March 20, 2026
Contacts:
For ChildFund International, Amatthews@childfund.org and DLilly@childfund.org
For First Focus on Children, MicheleK@firstfocus.org
For Futures Without Violence, lisa@prsolutionsdc.com
The State of the World’s Children and Why U.S. Leadership Still Matters
Joint Statement of
Isam Ghanim, President & CEO, ChildFund International
Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus on Children
Giulia McPherson, Executive Director, Global Campaign for Education-US
Esta Soler, President & Founder, Futures Without Violence
“Congress is currently weighing major budget and policy decisions that will shape America’s global engagement for years to come. These choices will have lasting consequences for children and families within and beyond our borders. That is why we gathered policymakers, advocates, and experts on Capitol Hill yesterday for ‘The State of the World’s Children,’ a briefing on the current status and future vision of U.S. Government support for children. The timing could not be more important.
As leaders of organizations that work every day with children and families, at home and around the world, we offer a simple message ahead of that discussion: investing in children through U.S. foreign assistance is not charity. It is one of the smartest, most cost-effective investments the United States can make in our stability, prosperity, and security – both today and for generations to come.
Our organizations see the state of the world’s children up close, including communities affected by conflict, displacement, hunger, and violence. Parents everywhere want the same things for their children: safety, health, education, and a chance to build a better future. When those basics are missing, the consequences ripple outward, destabilizing families, communities, and regions.
The evidence is clear. Strategic investments in child survival, health, nutrition, education, protection, and online safety deliver measurable returns:
- Children who are healthy and educated are less likely to be displaced, trafficked, recruited by armed groups, or forced into exploitative labor.
- Communities that protect children recover faster from crises and are more resilient to future shocks.
- Countries that invest in their youngest citizens are more likely to become stable partners rather than sources of recurring humanitarian emergencies.
These investments also produce measurable economic gains: every $1 invested in nutrition yields up to $35 in returns; immunization delivers an estimated $26 for every $1 invested; and each additional year of schooling increases future earnings by 8–10 percent. These figures translate into stronger workforces, more resilient economies, and future trade partners.
These outcomes are not theoretical. For decades, U.S. foreign assistance has helped reduce child mortality, expand access to education, strengthen child protection systems, and prevent violence.
Since 1990, global under-five mortality has fallen by 60 percent, from 12.5 million deaths to 4.9 million in 2022, due in part to sustained global health investments. These gains were achieved through bipartisan leadership, strong oversight, and a focus on evidence-based programs that deliver results.
Investments in children also help build stable economic and security partners over time. Eleven of America’s top 15 trading partners were once recipients of U.S. foreign assistance.
Importantly, child-focused assistance saves money. Preventing malnutrition, disease, violence, and exploitation is far less costly than responding after harm has occurred. When early investments are cut or delayed, the costs do not disappear. They emerge later as emergency humanitarian aid, instability, forced migration, or security crises that require far greater resources.
As Congress examines the state of the world’s children, it is worth remembering that U.S. leadership on children’s issues has long reflected core American values: belief in family, dignity, accountability, and responsibility to future generations. Supporting children abroad aligns compassion with pragmatism and values with results.
Countries that experience sustained U.S. partnership are more likely to align with democratic norms and shared economic systems rather than drift toward dependency on authoritarian competitors. At the same time, the U.S. should work with governments in low- and middle-income countries to create strong frameworks and encourage their leadership and investment in programs for children within their own borders.
The question before policymakers is not whether the United States can afford to invest in children globally. The question is whether we can afford not to.
History, data, and experience all point to the same conclusion. When children are safe, healthy, and educated, communities are more stable, families are stronger, and our world is more secure.
As leaders who witness the impact of these investments every day, we urge Congress to protect targeted, lifesaving, evidence-based foreign assistance for children and to keep children at the center of America’s global engagement.
The state of the world’s children is inseparable from the state of our nation. Decisions made now will shape both for years to come.”
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