Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake on the Adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals

NEW YORK (September 25, 2015) – “Today’s welcome decision marks the end of a process – and a beginning. The drive to turn commitments into action.

“We will measure our progress, yes, through statistics. But the true measure will be in every child lifted out of poverty; through every mother who survives childbirth; every girl who does not lose her childhood to early marriage.

“By helping the most disadvantaged children today – by giving them a fair chance in life – we can help break the bonds of extreme poverty tomorrow.”

Background

The Sustainable Development Goals represent an ambitious global plan of action that aims to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger, provide quality lifelong education for all, protect the planet and promote peaceful and inclusive societies. They build upon commitments to children in the areas of poverty, nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation and gender equality contained in the SDG’s precursors, the Millennium Development Goals. Critically, the SDGs also include new goals and targets on child protection, early childhood education, and reducing inequality.

About UNICEF

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

For more information, contact: 

Sophie Aziakou, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 917.720.1397, saziakou@unicefusa.org