Recent cuts to foreign assistance endanger the lives of children and also affect the worldwide programme work of Save the Children. The situation in many of the countries where we work is becoming increasingly challenging, and the cuts will make it more difficult to carry out humanitarian and development work in the long term - with serious consequences for millions of children.

Help for children cannot wait

Save the Children International has long-standing partnerships with international governments, including the US government, to ensure that children worldwide have the best possible opportunities for a healthy and safe life. Recent cuts to foreign assistance are shutting down the programmes designed to help them, leaving children to suffer more than they already are.

Around 25 per cent of Save the Children’s global projects are at risk. Our Swiss-funded programmes are not currently directly affected by the cuts, but we are deeply concerned about developments that will cost children lives.

The effects of the cuts are immediate

Children’s needs cannot be paused, particularly when one in eleven children globally already need lifesaving humanitarian assistance. The effects of the cuts are immediate and severe: Hundreds of thousands of children facing war, starvation, poverty and disease are being denied food and medical support with essential supplies held up at borders and in warehouses. A pause in aid means that children will suffer more than they already are.

Sick and injured children will arrive at shuttered health clinics with nowhere else to go; children will be lucky to get one meal a day; children will be forced into work or marriage when their schools shut down; children who have experienced trauma will have to try coping alone. Life for millions will come to a grinding halt.

1 in
11 children

globally already need lifesaving humanitarian assistance.

Foreign aid ensures the survival of children

Foreign aid is far more than a short-term measure – it is a beacon of hope and creates long-term stability. When aid is cut, it sends shockwaves around the world, disrupting economies, eroding long-won progress for children and communities. Beyond meeting children’s most urgent needs, foreign assistance opens pathways for peace, thriving communities, global security and economic stability.

Switzerland has a humanitarian tradition that dates back more than a hundred years. We call on the Swiss government to send a clear signal of solidarity and not to remain silent in the face of this development. At the same time, we are strengthening our cooperation with philanthropic partners - foundations, companies and individuals. Our vision is a world in which children can confidently enjoy their rights.

Adrian Förster
Adrian Förster CEO of Save the Children Switzerland

Save the Children remains committed
in Switzerland and worldwide

Our Swiss-funded projects are not currently directly affected by the cuts. However, the situation in many of the countries where we work is becoming increasingly challenging, and the cuts will make it more difficult to carry out humanitarian and development work in the long term – with serious consequences for millions of children.

Throughout Save the Children’s history, we’ve risen to new challenges. Strengthened by the support of our donors and partners, we’re resilient and determined to do whatever it takes for children. That’s why now, more than ever, it is our collective responsibility to step up. We owe children a brighter future than they are facing now. They need the support of us all to fill the enormous funding gaps that threaten their survival today, their well-being tomorrow and the lives of children for generations to come.

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