(5th plenary meeting) UNICEF Executive Board, 2025 Annual Session

Colleagues, good morning.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I repeat myself, good morning. I'm happy to be chairing at least a part of the meeting this morning. Before we begin the plenary discussion, I will share a brief procedural note that you are all well aware of. Delegations are kindly reminded that their statements should remain within the agreed time limits: 3 minutes for individual delegations speaking in their national capacity, and 5 minutes for delegations speaking on behalf of United Nations regional groups or for joint statements of 2 or more member states. Microphones will start blinking to alert speakers 1 minute before the end of their allotted time, and speakers will be muted within 1 minute after their time has ended. Distinguished delegates, we will now turn to item 4 of the agenda, the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026 to 2029 draft for review, which is contained in document E/ICEF/2025/15. It is accompanied by the draft results framework of the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026 to 2029, which is document E/ICEF/2025/15/Addendum 1. Both documents are being presented to the Board for discussion. A draft— a final draft of the Strategic Plan will then be presented to the Board for its consideration in September, in its 2nd regular session of 2025. With this, I would now like to invite Mr. Omar Abdi, Deputy Executive Director, Programs, to introduce the report. He will be followed by Ms. Vijaya Ganesh, Director, Division of Data Analytics, Planning and Monitoring, who will then present the report. With this, I would like to hand over to Mr. Abdi.

Thank you, Mr.

President, distinguished delegates, I'm pleased to introduce our strategy—

our draft Strategic Plan for the years 2026 to 2029 for your review and feedback.

The Plan is grounded in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and aligned with global frameworks, including the SDGs and the QCPR. It was developed using a robust evidence base, including the evaluation of the current Strategic Plan and cumulative insights from previous planning cycles. The new Plan, UNICEF will undertake 3 strategic shifts. First, the Organization will sharpen its focus through the prioritization of 5 impact results. Second, a new orientation towards scale and impact marks a transition from an emphasis on delivering project outputs to child outcomes and impact at scale.

Third, UNICEF will aim at differentiating its programmatic offer and strategies for acceleration across different contexts.

The Strategic Plan emphasizes national ownership, inclusive engagement, and measurable results. It elevates the importance of private and public partnerships, to leverage resources for children. Finally, I would like to express our gratitude to all Member States for the valuable engagement and contributions throughout the development of UNICEF's Strategic Plan.

Mr.

President, with your permission, I'll ask Vidhya now to present further details of the Plan.

Thank you, Chair and Mr. President, and thank you and good morning. Lovely to be back here again, and let me just also add our own appreciation to all of you, along with Omar, and to almost every country that we work in, who have all— the consultation process has been deep, far, and wide, and also with the adolescents and children. And I hope that the process that we are— that we have had so far has also— has tremendously benefited from all your inputs, dear, as well. So, let me quickly just recap what I hope is already a fairly familiar framing. and when we move towards finalization. So, needless to say, the context for the children today is pretty tough, right? We have gone through a lot of statistics in the past meetings, so I will not go through them now, but the SDGs for children, while there is a huge amount of progress, which I expressed on Tuesday, we want to— we are at a situation where we both want to make sure that the gains don't regress, and we are onto an acceleration path for scale and impact, which is very different from where we came from. There is, of course, the challenges that we have to work with and around and prevent and address, is the persisting emerging crisis of conflicts, climate, environmental hazards, especially when they all conflate at the same place geographically or around vulnerability. the process of then addressing the vulnerability becomes even more complicated. The demographic shifts that we all know is happening in 2 directions. There is growth in some regions and decline, and the growth is happening in Africa and Asia, and it's both an opportunity, but it also puts a lot of stress on existing service deliveries, which then also have to come up with new models and approaches to handle that growth. The intensifying debt crisis and the overall financial— unstable financial environment is making very— it's making it harder for the governments to make the choices in favour of the investment of the children, even if they very much believe that that is the right thing to do. So, here is the overall framing, which I hope is now reasonably understandable and clear and supports the overall narrative, both for— and like Omar just mentioned, this is firmly embedded in the child rights framework and with all of the important principles that guided gender equality, inclusion, gender humanitarian principles, and so on. I'll just be very brief— briefly walk you through. I don't know what's going on with the slides. Okay, great. So the idea is to collect for UNICEF to— it envisions its impact level change over the course of next years. Contributing to government-led national partners and led by national partners to scale up and accelerate child-related SDD targets. And these are presented— shall I just pause for 30 seconds? I don't know what's going on. I'm out of sync with the slides. It's okay now? All right. Sorry about that. So, the impacts I'll come to. So, we are very much— the impact-oriented plan is designed to really catalyze systemic change to achieve sustainable results, and these are aligned to national priorities and the targets that have been derived based on the data from the countries, and it builds on an intersectional approach supported by 6 strategies, the 4 enablers, and the 3 accelerators. So, if you read this slide from left to right, from the impact to where we want to reach, and then we move towards the middle column, these are the accelerators, the adolescent girls, the focus on the community frontline systems, the innovative digital innovations that help accelerate, combined with the 6 strategies and the 4 enablers. So, where UNICEF is putting the big emphasis on is really a different programming approach, different programmatic offers, both in terms of higher quality and more demand-led, focused technical support for policy and programmatic evidence bits. Scale, and the service delivery options where we are performing those roles, it's much more embedded in how the national authority systems can be scaled up, really embedding the use of and harnessing the evidences at the heart of it, and coordinated and harmonized among the humanitarian action, development, and peace. So these are 6 strategies that, of course, need to be enabled. By a strong mobilization of resources, especially given the situation that we are in, and build a skilled workforce. Governance is assured, and we have been able to ensure the systemic and programmatic efficiencies. So, this is really at the heart of the strategic plan, which you've already heard. We want to focus on a whole of organization priorities and a few results. Towards scale and impact to reaching whole population of different— of children, which is differentiated in terms of its programmatic offer and it is centered on equity. This is the overall results framework, the 5 impact results supported by 20 sub-level results and supported by the strategies and enablers. And these are the outcome and impact and outcome indicators that will help us frame the— and monitor the results and it's explained in the results framework. Finally, UNICEF's comparative advantage and complementarity within the United Nations system is more important than ever before to be able to achieve the scale and impact and ensure that our strong normative mandate is at the heart of it, protecting and promoting the rights of the children, and the— our extensive national and subnational presence, a whole-of-child multisectoral approach. Our supply function is extremely critical at the heart of it. And as is the generation use of evidence and the strong interagency collaboration that we continue to strengthen. And it's at the— and it's critical for both at the national— at the global and at the country level. So, that's a very, very quick summary and run-through of our proposed strategic plan. The draft is with you, as is the results framework. And we really look forward to your guidance and support and happy to further strengthen based on your questions and clarifications requested. Thank you so much.

