Children at the heart

To succeed, the FCDO must put children and their rights at the heart of decision making 

By Sacha Deshmukh, Unicef UK Executive Director

Today formally marks the day that two iconic British institutions – the Foreign and Commonwealth Department and the Department for International development – will come together as one Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).  

The Prime Minister has stated that the FCDO must have British values and traditions at its heart. I would argue that it would be impossible to achieve this ambition without putting our children at the forefront of its purpose. To give every child the best start in life, regardless of their background, is a goal that every Briton could get behind. 

The new department must continue to play a leading role in protecting children. Whilst progress has been made, children are still bearing the brunt of protracted conflicts, natural disasters, and now the coronavirus pandemic which is the biggest and most urgent global crisis children have faced since World War Two. We must keep up the momentum. 

We must utilise the UK’s innovation, influence and investment

Just last week we received the news that wild polio had been eradicated in all African countries and the UK’s contribution to this has been substantial. With a laser focus on innovative ideas and innovations, I wonder which of today’s crises we could have changed in 30 years’ time? Maybe all children across the world will be vaccinated from all deadly diseases? Could education inequalities be a thing of the past? Perhaps we will have succeeded in ensuring the right equipment and training for neonatal care so that every child at least enters the world on an equal footing. 

As I see it, the merger of the Department for International Development and Foreign and Commonwealth Office presents an opportunity to reaffirm Britain’s role as a compassionate, ambitious and outward-looking leader on the global stage. A new Department with the right aspirations and expertise has the potential to create a brighter future for children and transform the UK’s influence around the world.  

5 things the new FCDO can do to help protect children

On his first day in the expanded Department, here are five things Dominic Raab can do that we know will unleash the potential of the world’s children:  

1. Recommit to world-leading manifesto pledges to transform the life chances of the world’s children.
   The Government has committed to end preventable child and maternal deaths, get girls learning and help developing countries turn the tide against climate change and species loss. The coronavirus pandemic has profoundly impacted on these goals, and on children’s lives and rights. Children cannot afford for these issues to fall off the agenda now.
2.  Unite one Government behind one vision for children.
   It’s been nearly five years since the UK Government’s Aid objectives were last set out and a lot has changed since then. It’s time for the government to put forward a new, cross-governmental compelling vision for UK Aid with a clear focus on children and their rights both in response to the coronavirus pandemic and this merger. It is vital that the Government uses this opportunity to coordinate and strengthen Overseas Development Aid spending across Government departments.
3. Seize upcoming global opportunities to solve global problems.
   Next year the UK will lead the world in hosting the G7 summit and COP26. The Secretary of State should clearly state his ambition for these moments from day one of his new department – putting his marker down and showing how he means to continue. Past G7 summits have been a catalyst in driving coordinated, life-saving action on key development issues. And this is the UK’s chance to showcase our ambition in making the world a better place for children.
4. Be a champion for children and young people.
   The new Department has an opportunity to listen to children and ensure that their voices and rights are respected, promoted and upheld across their work. To build a better tomorrow we must look to future generations to inform decision-making which empowers bright futures for children growing up today. Unicef UK’s Youth Advisory Board would be happy to make some suggestions!
5. Strengthen the power of multilateralism.
   The UK has a proud history of shaping multilateralism for the world’s benefit. Multilateralism was the solution to emerge from the Second World War – a rules based international system that upholds human rights and fairness to create a level playing field, through which all countries can benefit. It must be the solution that follows this crisis now. Recent months have underlined the critical need for a coordinated response to global challenges. The new FCDO must support global multilateral institutions. 

This merger presents an opportunity to reset and refocus on unleashing the potential of the world’s children.

We are looking to Dominic Raab to bring the full weight of the UK’s innovation, influence and investment to prioritise our young – they are looking to us to for a better world and a brighter future and there can be no better vision to guide the new department.