Investing in Children Now: A smart investment in a safer, prosperous, and stable world for all

As the EU shapes its next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034, it faces a critical choice: to invest in a fairer, more resilient world by prioritising children in its external action. This position paper by Joining Forces – an alliance of six leading child-focused international NGOs – calls on the EU to place the rights and well-being of the most vulnerable children at the centre of its humanitarian aid and development cooperation. The paper outlines clear recommendations: increase funding to crisis-affected and least developed regions, safeguard child-specific spending, and reject the merger of external financing instruments that risks diluting targeted support. It urges the EU to allocate €18.2 billion for humanitarian action, commit 20% of ODA to human development, maintain dedicated education in emergencies funding, and adopt a child marker to track investments.