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Samarkand summit on child wellbeing opens as Guterres says investing in children is investing in the future

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The UN-backed Samarkand summit, the World Summit Investing in Children’s Wellbeing, opened in Uzbekistan on 21 October 2026 with more than 600 participants from over 100 countries, UN News reported. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a message that “when we invest in children, we invest in the future”.

Samarkand summit: The historic Registan square in Samarkand, illuminated at night
The historic Registan square in Samarkand, illuminated at night Photo: UN News (editorial use with credit).

Guterres warns progress on child wellbeing is under threat

The message was read by Sabine Mahl, the UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan. Guterres warned that conflicts, economic pressure, health emergencies, poverty and climate shocks put children at risk, especially those from vulnerable groups. He noted that aid is falling while developing countries carry heavy debt, which is why the summit focuses on systems that must work together rather than a single programme. The summit was organised by Uzbekistan with the office of the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children, UNICEF, WHO and the World Bank.

Key Facts

  • Summit: World Summit Investing in Children’s Wellbeing
  • Opened: 21 October 2026, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
  • Participants: 600+ from 100+ countries
  • SDG targets on track or moderate progress: 36%
  • Childhood cancer cases a year: about 400,000 (WHO)

“A declaration cannot vaccinate a child. A promise itself cannot pay a teacher.”

— Khalilur Rahman, President of the UN General Assembly (via UN News)

Khalilur Rahman: a declaration cannot vaccinate a child

UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman said “a target matters when a child eats, learns, receives treatment and returns home safely”. With only 36 per cent of assessable SDG targets on track or making moderate progress, he urged faster action. He set four priorities: put children before process, build services around their needs, reach those furthest behind, and match promises with financing and deadlines. He also called for child-centred approaches to artificial intelligence. Uzbekistan’s First Lady Ziroat Mirziyoyeva said experts expect deaths among children under five to rise in 2025 for the first time this century as aid declines.

Uzbekistan and childhood cancer in focus at the Samarkand summit

Mahl said preschool enrolment in Uzbekistan has risen from 27 per cent in 2017 to 78 per cent in 2026, more than 10,000 children with disabilities attend mainstream schools, and about 1.5 million families receive social assistance. The country adopted a law in 2025 to protect children from all forms of violence. The summit includes a Second International Congress on Childhood Cancer. WHO says more than 80 per cent of children with cancer are cured in high-income countries but fewer than 30 per cent in many low- and middle-income countries; about 400,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed each year, and WHO aims to raise global survival to 60 per cent by 2030. In Tashkent, the state-run Mehrli Maktab, or “caring school”, lets children aged two to 18 keep studying during long cancer treatment. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children, said children “have voices, ideas, expertise, and urgency”. Organisers gave prominence to children’s own voices, and former students of the Tashkent school attended to share their experiences.

Why It Matters: With aid budgets shrinking, the summit is pushing governments to put child services into their own budgets, which affects health and school spending decisions in many developing countries.

Also on TrendDesh: Bangladesh child marriage: UNICEF chief Catherine Russell calls for end as 47% of women wed before 18 · Afghanistan hunger: UN says food is in markets but families cannot afford it as winter nears

Source: UN News, 21 Oct 2026 · UNICEF · WHO: childhood cancer

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