Open Letter to African Heads of State

Dear Esteemed Leaders, 

As child rights advocates, we are calling on all African Heads of State to reverse the decades of underinvestment in children which threatens Africa’s future prosperity. 

Investments in childhood, notably young children, provide a firm foundation for growth and development. As children thrive, economies grow, nations and communities prosper, and a more sustainable and peaceful future is possible. 

Africa’s child population – our greatest asset – is projected to reach one billion by 2055. The World Bank estimates this ‘demographic dividend’ could generate an 11-15 per cent boost to growth in Africa in the next five years. But capitalising on this opportunity requires targeted investment in human capital now, to deliver the expected return later. 

While national budgets have grown significantly in most African countries, social sector spending continues to be insufficient for addressing what children need to thrive. Most countries do not reach the allocation benchmarks for education and health. 

Not only is there too little spending, but domestic resources are too skewed towards secondary school age, targeting children far too late in their lives with African countries spending 16 times more on a child aged 15 than on a one-year-old. For example, what is the point of investing predominantly in secondary schools and universities if 4 out 5 children in African cannot read a simple text? 

Further to this, just one in seven children in Africa is covered by social protection, leaving the vast majority behind. Current spending falls far short, especially amidst a cost of living crisis. This is not just a moral failure but an economic one. Social protection is an investment that drives jobs, productivity, and growth – all critical to realizing the bold ambitions many of you hold. 

Meanwhile, child protection services are critically underfunded, with governments allocating just 0.2 per cent of budgets. Violence against children costs billions each year, yet without sustainable financing, even the best laws fall flat. 

Progress is happening across the continent. Child mortality was halved between 2000 and 2022 thanks to focused investments, and access to safe water has doubled and birth registration has risen. But, the pace of overall development is insufficient to meet the 2030 SDG targets. To leverage the demographic dividend in these last, critical years to come, we must invest in the interventions that are proven to work best. 

Early childhood support has a powerful, proven impact on cognitive and emotional development, laying the groundwork for a strong future workforce. Yet only 6.5 per cent of Africa’s social spending goes to children aged 0-5, compared to 27 per cent in G20 countries – a stark and inefficient imbalance. Investing later, without a strong early foundation, delivers diminished returns. Worse, current spending often misses the poorest and most disadvantaged communities who need it most. 

To mark this year’s Day of the African Child, we are strongly urging you as our African leaders to prioritise early childhood development and protection in spending portfolios. UNICEF recommends an increase in social protection spending by two percentage points each year and for child protection spending to reach at least 1 per cent of national budgets. 

Addressing this dangerous underinvestment has never been so urgent. International aid funding cuts are creating a global child emergency. The unprecedented scale and speed of change is disrupting critical services and putting the lives and wellbeing of millions of children at risk across the continent. 

For too long, Africa has relied on international aid, which in several countries is equivalent to more than half of government revenues. Many African countries now face budget deficits as well as a new debt crisis, with governments often paying more on servicing debt than on healthcare. With limited fiscal space, we urge you to reframe child-focused budgeting as a strategic investment for the continent’s economic future, not a discretionary expense. 

Budgeting for these measures would be the greatest birthday gift to any child born on the continent today and the most effective strategy for ensuring the world’s fastest growing young population – and your economies and societies – are future fit.