphasis on humanitarian principles, protection and localisation, as well as on reinforcing coordination across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus, is important. We welcome the clear reference to Security Council Resolution 1612 and UNICEF’s central role in monitoring, reporting and responding to grave violations against children in armed conflicts. 

Expanding the engagement with the private sector should be vigorously pursued. While acknowledging that there is already an extensive and beneficial partnership with the private sector, there is potential for further stepping up such partnerships – in terms of financing, advocacy and, not least, the development of innovative solutions for children.

We are all aware that the Strategic Plan is presented at a time when UNICEF and the UN development system as a whole face unprecedented challenges.  

The resources available to UNICEF – core and non-core – are predicted to be significantly less than earlier projected. Successful implementation will therefore, more than ever, depend on the ability to set and maintain firm priorities, to find ways of increasing cost efficiency and effectiveness, and to secure new and diversified sources of funding. It will be crucial to safeguard independent oversight and accountability mechanisms.

There is no alternative to delivering ambitious reform for a leaner and more efficient UN through the ongoing UNDS reforms and the UN80 initiative, including the humanitarian reset. The UN system and the Member States have a joint responsibility for achieving this, and we encourage UNICEF to play its full part. 

We will continue to support UNICEF as we embark on the next strategic plan period. Despite the challenging context, the Strategic Plan provides a strong basis for UNICEF’s efforts to advance the realization of children’s rights and the Sustainable Development Goals over the next four years, and we call for its endorsement.

Thank you