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“Investing in Children Now” has been developed by the EU offices of the member organisations of Joining Forces to recommend to the EU to shape a Multiannual Financial Framework with a strong child-focused external dimension.
The strength and future prosperity of the European Union (EU) depend fundamentally on the well-being and potential of all children, wherever they are. As the EU begins in earnest its plans for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, it faces both a significant opportunity and a moral imperative: to prioritise investments in children across its humanitarian aid and development cooperation efforts. By strategically allocating resources to address the immediate needs and long-term development of children, the EU can protect their rights, strengthen resilience in crisis-affected regions and promote sustainable, inclusive growth in partner countries – ultimately contributing to a more stable, equitable, and prosperous world for all.
In this position paper, Joining Forces, an alliance of the six largest child-focused international NGOs, outlines how the next MFF must strategically put children at the core of its external dimension.
For the future MFF, Joining Forces calls on the EU to:
- Put the most vulnerable children at the centre of the external dimension of the MFF. The EU must prioritise children facing poverty, conflict, displacement or discrimination in its external action – placing their rights, protection and development at the core of its policies and funding.
- Keep separate the EU’s external financing instruments, to address children’s specific needs. Merging instruments risks losing focus. Keeping NDICI-Global Europe, IPA and Humanitarian Aid distinct helps ensure tailored and effective support for children in all contexts.
- Ensure ambitious child-focused ODA funding across these three funding instruments. The EU must dedicate ambitious child-focused Official Development Assistance across the humanitarian aid, development and pre-accession funds – meeting children’s needs and protecting their rights.
- Track and report the levels of child-focused external investment. Transparency matters. The EU must track how much of its external funding goes to children and report publicly – to assess impact and improve accountability.