Making Children & Young People Globally a Top Priority

Children shape our future.  And yet, children and youth often are an afterthought in the development, decisions, and implementation of critical policy, programming and funding.  At a time of great global crises due to COVID, conflicts, and climate and intensified hardships for children and youth around the world, the impact of insufficient action now will be consequential for all of us.  Not only is an entire generation of children and youth at high risk of harm to their physical, psychological, and social well-being are severe, but the consequences of such a loss of human potential threatens  the economies, health, and security of societies and nations worldwide. 

​An investment now can make an enormous difference. This is a crucial moment for government leadership that inspires a global response.  

What does a top priority look like in the U.S. government?  Drawing on lessons from other whole-of-government priorities, there are specific features that enable an issue to be a top priority within the U.S. Government. 

White House leadership: Presidential leadership is critical to signal across agencies that the topic is important. This can take several forms, including a Presidential statement at a public event announcing a hallmark initiative along with an Executive Order providing instructions for coordinated whole-of-government action across US agencies including a Cross Agency Priority for agency budgets.   

Leading U.S. official: There needs to be a senior-level U.S. government official who reports to the President, Vice President, or Cabinet member and who serves as a central point of contact with authority across agencies.  This official should have sign-off authority on a whole-of-government strategy, cross agency coordination, and government-wide resource allocation.
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Inter-Agency Process: An inter-agency task force that convenes Cabinet- or senior- level decision-makes across agencies is necessary to facilitate agency participation, coordinate government wide action, and measure progress and accountability. Having the White House convene and lead U.S. official chair the meetings will provide heft and facilitate action.

U.S. Strategy: A government-wide strategy is needed to coordinate action and measure progress. The plan needs to prompt intentional review - for example through a Child and Youth Impact Statement - that systematically requires consideration of the consequences of policy, programming and funding on children and youth globally.  The plan should also provide reporting instructions on budget allocations and other actions to incentivize, institutionalize and elevate an intentional lens and approach across relevant agencies.

Funding. Resource allocation is critical to enable priority attention and action.  This can take many forms but should include a White House announcement that commits new funds and leverages existing funding, and that instructs agencies - through a Cross Agency Priority - to integrate  funding allocations for children and youth into their budget plans and reporting. The President’s annual budget request to Congress needs to include robust funding recommendations for this priority.  

Crucial Partners

Congressional champions across political parties who enable policy and funding authorization, provide oversight and accountability, increase public attention, and offer additional leadership.
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Civil society and philanthropic partners who provide expertise, facilitate partnerships, mobilize and access key networks, and promote accountability.
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Direct, inclusive participation by affected communities, including youth and frequently marginalized populations, to provide expertise based on their lived experience.

Advocacy Community's Recommendations

Letter to the United States President, view here
Letter with funding requests for the US Congress, view here
Summary of a Cross Agency Priority, view here 
​Summary of a Children's Impact Statement, view here