What the Leadership at UNICEF Needs Now. By Edgard Seikaly

The Leadership UNICEF Needs Now:

Systems. Integrity. Moral Courage.

For nearly eight decades, UNICEF has protected the lives and dignity of children around the world. But the world has changed. Conflicts are longer, climate shocks are growing, and trust in global institutions is eroding. Children are increasingly caught in the crossfire of geopolitics, economic instability, and humanitarian crises.

This moment demands a new kind of leadership one grounded not only in diplomacy, but in operational understanding, institutional integrity, and moral courage.

James P. Grant demonstrated how bold leadership could mobilize the world to save millions of children through the Child Survival Revolution. And Dag Hammarskjöld reminded us that global institutions must ultimately serve humanity, guided by integrity and the willingness to shoulder responsibility even when the political environment is uncomfortable. Together, their examples show that transformative leadership requires both ambition and moral clarity.

After decades working across fragile contexts, one lesson is clear: protecting children is never only about aid delivery. It is about systems. When supply chains function, health systems operate with integrity, and national institutions are resilient, children survive and thrive. When those systems fail, children suffer first.

The next chapter of UNICEF must therefore focus on three priorities:

• Strengthen national systems that protect children

• Restore trust in global institutions through integrity and accountability

• Speak clearly and consistently for the rights and dignity of children

The world does not need institutions that merely manage crises. It needs institutions capable of strengthening systems, defending human dignity, and acting with integrity even when it is politically difficult.

UNICEF was built on that principle.

Renewing it may be the most important task ahead.