I thank Ms. Kanesh and Mr. Abdi for their remarks, and I would now open the floor for discussion. I would like to give the floor to the distinguished permanent— no, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden, who would be followed by the United Kingdom and the Dominican Republic. Sweden, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President, Madam Executive Director, and the whole UNICEF team. Thank you for your presentations. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and my own country, Sweden. We welcome the opportunity to discuss the draft and wish to express our thanks for the transparent consultations in this process. On the whole, we are satisfied with the draft Strategic Plan, but would like some aspects strengthened. First, we welcome the rights-based approach, which clearly frames UNICEF's mandate in relation to the implementation of international human rights. It is fundamental that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child guides UNICEF's work at all levels. The draft rightly places gender equality in the heart of everything UNICEF does. However, gender equality could be more clearly articulated in each of the impact areas. We support the concept of adolescent girls as an accelerator, but would like to see gender equality be explicitly referenced in this context. We also underline the need for clearer references to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Second, We support the strategic approach set out. A sharpened focus on a high— on a few high-impact results, emphasis on scale and systems strengthening, and greater differentiation of UNICEF's work in low-, middle-, and high-income countries are sound strategic priorities. We suggest that differentiation should be applied also to reporting, providing results by country income level, As well. The plan rightly underlines program country governments' responsibility for development results. We also welcome the affirmation of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus and the strengthening of integrated programming. In terms of priorities, we would like to see a clear statement of intent on focusing resources on the most vulnerable children. It is essential that UNICEF provides information on the resources needed to achieve the Plan's objectives. We appreciate that cost efficiency, as well as diversification of funding sources, are included among the enablers of the Strategic Plan. Third, the draft rightly sets out partnership with a range of stakeholders, including the private sector, as vital to advance children's rights. We also support the emphasis on innovation and use of new technologies as an accelerator in delivering, delivering results at scale. The private sector is a crucial partner, not only as a source of additional funding, but also in terms of advocacy for children's rights and as co-creator in developing innovative solutions for children. Fourth, the Strategic Plan should be more precise in describing UNICEF's humanitarian work. We need to see a continued commitment to protecting— or protection of children in armed conflict, including on the monitoring and reporting mechanism on grave violations for children, recalling Security Council Resolution 1612. The Strategic Plan should be aligned with the Humanitarian Reset, and the results framework must show results of humanitarian operations, especially as these currently account for more than 60% of the organization's expenses. Finally, we welcome UNICEF's expressed commitment to UN development system reform. Full implementation of ongoing UN reform and active engagement in the UNAID initiative is imperative. We recall the importance of every UN organization focusing on the core priorities linked to its mandate. The UN, including UNICEF, should reinforce focus on results at country level, with stronger national ownership of development objectives and a slimmer, context-based and more adaptable presence. Further strengthening the Resident Coordinator System is key to continue building on the progress already achieved. Reform initiatives must reinforce efficiency, reducing administrative costs while safeguarding effective impact. This perspective on reform must remain top of our mind as the work on the Strategic Plan is finalized. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden, and I give the floor to the distinguished delegate of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Mr. President. I deliver this statement on behalf of Finland, Australia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Belgium, New Zealand, Spain, Japan, and my own country, the United Kingdom. As the UN celebrates 80 years and embarks on a process of reform, and revitalization, we have a unique opportunity to modernize the UN, making it more relevant, focused, agile, and impactful. As Member States, it is in our common interest to shape a UN that delivers real value and transformative change where it's needed most, with a UN development system that promotes the respective comparative advantage of its agencies, strengthens coordination through the Resident Coordinator System, and above all delivers for those most in need. Bold reforms which build on existing mandates are necessary to strengthen the multilateral system. In this context, and given UNICEF's investment— involvement in both the humanitarian and development working groups for UNAID, we would welcome an update on how the discussions are progressing. As UNICEF looks towards 2030, marking the final push to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the discussions on the new Strategic Plan and offer the following comments. Firstly, we acknowledge and commend UNICEF for its more streamlined and context-sensitive approach in the draft Strategic Plan. The identification of 5 key impact results that shift from broad systemic ambitions to measurable impact results accelerators such as adolescent girls, digital innovation, and community systems is a significant step forward. The new strategic plan should be firmly grounded in the 2030 Agenda, the Pact for the Future, the QCPR, and lessons learned. We welcome the candid and strategic response to global funding challenges and encourage UNICEF to remain adaptable and resilient in the face of an uncertain funding landscape. We also appreciate the deeper integration of QCPR guidance in the new plan. We welcome the strategic plan aligning UNICEF's results framework with QCPR priorities and shared UN indicators, reaffirming commitment to the Resident Coordinator System and integrating gender equality across all programming. This demonstrates UNICEF's commitment to a comprehensive and collaborative approach within the UN system. We welcome the emphasis on mainstreaming disability rights, including its integration across all programming. We strongly support the continued focus on children with disabilities and encourage its ongoing inclusion as the strategy is developed, implemented, and evaluated. We are concerned about the reduced reference to intersectionality, anti-racism, and sexual reproductive health and rights. Additionally, we caution against the weakening of language surrounding protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. In particular, the absence of reference to survivor-centered approaches is concerning. We note with concern the reduced visibility on gender equality and and that gender transformative programming is no longer defined— is no longer defined— is no longer a defined change strategy. We call on UNICEF to uphold a strong and visible commitment to gender equality across its strategic framework. UNICEF has strong expertise in addressing vulnerabilities of children on the move and in addressing root causes of migration and displacement. We call on UNICEF to continue to fulfill its mandate to provide basic services for children regardless of their migration status, both in terms of advocacy and service delivery. Amid reform measures and budget cuts, it is important to protect independent oversight and accountability mechanisms. Also, whilst we welcome the emphasis on AI and digital transformation, we urge a corresponding commitment to child data protection and child safety. We would like to see UNICEF strengthen the references to its humanitarian work and are interested to understand how the strategic plan will interact with the humanitarian reset, and more broadly, how UNICEF is planning to enhance its collaboration with other agencies at the country level. We remain committed partners and look forward to continued collaboration to ensure that UNICEF delivers effectively and efficiently and upholds the rights of all children.

I thank the distinguished delegate of the United Kingdom and I would like to give the floor to the chargé d'affaires of the Dominican Republic, who will be followed by Mozambique and Australia. Sir, you have the floor.

Gracias, señor Presidente. Directora ejecutiva y estimados miembros de la Junta Ejecutiva del UNICEF, excelencias, colegas. Tengo el honor de compartir esta declaración con el Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia, Ecuador y mi país. La República Dominicana tuvo el privilegio de acoger el taller regional del GRULA en Santo Domingo el pasado 4 de marzo. En este espacio convocado con el apoyo de la UNICEF permitió identificar prioridades de América Latina y el Caribe para el diseño del Plan Estratégico 2026-2029, las cuales enunciaremos a continuación. El liderazgo y la coordinación de los gobiernos nacionales son esenciales para garantizar la aprobación, el marco normativo adecuado y el financiamiento necesario. Solo así lograremos cambios sostenibles y profundos. Resaltamos la necesidad de abordar las realidades de la infancia rural e indígena fortalecer la salud mental y prevenir todas las formas de violencia. Igualmente, sobre la educación, urgimos acciones para reducir la deserción escolar de niños y adolescentes varones y cerrar brechas en el aprendizaje básico. Se resaltó la importancia de que la UNICEF facilite la cooperación sur-sur y triangular en América Latina y el Caribe, aprovechando las experiencias de buenas prácticas e innovaciones en la región. De la misma manera, la cooperación sur-sur es un mecanismo vital para optimizar recursos y enfrentar los desafíos comunes, como es el caso del cambio climático. No podemos dejar de destacar la necesidad de fortalecer los recursos previsibles para el UNICEF. La reducción de la asistencia de esos recursos amenaza el buen desenvolvimiento del Plan. especialmente en contextos de desigualdad. Adicionalmente, necesitamos sistemas resilientes con prevención y mitigación proactiva donde los saberes indígenas y los locales sean valorados. En República Dominicana reafirmamos que la voz de los niños, niñas y adolescentes debe guiar cada acción en la toma de decisiones del Plan, porque consideramos que su participación no es un complemento, sino la esencia de unas políticas efectivas. En ese sentido, permítame consultar sobre cómo se está tomando en cuenta las opiniones de los niños y niñas y adolescentes en el diseño del plan. Finalmente, señor presidente, agradecemos a la UNICEF por su apertura al diálogo regional y confiamos en que este plan estratégico reflejará nuestro compromiso compartido basado en garantizar que cada derecho sea una realidad, como los estados al frente y la cooperación como puente. Gracias, señor Presidente.

I thank the distinguished Chargé d'Affaires of the Dominican Republic, and I give now the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Mozambique.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, first of all, I would like to thank Ms. Vidhya Ganesh for her detailed presentation of the draft UNICEF Strategic Plan. We commend UNICEF for its inclusive and evidence-based process and for anchoring this plan in the Convention on the rights of the child. We welcome the draft Strategic Plan's emphasis on resilience and system strengthening. We particularly support the emphasis on gender equality, disability inclusion, and integrated programming across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. Mr. President, as a country experiencing significant displacement and climate vulnerabilities, Mozambique strongly endorses the plan's focus on differentiated strategies across diverse country contexts. The recognition that low-income, fragile, and crisis-affected countries require tailored approaches resonates deeply with our national priorities. We welcome the strategic plan's commitment to leveraging community and frontline systems as accelerators for change. In Mozambique's context, where community-based organizations play a crucial role in reaching remote populations, this approach aligns with our experience of effective, culturally relevant service delivery. The plan's emphasis on adolescent girls as a critical accelerator is particularly relevant for Mozambique, where investing in their leadership, health, education, and protection from violence can transform our communities and break intergenerational cycles of poverty. Given our challenge with multidimensional child poverty affecting rural and displaced populations, we support the plan's target of lifting 100 million children out of poverty through expanded social protection systems. The emphasis on cash transfers and shock-responsive social protection is particularly relevant for our context. We recommend further detail on how UNICEF will reposition itself under the UNAID framework, including strategies to ensure continued support in the context of resource scarcity, geopolitical pressure, and operational decentralization.

Mozambique appreciates the plan's recognition of the need for innovative financing mechanisms

I'm embarrassed to interrupt you, but thank you very much for this statement. I would then now give the floor to the distinguished delegate of Australia, and then we have 2 further requests, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and finally the Russian Federation. Madam.

