UNICEF’s highly anticipated global flagship report, The State of the World’s Children 2024, was unveiled today, drawing attention to the profound challenges and opportunities children will face in the coming decades. Titled “The Future of Children in a Changing World,” the report was launched in India by UNICEF India Representative, Cynthia McCaffrey, alongside Suruchi Bhadwal, Director of the Earth Sciences and Climate Change Program at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), two young advocates, and UNICEF India Youth Advocate Kartik Verma. The launch event emphasised the need to prioritise children’s rights and futures in the face of sweeping global changes.

The report looks ahead to 2050, exploring three major global megatrends—demographic shifts, climate and environmental crises, and frontier technologies—that are expected to fundamentally reshape the lives, rights, and opportunities of children across the world. These trends will impact everything from children’s health and education to their access to technology and essential services.

Reflecting on the report’s findings, Cynthia McCaffrey urged global leaders and policymakers to act now to ensure a better future for children. “The three megatrends highlighted by the State of the World’s Children report compel us to examine how to support countries in creating a future that advances the rights of every child,” she said. “Decisions made today will shape the world our children inherit in 2050. We have both the opportunity and the responsibility to build a prosperous and sustainable future for all children. Placing children and their rights at the center of all strategies, policies, and actions is the way forward.”

The report projects that by 2050, the global child population will stabilise at around 2.3 billion, though the distribution will shift significantly, with India, China, Nigeria, and Pakistan set to account for more than a third of the world’s children. In India alone, the child population will remain at approximately 350 million—despite a decline of 106 million from current figures. Addressing this challenge will require focused investment in education, healthcare, child benefits, and skills development to ensure that children and young people can thrive in an increasingly complex world.

One of the report’s most pressing findings concerns the escalating impact of climate change. Nearly one billion children already live in countries highly vulnerable to climate hazards, and this figure is expected to rise dramatically in the coming decades. Children, especially those in rural and low-income communities, face heightened risks from extreme heatwaves, floods, wildfires, and cyclones—threats that will increasingly disrupt their health, education, and access to clean water. The Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) ranks India 26th globally for its children’s exposure to climate risks such as extreme heat, floods, droughts, and air pollution.

Suruchi Bhadwal from TERI underscored the disproportionate impact of climate change on children, saying, “Climate change affects children differently, both directly and indirectly, by threatening their health, education, and safety. Children have a vital role to play in the fight against climate change. As active agents of change, they can contribute immensely to global climate action.”

Another key area explored in the report is the role of frontier technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), which hold both promise and peril for children. AI is already embedded in many aspects of children’s lives—through apps, toys, virtual assistants, games, and learning software. However, the digital divide remains stark, with 95% of people in high-income countries having internet access compared to only 26% in low-income nations. Closing this divide will be crucial for ensuring that all children can fully benefit from technological advances and are protected from potential risks.

The report also emphasises that government investments in child survival, education, healthcare, gender equality, and sustainable urban development will play a pivotal role in shaping the impact of these megatrends. In India, for instance, where the child population is expected to account for 15% of the global total by 2050, strategic planning is essential to help children reach their full potential.

Cynthia McCaffrey highlighted India’s progress in advancing children’s rights but stressed the need for continued investment in health, education, and technology to meet future challenges. “India has made significant progress toward children’s rights,” she said. “But we must ensure that the coming decades prioritise child-centered investments in health, education, and skills, while bridging the digital divide and investing in child-friendly urban infrastructure.”

In a powerful message, UNICEF India Youth Advocate Kartik Verma, who participated in COP29, shared insights from his experience, emphasising the importance of integrating climate education into school curriculums. “Climate change is a child rights crisis,” he said. “It’s affecting our health, education, and well-being. At COP29, I saw young people from around the world demanding urgent action and presenting innovative solutions. We need to ensure that climate education becomes part of every child’s learning journey.”

The State of the World’s Children 2024 report was launched on November 20, coinciding with World Children’s Day—a global day of action for children, with a special focus on listening to their voices and understanding the future they envision. In solidarity with the report’s findings, several iconic monuments across India, including the Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, and Qutub Minar, were illuminated in blue to mark the occasion, symbolising the commitment to child rights and a brighter future for every child.

The blue lights served as a reminder of the ongoing need to support every child, ensuring they can grow up in a world that is just, equitable, and sustainable. UNICEF’s call to action is clear: by prioritising children today, we can create a future that is brighter for all.