Samarkand Declaration

I Our Shared Vision

1. 1

   Reaffirming our commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history, and to the principle that in all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration;

2. 2

   Guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its pledge to leave no one behind, and recognizing that the wellbeing of children is both a measure of, and a precondition for, sustainable, equitable and just development for present and future generations;

3. 3

   Recalling the outcomes of the first Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children and the commitments made by States thereunder;

4. 4

   Recognizing that children constitute one third of the world’s population and that their survival, development, protection and participation shape the future of families, communities, economies and nations;

5. 5

   Recognizing that children with disabilities and other children facing discrimination, exclusion or multiple and intersecting vulnerabilities must be at the centre of efforts to advance children’s wellbeing, with equal opportunities for girls and boys to access services, participate meaningfully, be protected from harm and realize their full potential;

6. 6

   Deeply concerned that overlapping global crises — climate change, conflict, displacement, economic pressures and rapid technological transformation — are deepening inequality and insecurity, and that children, though least responsible for these crises, are most profoundly affected by them;

7. 7

   Convinced that investment in children is among the most powerful and cost-effective investments any society can make, yielding returns across generations in health, learning, productivity, social cohesion and peace, and that the cost of inaction is borne by those least able to afford it;

8. 8

   Recognizing that parents or, where applicable, legal guardians have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of children, with the best interests of the child as their basic concern; that safe, supportive and nurturing family environments are fundamental to children’s growth and wellbeing; and that States have a responsibility to provide appropriate assistance to parents and caregivers in fulfilling their responsibilities, while respecting children’s rights and evolving capacities;

9. 9

   Acknowledging that in many countries the systems that support children remain fragmented, under-resourced and insufficiently coordinated, and that a more integrated, child-centred approach is required so that every child is protected, can survive, thrive and reach her or his full potential;

II Our Commitments

We therefore commit, in accordance with our national contexts, priorities and capacities, to:

1. 10

   Advance next-generation, child-sensitive social protection systems that progressively achieve universal coverage — expanding coverage and adequacy of child and family benefits, improving accessibility of social insurance schemes, strengthening the responsiveness of social protection to shocks including climate-related and economic crises, providing parental leave, and harnessing digitalization to simplify support for children and families while safeguarding child inclusion, privacy and human dignity;

2. 11

   Strengthen inclusive, integrated and resilient child protection systems as a core government priority, supported by adequate and sustainable public financing, to prevent and respond to all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of children in all settings, including online; ensure that every child and family can access a quality continuum of prevention, early intervention and response services, progressively expanding equitable coverage and quality; and invest in a skilled social service workforce, accessible child-friendly justice and reporting mechanisms, family strengthening, and coordinated action across social protection, health, education and justice sectors;

3. 12

   Strengthen measures to protect children’s rights and safety in digital environments, including by preventing and responding to online sexual exploitation and abuse, cyberbullying and other online harms, while safeguarding children’s rights to privacy, freedom of expression and access to information; promote age-appropriate digital literacy and awareness among children, parents, caregivers and professionals; and enable children to participate meaningfully in shaping the digital environments that affect their lives;

4. 13

   Invest in the early years and in inclusive, quality education as foundations of lifelong wellbeing, expanding access to early childhood development, nurturing care, parenting support and inclusive education, so that every child — including children with disabilities and children in vulnerable situations — can develop, learn, participate and reach their full potential;

5. 14

   Invest in equitable, integrated and resilient health systems, grounded in primary health care, to advance universal health coverage without financial hardship and promote the survival, health, development and wellbeing of all children and adolescents — accelerating action to end preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths; ensuring continuity of quality care responsive to age-specific needs from pregnancy through childhood and adolescence, including immunization, nutrition, mental health and psychosocial support, and prevention and management of communicable and noncommunicable diseases; investing in a skilled and supported health workforce, access to quality-assured essential medicines and diagnostics, and coordinated referral pathways for treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care; promoting safe, healthy and accessible environments that protect children from injuries and harmful environmental and commercial exposures; and maintaining essential health services during emergencies and climate-related shocks;

6. 15

   Accelerate joint action against childhood cancer and other childhood diseases through equitable access to early detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and palliative care, strengthened international cooperation and knowledge exchange, and a commitment to helping every child survive and thrive beyond treatment;

7. 16

   Support parents and caregivers in fulfilling their primary responsibilities for the upbringing, development and protection of children by investing in accessible and inclusive family support services, parenting programmes, social protection and other appropriate measures, particularly for families facing vulnerabilities, to promote nurturing care, prevent violence and neglect, and reduce unnecessary family separation;

8. 17

   Prepare children and young people for the economies and societies of tomorrow, including through green and digital skills, pathways to decent work — with particular attention to the employment and inclusion of youth with disabilities — and the responsible, safe and ethical use of new technologies;

III Financing the Future

1. 18

   Recognize that political commitment must be matched by financial commitment, and accordingly resolve to prioritize and progressively increase public investment in children across social protection, early childhood development, health, education and child protection, to the maximum extent of available resources, while safeguarding essential child-related services during periods of fiscal constraint;

2. 19

   Strive to make national budgets child-sensitive by improving the transparency, efficiency, equity and accountability of public spending on children, prioritizing investments across the life course, especially in the early years, and strengthening capacity to track, evaluate and communicate the impact of such spending, including, where appropriate, through data disaggregated by sex, age, disability and other relevant characteristics, while respecting privacy and data protection safeguards;

3. 20

   Call upon international financial institutions, development partners, philanthropies and the private sector to scale up financing, innovative financing instruments and technical cooperation in support of national strategies for children’s wellbeing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and countries affected by conflict, climate change, displacement, natural disasters and disease outbreaks;

IV Working Together

1. 21

   Commit to strengthening international, regional and South-South cooperation, and to sharing evidence, data, innovation and practical solutions across countries, in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection safeguards, so that progress achieved anywhere can accelerate progress everywhere; and enhance cooperation among competent authorities, including secure and lawful information exchange where necessary, to support family tracing, reunification and family-based care for children in cross-border situations, guided by children’s best interests, safety and views and by applicable international standards;

2. 22

   Affirm that children and adolescents are rights holders and agents of change in their own right, and commit to institutionalizing their safe, inclusive and meaningful participation in the decisions that shape their lives, including in the follow-up to this Declaration;

3. 23

   Agree to pursue the implementation of this Declaration through the national policies, strategies and budgets of participating countries, with nationally determined, time-bound targets, clear institutional responsibilities and regular reporting on equitable access, service quality and outcomes; use existing national monitoring systems to review progress in relevant international and regional forums, including the follow-up processes of the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and reconvene to assess progress and renew our common resolve;

4. 24

   Invite the co-hosting organizations, in cooperation with the Government of Uzbekistan, to support States in translating this Declaration into action, including through technical assistance, monitoring of progress and the facilitation of partnerships announced at this Summit;

5. 25

   Express our profound gratitude to the people and Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan for their hospitality and leadership in convening this Summit in the historic city of Samarkand — a crossroads of civilizations — and for their commitment to placing children at the heart of the global development agenda.