Thank you, President, and I thank UNICEF for sharing this draft plan. We're aligned with the statement delivered by the UK and deliver this statement in a national capacity. Australia is proud to have supported UNICEF's objectives and achievements under the current strategic plan. The distinctive strengths of UNICEF are highly valued in our region, particularly on humanitarian action and women's and girls' empowerment. President, Australia has 4 key priorities for the next UNICEF strategic plan. First, Australia sees the strategic plan as a vital tool to reinforce effective delivery of UNICEF's mandate and to protect and improve the lives of children around the world. We expect unwavering adherence to the norms and values of the United Nations, including gender equality. Australia would like to see the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs strongly reflected in the plan, which must also be rooted in a steadfast commitment to leaving no one behind. Second, the draft plan highlights how UNICEF will differentiate its programmatic offer and strategies for acceleration across multiple contexts, contexts. Australia is pleased to see this initiative, and through this would welcome greater focus on children in vulnerable circumstances and the most vulnerable countries, particularly least developed countries and small island developing states, including the Pacific, to ensure no region is left behind. In this way, UNICEF can prioritize itself towards maximum impact for children who need it most. Third, the plan should build flexibility into the forward years. The plan must demonstrate pathways towards resilience. It should show that UNICEF can manage the uncertain financial and structural outlook confronting the UN system. This includes a clear sense of what is critical to UNICEF's core mandate and operations, and what is not. At its most fundamental level, the plan should show how UNICEF will continue to implement existing reforms. These include the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review, Pact for the Future, and the landmark Resolution 72279 on repositioning the UN development system. These reforms remain important even as we contemplate and encourage bold changes to the UN system through the UN80 process. In this regard, UNICEF must support the strengthening of the Resident Coordinator System politically and financially. We expect UNICEF to signal their strong support to the RC system in the next strategic plan, and further, that this message of support is transmitted to UNICEF teams stationed at headquarters, regional, and country levels. Finally, Australia recognizes the immense potential for emerging technologies such as AI to foster sustainable development.

This plan envisages a role for AI to support UNICEF's decision-making, expand its reach, improve service quality, and enhance

I thank the distinguished delegate from Australia for her statement, and I give the floor now to the distinguished delegate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. I don't see where they are, but you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the joint statement delivered by the United Kingdom. Allow me to start by expressing appreciation for the presentation today and for the consultations undertaken by UNICEF in the past months. While we acknowledge that the Strategic Plan is an agency document and not the result of intergovernmental negotiations, I would like to make the following points. In this increasingly challenging context, with SDGs for children off track and pushback against children's and women's rights, we stress the importance of UNICEF's normative role. The SDGs, a human rights-based approach, and a focus on leaving no one behind always need to underpin UNICEF's work. The Kingdom of the Netherlands commends UNICEF for ensuring that the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights instruments provide the overall framing for the new draft strategic plan. We also value that the plan confirms that the organization maintains a proactive focus on marginalized children. We would like to reiterate the importance of UNICEF's work on gender equality and on sexual and reproductive health and rights. And we ask UNICEF to ensure these issues are adequately represented in the new strategic plan. We appreciate UNICEF's intention to shift from relative homogeneity of programs to a differentiated approach based on the country context, as well as to shift to a whole organization prioritization of key results. But what will this look like in practice, and what will UNICEF no longer do? Additionally, we would like to learn more about how UNICEF will ensure more strategic application of the whole child approach throughout all its work. We appreciate the inclusion of a complementarity chapter, and we would like to emphasize the importance of close collaboration with other UN agencies based on comparative advantages. And as a final point, we encourage UNICEF to continue to explore innovative financing solutions. As the financial landscape is becoming increasingly constrained, UNICEF will unfortunately have to face difficult decisions. The new strategic plan offers an outline on which different financial scenarios you anticipate, and what choices you will make per scenario, keeping your core mandate and comparative advantage at the heart of any decisions. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished delegate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and I give the floor to the distinguished delegate of the Russian Federation, and then followed by Colombia, who is the last delegation that wishes to take the floor. Russian Federation, you have the floor.

У вас я я меня спасаю, президентил, у вас я я меня спасаю, спалникли-director. Мы бы хотели вас полжовать в теме сूचनь, что бы подвердите привеженство России и поддирщку мандату фonda. Let's go from the own. В ступаем за приоритизацию за дач спасения жизни детей и उदолторения их базовых патrimonства, как не обхадимых у Словении для их полнотсеннова развития. В то время, в разайма безпокойности вези стеливым результатом दवा, придусматруишьем, что уже триста пятьсот миллионовов детей и малодых ludi bodут обучаться и получать навки. Хотим подиржовать मरшерение в змоžности и кстерия Brasilania. text.

I thank the distinguished delegate of the Russian Federation, and I give the floor to the distinguished delegate of Colombia.

Muchas gracias, señor presidente. Señora directora ejecutiva, Colombia agradece la presentación del borrador del Plan Estratégico 2026-2029 en un periodo crucial para el cumplimiento de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible. Celebramos el enfoque integral del borrador del plan, que reafirma su compromiso con la defensa de los derechos de la niñez y la adolescencia, en contextos de desarrollo y emergencia, priorizando la equidad, la inclusión y la sostenibilidad. Al tiempo, damos la bienvenida a la consideración de la QCPR en su estructuración. La identificación de las desigualdades múltiples que enfrentan los niños en situaciones de movilidad, conflicto o pobreza extrema se alinea con los retos que Colombia ha enfrentado en los últimos años como país receptor de población migrante y desplazada. En este sentido, valoramos positivamente el enfoque interseccional del plan y reiteramos la importancia de que UNICEF continúe acompañando los esfuerzos nacionales en materia de integración y acceso a servicios esenciales para niñas y niños migrantes, refugiados y retornados. Tomamos atenta nota y valoramos positivamente la intención de UNICEF de transicionar de la prestación directa de servicios al fortalecimiento de los sistemas nacionales. Para Colombia es muy importante el apoyo que brindan las agencias a la construcción de capacidades nacionales, por lo cual esta iniciativa resulta relevante para que toda actividad realizada por UNICEF sea adaptada a los contextos locales de los países y sus diversos territorios. Saludamos también la inclusión de la transformación digital y la inteligencia artificial como aceleradores clave e invitamos a UNICEF a trabajar de la mano con los estados para garantizar que estos avances tecnológicos sean accesibles, pertinentes y con enfoques de derechos. Señor Presidente, para Colombia es fundamental la alineación del plan estratégico con los ODS, la consideración de los derechos humanos y una apuesta decidida por la igualdad de género. Colombia reconoce el papel que juega UNICEF en la arquitectura multilateral y valoramos su complementariedad con otras agencias del sistema de Naciones Unidas. Destacamos los esfuerzos adelantados y planeados para seguir avanzando en mecanismos interagenciales que optimicen recursos y generen sinergias en el terreno. Señor presidente, señora directora ejecutiva, cuenten con Colombia en los esfuerzos del UNICEF para continuar impactando la vida de millones de niños, niñas y adolescentes alrededor del mundo. Muchas gracias.

I thank the distinguished delegate of Colombia. This concludes our list and I would like to invite the Secretary to respond to some of the questions and comments raised. Who would like to come? Ms. Ganesh, you first?

Thank you so much. This is extremely overwhelming and positive and we feel totally encouraged by all the affirmations, both of the strong evidence-based analytics that has helped us to really be confident about these strategic shifts that we are proposing. And we are super grateful and happy that that fits the best way to go forward in terms of being smarter in the way we address the multiple challenges, but also have the resilience and the agility to address— to be able to adapt to the changing and at times decreasing financial landscape, both at the global and at the country level, for different reasons. We also are very encouraged by your support to the fact that this strategic plan is anchored in the rights framework, the CRC, and all the related important human rights frameworks, both in policy, principle, action, monitoring, and reporting, and in the way we program it. So that's clearly reflected in the way we would program, and that is also context-specific. In making sure that the children who are most left behind, both geographically and also because of multiple vulnerabilities. So, just again, a sincere thank you to all of you. This means a lot to us. This means a lot to all the countries that have worked for the last 8, 9 months to help frame this strategic plan, which will be our common narrative going forward. But being contextualized at the country level. We absolutely accept and understand and we are fast strengthening both our tools and— but also our approaches and the way we work with the private sector, not only for fundraising but as critical partners for advocacy on child rights and helping us bringing create innovative approaches both for efficiency and effectiveness. That's very much at the heart of our partnership strategy, and it is highly intertwined with also the financing, innovative financing. So, yes, there has been a very clear and a deliberate effort to strengthen and deepen the partnership with private sector in all its forms. And the— so rest assured that the strategic plan will, in terms of its— both in its humanitarian response and normative work and reporting, the focus on children caught up in armed conflict, the reporting on CAC and the grave violations, it's very much there, and we will definitely strengthen the language if it's not jumping out, but it's really at the heart of our work.

