Save the Children calls on leaders at the G20 summit to drive progress for children

The below is an open letter addressed to G20 leaders to do everything in their power to drive progress for children. Read save the Children's manifesto here.

Save the Children recommendations for the G20 Leaders’ Summit

G20 Leaders,

The Covid-19 pandemic has unleashed an economic and social crisis with devastating impacts on children across the world, particularly for those most impacted by inequality and discrimination, and can last for generations to come. Save the Children welcomes the efforts made by governments to address this both domestically, in low- and middle-income countries and in countries of crisis, like Afghanistan that was covered by the extraordinary meeting on the 12th of October. However, with the crisis for children deepening by the day, compounded by the climate crisis, we are writing to ask G20 Leaders to make bold commitments to ensure that current and future generations of children see their fundamental rights fulfilled.   

Action is needed now more than ever. More people are losing their lives due to malnutrition and hunger than Covid-19 itself, routine healthcare remains disrupted, and millions of children are at risk of never returning to school, vulnerable to violence and child labour as a result. More girls are out of school with increased risks of child marriage and pregnancies.

It is imperative that the G20 and its partners take urgent action and make concrete commitments to secure:

• Resources to support low- and middle-income countries in responding to and recovering from the crisis prioritizing children.
• Strengthened health and nutrition systems worldwide and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines and pandemic preparedness plans.
• More resilient education systems able to ensure all children can return to school safely and get their learning and wellbeing back on track; and to secure that children facing discrimination and who were out of school before the pandemic can access safe learning opportunities
• Children rights and demands are at the centre of climate actions and policies. 

Moreover, we ask governments to provide legally mandated spaces for civil society organisations and communities, including children, to engage in all levels of governance.

We are determined that 2021 can be the turning point in building a fairer, healthier and greener world for the current and future generations and especially for the children most impacted by inequality and discrimination.

We ask you to do everything in your power to drive progress for children with and through the G20 and we hope our recommendations can be embedded into the G20 Final communiqué.