As World Leaders Gather at UN General Assembly, Save the Children Calls for Urgent Action to Protect Kids

NEW YORK (September 21, 2026) — As world leaders gather for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Save the Children U.S. President and CEO Janti Soeripto is calling for greater urgency to protect children facing conflict, hunger and preventable disease – and for new approaches to financing and delivering life-saving humanitarian and development assistance.

"Around the world, one billion children lack access to basic needs to survive, including nutritious food, clean water and quality education,” Soeripto said. "Behind that number are children who are hungry, displaced, frightened and missing out on the chance to learn and thrive. We have the tools to help them. The question is whether we will act. The cost of waiting is measured in children's lives.

"Education must be part of that response. For a child living through conflict or displacement, a school can be a lifeline – a place to learn, feel protected and begin imagining a future beyond the crisis."

The scale and complexity of today's crises require the humanitarian sector to change how it works, Soeripto noted.

"We are facing a humanitarian system under enormous pressure, with needs rising while resources are shrinking. The traditional ways of delivering assistance will not be enough for the challenges ahead and we are positioning ourselves to be more flexible and agile to meet children's needs," she said.

That is the rationale behind the Impact Alliance, a collaboration between Save the Children, CARE and Prosper Global (formerly known as Mercy Corps) designed to explore new ways of delivering humanitarian assistance that are more connected, efficient and locally led. Through Save the Children Global Ventures, the organization is also investing in innovations such as new prosthetic technology for children and clinical tools that help frontline health workers make better decisions.

"We are building new partnerships and exploring new sources of support so that children are safe, healthy and thriving," Soeripto said. "We invite leaders and innovators around the world to join us as we envision the future for children together."

"The United States has enormous capacity to lead – not only through government, but through philanthropy, business, technology, universities and civil society.

"Let's be ambitious about what is possible. We should expect our institutions to work together. We should expect innovation to deliver results. We should expect funding to reach children faster. And we should use every tool available to prevent suffering rather than simply responding after it has happened.

Soeripto concluded: "At UNGA, there will be many important conversations about systems, strategies and geopolitics. Let’s never lose sight of what those words mean for a child. To a child, it's about having enough food to eat, a place to learn and knowing they’re safe and protected. That is the frame of mind we should take into every room at the United Nations and to decision-makers around the world."

Janti Soeripto is leading Save the Children's U.S. delegation at UNGA81, where Save the Children will focus on advancing child survival, nutrition and under-5 mortality, education and humanitarian diplomacy while helping to shape a more effective global response for children and families in need. Among other engagements, Soeripto will be speaking at Goals House and Devex Impact House @ UNGA. 

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