Thank you.

of what we do. Many have also asked us to continue to stay steady on the UNDS reform, the interagency collaboration, and joint programming. Yes, this is one important way we will approach scale at the country level, but it has to be meaningful and it has to be measurable and monitorable. And in a way that the— that we can actually capture all the change at the national data systems and the national governments actually feel it. So, we're going to be a lot more focused, clearer, and harder on ourselves, and as well as on the interagency collaboration, that it has to be meaningful, and we have to be able to demonstrate scale and impact. That is the true test of the interagency collaboration and the role of the RCTs.

Thank you.

And the role of the UNCTE, especially when the resources are so constrained. Every resource has to count, and we will approach that both from a point of view of being a good player and a good partner, but also wanting to make sure that we can be accountable jointly to meaningful results. On the many questions around the emphasis on gender equality and the focus on intersectionality, where we look at multiple vulnerabilities and come up with approaches that can address both the vulnerability and also the eventual change. I don't want to go into too much detail because we— you do have a session on the Gender Action Plan, and our commitment to gender equality is unwavering, and Lauren Rumble will be able to give you the details that are there, but I just want to assure you that the gender equality is at the heart of it. Both it is a principle in itself and it also has very important multiplier effect in both in achieving other results but also intergenerational effects, which we all know, and that those changes have been reflected in the Global Action Plan. I really appreciate the comments from the member of the Dominican Republic to focus on the learning from the indigenous knowledge and indigenous work and local understanding that are specific to that part of the world. And we really appreciate that, and we'll make sure that that is specifically more also represented, not only in our strategic plan, but also in our respective country programs, as is your request to be more focused on mental health, addressing the dropout rates, and the South-South cooperation within Latin America. So these are all extremely helpful comments to further strengthen in the direction of travel that's already there. In the very important point about how will we remain responsive and the pathways to be resilient, whether it's structural or financial, this is a tough question, but not without its answers necessarily. And the way we have developed this strategic plan is through a very careful scenario planning. We have gone through many scenarios, both in terms of the trends, in terms of the trends of where the situation of the children, the capacities of the countries, where do we want to focus on. For example, the approach in Africa is going to be very different to the approach in Latin America, which is very different to the approach in South Asia countries. So, those kinds of very detailed scenario planning. Along with greater emphasis on an annual review of how we are performing, and we are proposing a fairly well-structured and concrete midterm review. So we have built in processes through which we remain vigilant and agile to be able to adjust, and I think— I'm sure you heard yesterday also from the private sector session on how the— our funding and financing approaches are also shifting and aligning towards that. Let me start to wrap up by also talk— mentioning a word on the importance of use of AI and digital technologies. But I really appreciate also the caution that we protect the children in the process. So, we do have a new AI strategy. We have an emerging new digital impact strategy as well, where this is at the heart of it. So, it's do more good, but also do no harm, is really at that. So, it's not only about providing solutions for scale and delivery, but also influencing other partners, whether it's government, whether it's private sector, that the do no harm when it comes to application of AI and developing AI tools for the enhancement of service delivery is at the heart of it, so that there's both a policy approach to it and also technical support partnership approach to it. Finally, on 2 last points to Russia, yes, we remain focused and focused on children under 18. So the whole focus on skill is to really start the work not only on learning crisis, but to also combine it with strengthening skills so that the whole transition from school to job is combined and it's not an afterthought. So that's really at the heart of it and that's what those numbers represent. Finally, to Colombia, we have not lost the focus on migrant children, and I really, again, thank you for the support to strengthening the national systems, and even in which the way we address the needs and the vulnerability of children that are migrant into the country. And yes, the best way approach is to strengthen the local systems, whether at the national level or into communities where they go into. Thank you.

too.

So I think with that I'll pause, and just to say on the UNAT, there will be a separate briefing session at the next Board, so I did not say much on that, but you've heard a little bit about our approach to UNAT in the other sessions in the last 2 days. Thank you.

I thank Ms. Ganesh very much for her remarks. I don't see any wish Anybody else wish to comment or respond to the intervention of the Secretariat? As there are no additional delegations that have signaled their wish to comment, we shall now conclude our discussion under Agenda Item 4. And colleagues, we will now turn to Item 6 on the agenda, the Annual Report on the Implementation of the Gender Action Plan 2022-2025. which is document E/ICEF/2025/20. The report provides an update on programmatic and institutional results, including financial resources and expenditures, based on the results matrix, indicators, and performance benchmarks of the Gender Action Plan. The report is accompanied by a data companion and a scorecard, which is available But I will first give the floor to Elizabeth, who is connected with us from Malawi. Elizabeth is a UNICEF youth advocate and member of the Global Girl Leaders Advisory Group, and she is willing to share some ideas and some remarks with us. Elizabeth, welcome to our—

from New York.

The floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you so much. Mr. President, Madam Executive Director, distinguished members of the Executive Board, ladies and gentlemen, good morning, good afternoon. My name is Elizabeth Chinga. I am a 19-year-old UNICEF youth advocate from Malawi. And a member of Global Girls Leaders Advisory Group. Today, I speak not just for myself, but for all adolescent girls whose futures are being threatened by poverty, inequality, and climate change. In Malawi, adolescent girls are often the first to drop out of school, and many are forced into marriage before they are 18. This often leads to teenage pregnancies, exposure to HIV and AIDS, exploitation as domestic workers, hunger, poor mental health, including suicide. I know this personally. When Cyclone Ana hit our community in 2022, one side of my house collapsed I lost everything— clothes, school materials, our crops, roads and bridges. I couldn't go to school. My family relocated to a displaced people's camp. I saw increased suffering for adolescent girls lacking basic needs such as sanitary products and food, increased risk of sexual exploitation, abuse, school dropout, and malnourishment. Experiencing and witnessing this suffering for adolescent girls gave me passion to act. I work with other young people to provide peer psychosocial support. I help girls who have dropped out of school to find their way back. I encourage survivors of sexual abuse to report and seek help. I promote mitigation and adaptation to effects of climate change. You can see we are not waiting for change, but we are leading it. Through the Global Girls, leaders' advisory board, I have seen that this is reality for millions of girls around the world. But we are not silent. We are raising our voice and taking action to drive a change. But we cannot do it alone. My message to you is this: Provide dedicated funding to address the underlying gender inequalities that deepen girls' vulnerability. Support the expansion of access to secondary school education and skills development and empowerment opportunities for girls. Invest in bursaries and scholarships because many girls leave school because they can't afford fees. We ask you to help us, to support us, and also to include us. We want to help shape the policy and the program that affect our lives.

Thank you.

Well, thank you, Elizabeth. I mean, According to my script, I have to thank you for the remarks, but I really want to say a little bit more. You heard the applause. I mean, this was not only refreshing what you said, but it was really a wake-up call for all of us. First of all, I would really like to thank you and express our admiration for your strength in the face of so much adversity in your life, and that you've become such a strong advocate for such an important cause. And you're truly one of those drivers.

Thank you.

of change, and I think your message has been well received here and we'll bear it in mind. Thank you very much. Greetings to Malawi and hope to see you again.

Thank you.

Let's go back to business, unfortunately. After saying bye-bye to Elizabeth, we'll give now the floor to Ms. Laureen Ramboll, Associate Director for Gender Equality Program Group, who will present the annual report on the implementation of the Gender Action Plan 2025— 2022 to 2025. Madam, you have the floor.

Thank you so much, Mr. President, distinguished delegates, and Elizabeth. You are an extraordinary advocate, and me and my team and all of UNICEF is proud to work with you and the governments that are partnering with our Girl Leaders Advisory Group around the world. You are making it happen, taking passion to action, as Elizabeth called us to do. Next slide. Here at a dedicated meeting to reflect and pause on progress towards gender equality and the situation of girls and women today, I can't sugarcoat it. The situation of girls and women is dire around the world and worsening. We see global financial cuts a pushback on child rights and gender equality, and a series of regressive policies across countries and regions that threaten to undermine progress and the lives of girls like Elizabeth. Let's take nutrition, for example, in this graph. In 3 decades, girls' malnutrition has barely changed— just 2 percentage points drop in 3 decades. It's really overwhelming. Anemia levels are sky-high. It's a huge barrier to girls' potential, to women's development, the cognitive capital of nations, and the well-being of future generations of children. We can't afford to let this trajectory continue. We must interrupt it. And change is possible. What this graph also shows on the right is countries that have taken the issue of nutrition seriously for girls and women, reducing anemia significantly in just a few years. Our new Child and Nutrition Fund, supported by many of you in this room, is galvanizing global investments in girls' and women's nutrition. When leadership, investment, and an unwavering focus on girls comes together, futures change.

