UN-backed World Summit Investing in Children's Wellbeing opens in Samarkand

21 October 2026

The UN-backed World Summit Investing in Children's Wellbeing opened in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on 21 October 2026.
It brought together more than 600 participants from over 100 countries.
The Government of Uzbekistan organised it with the Office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the World Bank.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a message that "when we invest in children, we invest in the future".
UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman noted that only 36 per cent of assessable SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress.
He set out four priorities, beginning with "put children before process".