Next.

The situation of girls and women when it comes to education and training is no better. The world has defeated inequalities before, however, and now we need to come together again. Governments, the UN, and civil society came together over a decade ago and made primary access to schooling and education for girls a priority. Now, in most regions, girls are outpacing boys in primary school enrollment and education attainment, but the battle is far from over. When it comes to completing secondary school in adolescence, twice as many girls are likely to be out of school, unemployed, and untrained compared to boys.

Why?

It's not just a problem of investment. These patterns reflect deep-rooted structural barriers, discriminatory norms that push girls into unpaid care roles, child marriage, or marginalized jobs, if they're lucky to secure any employment at all. Centuries of patriarchy and harmful stereotypes result in not only a skills gap, but an equality gap. 90% of girls in low-income countries simply don't have access to the internet. This rules them out of online learning and jobs with digital components. Can we think of a job that doesn't have such a digital component? That leaves them out on so much. We need to double down again. We need to come together as a world again. We need to fast-track girls' full and equal participation in education, in skills and learning. Something that's a cause today must become the norm for tomorrow. Next, please. As you see on this slide, our support to frontline community health and nutrition workers— just one way we're showing that unwavering commitment to gender equality— has jumped exponentially since our 2021 baseline. Now, we can confidently say that over 3 million frontline workers are active and trained, curbing maternal mortality and child deaths in their communities. And more than that, by supporting women in service delivery, we're creating more equitable systems and breaking cycles of exclusion. In addition to this kind of frontline support, in forgotten crises like Sudan, we're also supporting mothers directly with cash grants to help cover basic needs. This is more than a welfare program. It's an empowerment intervention. It recognizes women as caregivers, decision-makers, and agents of change. It helps to keep their children healthy against all the odds.

Next.

Our current Gender Action Plan made an explicit commitment to rolling out more dedicated programs for girls like Elizabeth, for girls' leadership and agency, with all of your support in this very board. We have made girls a corporate priority as UNICEF across the organization and every country where we're working. And since 2023, that's less than 2 years ago, I'm proud to report that national programs with governments and UNICEF have scaled girl-focused programming in 63 countries. What an impressive change in such a short amount of time. This means national programs that yield multiple dividends for girls, in the long term. Pictured here is Bolivia, where nearly a million girls are gaining digital and other skills, preparing them not just to participate in the future, but to lead it.

Next.

Here at home, institutionally, we hold ourselves accountable to girls and women through a series of core institutional indicators, also reflected in our strategic plan. In 2024, we can confidently say that more country offices are grounding their programs in gender analysis, up from 58% to 67%. More offices are reporting quality gender equality results, up from 34% to 61%. We're also role modeling what change looks like. We now have gender balance across all levels of UNICEF staffing, and representation matters. It shows our countries where we're working that girls' and women's perspectives are heard in decision-making. We're especially proud of our funding to women and girls' organizations. We've transferred over $140 million last year directly to these grassroots organizations on the front line of humanitarian response, putting resources where they need to be, in the hands of girls and women.

Next.

Now we start the next chapter. Our new UNICEF Gender Equality Action Plan will be presented to you in September. You'll see alignment with UN-wide frameworks, and you'll see scaled-up support for girls' leadership, safety, and economic power. And learning from our recent evaluation and what our partners tell us is needed, a much greater focus on financing, budgeting, and innovation, finding the money and prioritizing it for girls and women. Finally, next slide. Freedom from discrimination, as this slide shows, equal opportunities for all, this is the work of everybody. Your support as governments, our board members, our champions, is needed now more than ever. Girls like Elizabeth are determined and are building a better world. From Malawi to Myanmar, from Sweden to South Sudan, girls are defenders of human rights. They believe their potential is limitless. So should we. Thank you.

I thank Ms. Ramboll for her remarks, and I now open the floor for discussion, and I will give the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Iceland. She will be followed by the Czech Republic, Czechia and Brazil. Iceland?

Thank you, Mr. President, Madam Executive Director. I make this statement on behalf of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and my own country, Iceland. Let me begin by expressing our appreciation for this briefing by Lauren Rumball on the implementation of the Gender Action Plan for 2022 to 2025. We are encouraged by the progress outlined in this report, which shows that UNICEF is reaching more girls than ever before. The report clearly reflects the importance of placing girls at the center of programming and the benefit of employing a two-track approach that both advances gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. In light of the persistent challenges facing adolescent girls. The Nordics would like to emphasize the importance of UNICEF's work in the field. And globally, 1 in 5 girls is married before the age of 18, and adolescent girls continue to face higher risks of violence and limited access to education, particularly in humanitarian settings where we need to double down on our commitments. We therefore encourage UNICEF to continue to strengthen gender integration in humanitarian response programming, and further integrate gender transformative approaches across all areas of work. We are pleased to see strong results through UNICEF's skill-building programs such as Skills for Girls, which equip girls for the future and directly reduce early school dropout and child marriage. UNICEF's role in revitalizing HPV vaccinations campaigns is another highlight which has yielded impressive results through community-based outreach. Furthermore, the Nordics commend UNICEF's work in high-prevalence HIV areas where community-led initiatives helped over 80% of adolescent girls to gain new knowledge and skills through HIV awareness programmes. We would also like to use this opportunity to highlight the importance of UNICEF's internal progress on gender parity, particularly at senior levels. However, we note the underrepresentation of women in emergency duty stations and the gaps in how women experience the workplace. As UNICEF prepares its next Gender Action Plan, the Nordics would like to emphasize that access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services and comprehensive sexuality education for our adolescent must be a priority. SRHR is important not only for the health and well-being of adolescent girls, but also for their empowerment and full participation in society. It plays an important role in reducing early and forced marriages and preventing gender-based violence. Bearing in mind that preparations for the next Gender Action Plan are currently underway, we would like to ask, how does UNICEF plan to sustain and scale up successful initiatives like Skills for Girls to reach even more adolescent girls, especially in fragile and humanitarian settings. In closing, we would like to underscore the importance of UNICEF remaining firmly rooted in its core operational priorities in line with its mandate to protect and promote the rights of every child. These priorities include advancing gender equality, and we encourage UNICEF to continue scaling up efforts that empower all girls and ensure that their needs are fully integrated into programming across all areas of work.

Thank you.

I thank the distinguished Permanent Representative of Iceland, and I now give the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Czechia.

Thank you, Mr. President, Madam Executive Director, Members of the UNICEF Executive Board, dear colleagues, Czechia welcomes this comprehensive report on the implementation of the UNICEF Gender Action Plan for 2022 to 2025. The report demonstrates tangible progress towards gender equality and girls' empowerment, both as a standalone objective and cross-cutting priority in UNICEF's programs. We commend UNICEF's continued efforts to mainstream gender equality across all 5 goal areas of its strategic plan. We particularly note the strengthened focus on addressing gender-based violence, advancing girls' secondary education, and expanding access to adolescent-friendly health services— areas where systemic gendered disparities remain deeply entrenched, especially in humanitarian and fragile contexts. However, we must also recognize the persistent structural barriers outlined in the, in the report. Despite the progress made, too many girls continue to face violence, economic exclusion, and limited access to services, especially in humanitarian settings. It is evident that gender equality cannot be achieved through standalone programming alone. We therefore support the call for further institutional strengthening, boosting gender capacity at all levels, increasing accountability through clear performance benchmarks, and enhancing coordination with other UN agencies. We also stress the need to prioritize the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in program design and decision-making processes. Czechia is currently in the process of preparing a renewed National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security for the years 2026 to 2030. At the same time, we are developing a new methodology on cross-cutting priorities, which will serve as a key tool to systematically integrate gender equality across all development and humanitarian projects in our partner countries. As UNICEF, looks ahead to its next strategic plan and gender action plan for the period 2026 to 2029, Czechia encourages even greater ambition. We support scaling up proven interventions and strengthening accountability at every level. Czechia remains a steadfast partner in the pursuit of gender equality and the rights of children. We will continue to support UNICEF's leadership as it works to create a world in which every girl can thrive, lead, and live free from discrimination and violence. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished Permanent Representative of Czechia, and I give the floor to the distinguished delegate of Brazil, followed by Canada, then the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and finally the United States. Brazil, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President, Madam Executive Director, Madam Associate Director, all members of the Board. Thank you for the presentation of the report. Brazil reaffirms its strong commitment to the protection of children and adolescents, both nationally and globally. We continue to face serious challenges, including child sexual exploitation, domestic violence, and the need to strengthen digital protection measures. In November 2024, Brazil participated in the first Global Ministerial Conference to End Violence Against Children in Bogotá, organized by WHO, UNICEF, Colombia, and Sweden. We endorsed the outcome document and joined the New Pathfinding 2.0 initiative, which aims to advance political and budgetary commitments aligned with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We welcome the progress reported by UNICEF in mainstreaming gender in its programming. The Gender Actions Plan integrated approach, targeted and intersectional, based on disaggregated data, reflects UNICEF's commitment to gender equality and the rights of children and adolescents. We highlight in the report several priority areas for Brazil: prevention and response to gender-based violence, especially in humanitarian settings; maternal health and prevention of vertical HIV transmission; expanded HPV vaccination; investment in early childhood nutrition and care; promotion of inclusive education; digital safety; and girls' empowerment for the future of work. The report also aligns with SDGs 3, 4, and 5. We positively note paragraph 56 of the report, which outlines directions for the next strategic plan, especially strengthening community health, social and economic inclusion for girls, and increased gender-responsive financing in crisis settings. Finally, We welcome the report's intersectional approach, including the empowerment of girls, attention to disability inclusion, and integrated responses to overlapping inequalities. This model supports more effective and just policies. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished delegate from Brazil and now give the floor to the Distinguished delegate of Canada.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, Excellencies, colleagues, we once again commend UNICEF's commitment to advancing gender equality through its dedicated Gender Action Plan. Efforts to promote the rights and well-being of women and girls are essential to building more inclusive systems, from expanding access to education and social protection to supporting adolescent girls' empowerment, UNICEF's work inspires meaningful change. The Gender Action Plan is a cornerstone of UNICEF's twin-track approach to advancing gender equality. While mainstreaming remains vital for embedding gender equality across programs, mainstreaming alone cannot close persistent gender gaps. A twin-track approach allows for and combines the integration of gender equality consideration across sectors with targeted initiatives that address the specific needs of women and girls. In this way, we are better able to tackle structural barriers while also delivering immediate outcomes. UNICEF's Gender Action Plan is a key mechanism for driving results and its success relies on organization-wide prioritization and strong leadership. We encourage all UNICEF staff to take ownership for delivering programmatic and institutional gender equality results to translate ambition into measurable change. To sustain progress, we urge UNICEF to ensure its new strategic plan and results framework target, monitor, and report on underlying drivers of gender inequality. This includes addressing unequal access to resources, challenging gender stereotypes and harmful social norms, and removing barriers to the full, equal, and meaningful participation and leadership of all girls in their societies. As we enter the final year of the current GAP, We look forward to seeing even more country offices meeting the GAP standard. While noteworthy progress is evident, critical gaps remain in capacity, accountability, and expenditures. Un dialogue continu est essentiel pour maintenir l'élan de notre engagement collectif en faveur de l'égalité des genres. En prévision du quatrième plan d'action pour l'égalité des genres, nous restons optimistes et convaincus qu'une collaboration continue aura des effets encore plus importants et durables pour tous les enfants. Merci beaucoup.

I thank the distinguished delegate of Canada for her statement and. I now give the floor to the distinguished delegate for the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Thank you, Mr. President, and we very much welcome the presentation made by Ms. Rumball and the important work of her team. And we would, of course, also like to thank Elizabeth for her remarks and for reminding us about the importance of this topic. The Kingdom of the Netherlands commends UNICEF for the significant progress that has been made regarding the implementation of the Gender Action Plan. We appreciate that UNICEF has maintained a strong performance on the UN SWAP, achieving 94% of all benchmarks, and that the percentage of country offices meeting the Gender Action Plan institutional standard has improved to 46%. We hope this number will continue to rise in the years to come. We are, however, concerned that with just 5 years remaining to achieve the SDGs the overall progress made in achieving gender equality lags behind. We call on UNICEF to remain committed to bold, evidence-driven action to accelerate progress and ensure that every girl and woman, woman can thrive. The Kingdom of the Netherlands believes that ensuring adequate inclusion of the perspective and needs of women and girls is key for the effective design and implementation of programming. Inclusion of gender equality an inherent component of all developments and humanitarian efforts results in stronger outcomes. We therefore call on UNICEF to be vocal in its new strategic plan on how it incorporates gender equality and a human rights-based approach across all objectives. We also encourage UNICEF to continue to work closely with other UN agencies on achieving gender equality, including UN Women and UNFPA, and to remain committed to the strong implementation of the UN Gender Equality Acceleration plan? How will this system-wide plan be translated into the new strategic plan results framework and budget? It will be critical to preserve and scale up efforts to ensure gender equality. We expect vocal, regular communication by senior leadership at all levels on gender equality and on the rights of girls and women. How does UNICEF ensure that its leadership at all levels in the organization play their parts?

I thank the distinguished delegate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and I give the floor to the distinguished delegate of the United States.

Thank you, Mr. President. The United States thanks UNICEF for this annual report. We strongly support the protection of women and girls, the defense of their natural rights, and their empowerment. The government of the United States is working to protect and promote the ability of women and girls to engage in all aspects of social, civic, political, and economic life. We welcome UNICEF's significant progress in delivering improvements in health, nutrition, and education through evidence-driven action. We also welcome UNICEF's efforts to prevent violence against children, including in humanitarian settings, and are strongly committed to efforts to end child marriage and eliminate female genital mutilation. We wish to raise several important concerns as we look ahead to the next strategic Plan and Gender Action Plan. The existing gap distorts UNICEF's original mandate and politicizes its crucial work. We urge UNICEF to focus on its core mandate instead of problematic initiatives focused on gender ideology, which is inconsistent with the biological reality that there are 2 sexes, male and female. It is important to acknowledge the biological reality of sex to support the needs and perspectives of women and girls. Vague and obscure terminology like gender responsive is pervasive throughout the current plan. Furthermore, we reiterate our longstanding objection to controversial terminology related to sexual and reproductive health and sexual and reproductive health services in the GAP. There has unequivocally never been an international commitment in the UN fora on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The term comprehensive sexuality education continues to be categorically rejected by the overwhelming majority of member states. We urge a focus on specific actionable health and development objectives so that UNICEF can most effectively continue to advance child well-being. We note this plan mentions male involvement, co-parenting, and mothers, but not the word father. We strongly recommend that UNICEF include fathers as they are an instrumental part of a family. This oversight misses how important the role of the family is in a child's life and development as a source of health, support, and care. President Trump believes that parents, both mothers and fathers, know how best to raise their children and create a thriving society. The United States firmly believes that harmful gender ideology, including comprehensive sexuality education, is detrimental to the well-being and development of children, usurping basic parental authority. Under the Trump administration, it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called transition of a child from one sex to another. It will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures. We call on UNICEF to protect the most vulnerable human beings, children, from such procedures. We look forward to working together with UNICEF and other member states to invest in women's and children's health and well-being to save lives and allow women and girls more opportunities to thrive. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished delegate of the United States. This concludes the list of delegations wishing to take the floor, and I would now like to invite the Secretary to respond to some of the comments and questions raised.

Thank you so much, Mr. President, and to all the distinguished delegates who spoke so eloquently and passionately about commitments to gender equality and programs that make a difference in the lives of girls and women. To the distinguished delegate from Iceland, thank you for your strong support to gender equality at consecutive boards, but also bilaterally with your new contribution to the Gender Thematic Fund. We're looking forward to taking forward girls' empowerment, education, and skills with you and to the next level in our countries. To Czechia, thank you for the great news about your National Action Plan. We look forward to its launch and celebrating its results with you. We, too, see our role as really supporting governments to take forward these new commitments on gender equality as we hearken towards 2030. To the distinguished delegate from Brazil, we're so pleased to hear your priorities, mostly because they align with ours. Firmly rooted in data, girls' voices, and where we've shown a comparative advantage in the field, we know that we can make a real difference in curves around violence prevention, safety, child marriage, FGM, and more. So we're looking forward to doing those commitments with you in real time with our new strategic plan and upcoming Gender Equality Action Plan. Thank you too for mentioning the HPV vaccine. I think other delegations did too. As you know, the global goal is to reach 86 million girls with this new vaccine by the end of this year. I'm very pleased that despite all the turbulence internationally, the financial cuts, this is one of the vaccines that is fast on track. But UNICEF is even more ambitious, determined to add a plus to the vaccine with, for example, access to menstrual health and hygiene facilities and supplies, making sure that in that moment where we have girls lining up for the vaccine, we're offering them other kinds of support like health check-ins and referrals to specialized services, for example, to gender-based violence or mental health. We look forward to you joining us on this ambitious journey. To the distinguished delegates of Canada and the Netherlands and more, thank you for digging deep into the institutional indicators. Indeed, this is the kind of hardware that tells us where we are performing as an organization, and we'd really like to do better on the GAP Standard. We will have such indicators in our new Gender Equality Action Plan. Including the benchmarking around 15%, a UN-wide commitment. I believe the Netherlands asked about that. We will make sure that we not only meet it, hopefully surpass it. We will also have bold commitments around leadership, making sure that every country office that we support is clear about what gender equalities are a priority in a local context, and then holding that in performance evaluations and regular country office reviews. I think I have nothing further, but just checking with my team if anyone would like to add.

I thank the Secretary, Ms. Ramboll, for her remarks. If there are no additional comments— I see none— this concludes our discussion under Agenda Item 6. Distinguished delegates, we will now turn to the next item on the agenda, which is Item 18. We now move to the next item on the agenda, which is an address by the Chairperson of the UNICEF Global Staff Association. I would like to invite the Chair of the Global Staff Association, Ms. Françoise Chandler, to take— to make a statement on behalf of the staff of UNICEF around the world. Madam, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President. Edie, colleagues, I stand before you with deep responsibility to represent the voices of thousands of resilient staff who serve across the globe, often in extremely difficult conditions, to bring hope, protection, and a better future to the world's most vulnerable children. They remain the backbone of UNICEF's impact. Due to recent funding reductions, the organization is undergoing significant structural and financial shifts across all locations. Reduced envelopes for offices, widespread staff cuts, office consolidations, and the rapid rollout of the Future Focus initiatives have sent waves of anxiety through the organization, heightening a sense of instability, concern, and growing mental health strain. The GSA fully supports change when necessary and guided by clear, inclusive, and transparent planning, and we have maintained open dialogue with management throughout. But staff are asking, how will UNICEF ensure operational coherence, meaningful support to country offices, and equity in workload as these changes unfold, while staying true to its mandate and values? How can we deliver more with less? We are also concerned about the high number of abolished positions held by current or formerly elected staff representatives. While we do not claim these actions are retaliatory, those judgments rightly fall to the ethics office, we have a duty to monitor trends. If representatives are disproportionately affected, it risks undermining the integrity of staff representation itself. These concerns are not theoretical. They impact moral trust and the credibility of our internal processes. Staff are asking for a clear and compassionate roadmap, one that shows how decisions are made, how fairness is protected, and how UNICEF upholds its duty of care not only to the communities we serve but to our own personnel. We must also speak to the future of our youngest colleagues, early and mid-career professionals who joined UNICEF with energy, skill, and purpose. They are the future stewards of our mission, yet many now face growing uncertainty about their future. As contracts end and roles are abolished, many fear they have no path forward. We risk losing not just talent, but also the innovation and diversity of thought that these colleagues bring. A transformation that excludes our next generation of staff is not one that prepares UNICEF for tomorrow. Despite extraordinary pressures, crises, and now sweeping organizational changes, staff continue to serve children and communities with commitment. Across borders and functions, people are reaching out, listening, and standing together. This unity is nurtured by our strong, legitimate staff representation network, one of UNICEF's greatest assets. Throughout this challenging period, the GSA remains actively engaged with management, participating in consultations, raising staff concerns, and offering constructive input at every stage. Our commitment has been to ensure that the voices of staff are heard, respected, and meaningfully reflected in the decisions shaping this transformation. We must also speak frankly about the ongoing program phase-outs in high-income countries in Europe. These transitions risk leaving vulnerable children behind and raise deep ethical concerns. We must ask ourselves, can we continue to say we reach every child if our programmatic decisions contradict that promise? Confusion also surrounds the future functioning of the Centers of Excellence and the restructuring of roles across regional offices, HQ divisions, and technical teams. These are not abstract matters. They are daily concerns whose future remains unclear. When an organization faces financial strain, the response must be operational and humane. It must reflect clarity, empathy, and collective strength. It is troubling that some of our most vulnerable colleagues, including single parents and those with children with disabilities or special needs, face added hardship due to the abrupt discontinuation of the special education grant upon separation. UNICEF cannot afford extending the grant to the end of the school year, a small gesture that would have safeguarded essential care for children with special needs. These children whose parents have devoted their careers to UNICEF's mission now risk losing vital therapies and education mid-year. This not only shatters our promise to leave no one behind, it raises profound ethical and reputational concerns about who we are as an organization. We urge the executive board to remain closely engaged. The consequences of inaction are counted in human lives. You play a vital role in upholding fairness, accountability, ethical leadership, and in exploring financial solutions to protect our staff, their children, and the world's children. The GSA stands ready to work constructively with all stakeholders to ensure that this transformation is not only effective but humane, one that strengthens rather than weakens. In closing, let us reaffirm our shared commitment to be an organization that not only delivers for children everywhere, but that lives its value at every level, especially when it is hardest. Thank you for your attention, your partnership, and your continued belief in the staff of UNICEF.

I want to thank Mrs.— Ms. Chandler for her remarks. A summary of Ms. Chandler's remarks will be reflected in the report of the session. I will now give the floor to the distinguished delegate and my colleague from Germany.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Mr. President, dear colleagues, I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and my own country, Germany. We extend our sincere appreciation to Ms. Chandler for her presentation and for her address. And we thank the entire Global Staff Association for its dedicated work on behalf of UNICEF staff. But above all, we express our heartfelt gratitude to every member of UNICEF staff who have once again worked tirelessly, often under the most challenging conditions, to support children and to deliver life-saving and life-changing results around the world. UNICEF staff remain steadfast even when others have long departed from crisis areas. During this Board meeting, we have discussed— and we were forced to discuss— budget cuts, necessary savings, prioritization, and the need for greater efficiency. We are aware and we recognize that all these measures and goals for UNICEF employees translate into significant challenges and great uncertainty. They are major disruptions for their professional and personal planning, and they severely impact their families, as Ms. Chandler also just pointed out. Many face the threat or actual loss of their jobs. I want to express our sincere appreciation that even in this very challenging context, UNICEF staff continues to deliver exceptionally good work. Our gratitude, but also our encouragement, extends to the UNICEF management for their efforts to mitigate the impact of reforms on employees as much as possible by ensuring that any cuts reflect proportionality across different staff levels. We stress the undeniable necessity of prioritizing field and frontline staff, given their indispensable role in the delivery of the mandate of UNICEF for every child. In all these seemingly abstract reform plans, we call on UNICEF to make every effort to consider and to prioritize the well-being of those affected. Despite all these challenges, workplace culture is an issue that must not be overlooked. The initiatives on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment, on the improvement of UNICEF's organizational culture, on disability equity and inclusion, on access within the UNICEF workplace, and on the fight against discrimination and racism must continue. to be pursued. We thank UNICEF staff for their active involvement in all these efforts. In conclusion, please be assured of our continued support for all UNICEF staff and our appreciation for the invaluable work that you do. Thank you.

I thank my colleague from Germany. And I see no further requests for the floor, so I would revert to the Secretariat.

Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, distinguished delegate from Germany and many other countries that have contributed. We are really grateful for your support, and I definitely will relay your strong support to my colleagues and to the Staff Representatives Network.

Thank you.

Well, thank you very much, Ms. Chandler. I see no additional comments or wishes from— in that case, I would conclude our consideration on this agenda item and we'll move to agenda item 20. 20. And this concludes my chairing and I'll hand over to our real chair. Thank you very much. Thank you very much for your attention. And you're very disciplined, I have to say.

I thank Ambassador Zanheisen for chairing the first set of agenda items this morning. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, we will now turn to Agenda Item 19, Other Matters. I invite the Secretary to introduce the provisional list of agenda items for the 2025 Second Regular Session. Mr. Secretary, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President, Mr. Presidency, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. The provisional list of agenda items for the Second Regular Session of 2025 has been The agenda for today's meeting is published on the documents page for the annual session of the Executive Board website. The list is based on the Executive Board annual program of work, which is reviewed by the Board at its second regular session each year. I thank you for your attention. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the Secretary for his remarks and now open the floor for discussion. I see no request from— for the floor. This concludes our consideration of this agenda item. Distinguished delegates, we will now turn to agenda item 20. And take action on the draft decisions that have been discussed during this session. We now have before us 11 draft decisions that have been discussed during the informal consultations. The draft decision on the Annual Report for 2024 of the Executive Director of UNICEF has been issued as E/ICEF-2024-EC. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision. If there is no objection, it is so decided. The draft decision on the Annual Report on UNICEF Humanitarian Action has been issued as E/ICEF/2025/L8. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision. If there is no objection, it is so decided. The draft decision on extensions of ongoing country programs has been issued as E/ICEF/2025/L10. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision. If there is no objection, it is so decided. The draft decision on update on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse has been issued as E/ICEF/2025/L11. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision. If there is no objection, it is so decided. The draft decision on update on organizational culture and diversity has been issued as E/ICEF/2025/L12. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision. If there is no objection, it is so decided. The draft decision on update on implementation efforts on the repositioning of the United Nations Development System has been issued as E/ICEF/2025/L13. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision. If there is no objection, it is so decided. The draft decision on the annual report for 2024 of the evaluation function in UNICEF and management response has been issued as E/ICEF/2025/L14. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision. If there is no objection, it is so decided. The draft decision on the report of the Ethics Office of UNICEF for 2024 and management response has been issued as E/ICEF/2025/L15. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision? If there is no objection, it is so decided. The draft decision on the UNICEF Office of Internal Audit and Investigations 2024 Annual Report to the Executive Board and Management Response has been issued as E/ICEF/2025/L16. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision. If there is no objection, it is so decided. The draft decision on the Annual Report on the Risk Profile of UNICEF has been issued as E/ICEF/2025/L17. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision. If there is no objection, it is so decided. The draft decision on the Private Fundraising and Partnerships Financial Report for the year ending 31 December 2024 has been issued as E/ICEF/2025/L18. I take it that the Executive Board wishes to adopt the decision? If there is no objection, it is so decided. Does any delegation wish to make a statement on the decision or raise any other matters at this time? Since there are no other matters to be discussed, this concludes our action on the draft decision. Distinguished delegates, we are now approaching the end of the Executive Board session. Now, I invite Executive Director, Ms. Russell, to take the floor to share with us her closing statement as we wrap up the session. You have the floor, Madam Executive Director.

Thank you so much, Mr. President. Really appreciate it and appreciate all of the Bureau members. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues, I want to thank everyone sincerely for the engagement throughout this session. As always, your questions have been thoughtful, your insights commitment have been really clear and much appreciated, certainly by me, and I think everyone up here and the rest of the team as well. I want to thank board members for your continued partnership and support, not only for the organization and the work we do for children, but also for our staff, particularly during this very turbulent time, as you have heard. Your engagement means even more in this pivotal year as we develop UNICEF's new 4-year strategic plan and as we navigate these historic financial challenges. With your support, we're determined to continue delivering on our mandate, upholding normative standards, and championing the most vulnerable wherever they may be. Amid the changes and challenges ahead, we remain focused on our country programs. These are the heart of our work. We look forward to your support in approving the 17 program documents that will be presented to the board for no objection approval this September, and to working with you on many more new programs in 2026. We have also— we also understand the need for reform. As you have heard, we've talked about that a lot today, and I think there will be further conversations both within UNICEF and across the wider UN system as part of the Secretary-General's UN80 initiative. Our Future Focus effort is one way we're responding by addressing financial constraints and ensuring we're fit for purpose across both our humanitarian and development work. But let us not forget, while reform is important, we face a critical task right now, and that is to continue delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance to millions of children caught in crisis. Without urgent and sufficient funding, up to 15 million children will miss out on nutrition programs, more than 20 million children and families will go without health services, and over 11 million will be left without access to safe water and sanitation. These are not numbers in a report. They are real children whose futures hang in the balance. I want to say a special thank you to the Chair of the Staff Association, Françoise, who I think, as you heard, has probably the toughest job at UNICEF right now, and she does it with real leadership and determination and compassion, which I am very grateful for. I want to say a thank you to Elizabeth for her powerful comments on the lived experience of girls. We appreciate all of your comments on the Gender Action Plan and very much appreciate your support for the important work we're doing to support girls around the world. We thank you also for the comments on the draft strategic Plan. As we work to finalize the plan by September and begin implementation in 2026, we will increasingly rely on, expand, and strengthen our partnerships with all of you, with governments, donors, civil society, and other UN agencies, and the communities we serve across the Global North and the Global South. To the Bureau and the President, thank you as always for your continued leadership. To the Office of the Secretary of the Board, the hardest job in this room, I would say, for the day. The UN interpreters and all colleagues who support this session, a special thank you. I know it can be a long few days, but it went really smoothly, and we're very grateful for that. So, as we've heard, you know, in great detail, we are facing incredibly difficult times for children all around the world. And of course, we're facing these funding challenges, but I think we will come through this. I'm determined that UNICEF come through this stronger than ever. It's a clear, very focused mission to support children all around the world. And I think we remain committed to working hand in hand with all of you to build a safer world, a better place for children everywhere. And I am so grateful to all of you for your commitment to that and for your partnership with us. So, thank you very much. I hope everyone gets a little bit of a break this summer. at some point, and we'll see you all in September. And again, thanks so much.

I thank Ms. Russell for her remarks. Before I proceed to my closing remarks, I believe that the Secretary of the Executive Board, Mr. Andrés Franco, would like to make an You have the floor on this.

Yes, thank you very much, Mr. President. Just to announce that we do have our survey. Sorry to insist on it, but you always ask us a lot of questions and you always want a better session, so it's always very useful if you include your opinions. You can raise your phone, please not as the the President speaks, but before or after. It's going to take you a couple of minutes. Whatever you put there always comes to the attention of the Bureau, and it's the source of a very good discussion as we prepare the next session. So if you can take those minutes, that would be very useful. And this is intended for the entire members and observers to actually participate in this survey. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Mr. President.

I thank the Secretary for his announcement. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues, as we come to the end of the annual session of the Executive Board, I commend you all for the fruitful exchanges and deliberations this past week. This session took place at a time of growing uncertainty for the most vulnerable. Across the world, children are bearing the brunt of conflict, displacement, climate shocks, and shrinking resources. But here, this week, we came together not to observe challenges from a distance, but to confront them with purpose. We have considered a number of important topics. Among them, the Annual Report of the Executive Director for 2024, during which we were informed about the work that UNICEF has done, and continues to do, to make a difference children over the remainder of the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan term, and towards the achievement of the Child-related Sustainable Development Goals. We also reviewed the draft UNICEF Strategic Plan for the 2026-2029 term, sharing important insights with the Organization as it works to finalize the Plan for presentation At our second regular session in September, we heard about UNICEF efforts to uphold the highest standards of accountability, particularly in preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse, and about its work to strengthen organizational culture. We heard an overview on UNICEF humanitarian action and on steps that the organization is taking to ensure that its critical work to save children's lives and uphold their rights continues amidst a range of conflict, extreme climatic events and other disasters, as well as steep cuts in official development assistance for humanitarian action. Following a collaborative process, we adopted by consensus 11 important decisions that cut across the work of UNICEF. I would like to thank all delegations for your constructive engagement and collaboration. A special thank you to the facilitators of the draft decisions, including Mr. Golib Dzhangulov, for his role as overall coordinator. Thank you as well to the UNICEF technical focal points for your availability and for helping us to reach a satisfactory outcome on the decisions. I would also like to express my gratitude to my fellow Bureau members: Ambassador Sophia Tesfamariam of Eritrea, Raine Tamsaar of Estonia, Peter Zanheisen of Germany, and Mr. Diego Pacheco-Balanza of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. To the Executive Director, Catherine Russell, and her senior management team, thank you for your leadership leadership and unwavering commitment. And to the staff of the United Nations Department for General Assembly and Conference Management, and the Office of the Secretary of the Executive Board, thank you for ensuring the success of this session. Dear colleagues, this Board is more than a governing body. It's a platform for global solidarity. A reminder that in a fragmented world, we can still act together. together, united by the simple truth that children must come first. Let us leave this room with that conviction. Let us carry forward the decisions we made, the ideas we exchanged, and the values we reaffirmed. I look forward to continuing to work with all of you throughout the coming months and to our next Executive Board session in September. I now bring to a close the 2025 Annual Session of the UNICEF Executive Board. The meeting is adjourned.