LONDON, England, May 19, 2026 — New ONE Campaign report warns aid cuts could cause one additional child death every 35 seconds by 2030.

• Almost 4.9 million children already die every year before their fifth birthday, almost all of these deaths are from preventable or treatable causes.
• New analysis from the ONE Campaign warns that aid cuts could result in one child dying every 35 seconds by 2030, equivalent to an additional 5.4 million child deaths. 
• A child born in sub-Saharan Africa is around fourteen times more likely to die before age five than a child born in Northern America or Western Europe.
• The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and confirmed cases in Uganda are a stark reminder that weakened health systems and infectious diseases do not respect borders.
• The outbreak comes amid wider reductions in international health funding, including UK government cuts affecting The Pandemic Fund, WHO, Gavi, the Global Fund and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, raising concerns about the future of global disease prevention and response.

The report from the ONE Campaign, produced in partnership with Project Everyone and launched on the first day of the Global Partnerships Conference hosted by the UK and South African governments, warns that decades of progress on child survival are now at risk of going into reverse.

The warning comes as the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread into Uganda, renewing attention on the consequences of underinvestment in healthcare systems.

The Hope Report 2026: A Chance For Every Child says that for the first time in living memory, the number of children dying before their fifth birthday has stopped falling after decades of steady progress. It argues that “hope is on hold” as conflict, economic instability, climate shocks and cuts to development assistance place hard-won gains under renewed pressure.

Based on modelling published in The Lancet, the report estimates that aid cuts could contribute to 5.4 million additional child deaths by 2030, equivalent to one child dying every 35 seconds over six years.

Adrian Lovett, UK Executive Director of the ONE Campaign, said: 

“One of the great success stories of the last generation has been the dramatic fall in child mortality. Millions of children are alive today because governments, health workers and international partners chose to act together.

That’s why this moment is so alarming. Progress that once seemed unstoppable is now stalling, and in some places beginning to reverse.

Leaders must make the right decisions and investments now in international cooperation to determine whether millions more children get the chance not just to survive, but to thrive.”

The report warns that these deaths are not driven by a lack of medical solutions but by failures in delivery, with underfunded and overstretched health systems unable to reach children with proven interventions.

It also highlights the broader economic consequences of stalled progress. When children die from preventable causes, countries lose not only lives but future productivity, workforce capacity and long-term economic growth, meaning today’s reversals risk locking in future inequality.

Countries including Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, Chad and South Sudan are highlighted as among the most dangerous places in the world to be born, reflecting persistent and widening inequality in child survival.

The launch of the report coincides with the opening day of the Global Partnerships Conference, co-hosted by the UK government alongside South Africa, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and British International Investment. The conference is focused on building new coalitions to tackle shared global challenges, mobilise investment, and strengthen country-led systems.

Adrian Lovett added: “We welcome the leaders gathering in London this week and we agree that international cooperation needs a reset. But discussions about new partnership models must still be grounded in outcomes. Stronger partnerships and innovative financing only matter if they ultimately help save lives, strengthen health systems and give children the chance to survive and thrive.

The current Ebola outbreak is a reminder of what is at stake when those systems are weakened.”

The report argues that supporting children to survive and thrive should sit at the centre of this agenda, and aligns with the UK government’s ambition to develop new forms of partnership. It finds that the strongest and fastest progress on child survival has come where countries are in the driving seat, shaping and delivering their own health systems, building domestic capacity, and setting their own priorities, supported by long-term international partnership.

Kate Garvey, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Project Everyone, said: 

“The story of child survival over the last generation is proof that progress is possible. Millions of children are alive today because countries, communities and global partners came together with determination and innovation.

That progress is now under pressure, but it is not beyond our reach. We already know how to save children’s lives and help them thrive. The question now is whether we choose to build on that progress together, with the ambition and urgency this moment demands.”

The report concludes that progress on child survival is not inevitable, it depends on political choices being made now on aid, financing and international cooperation.

Read The Hope Report 2026: A Chance For Every Child here.

Notes to Editors: 

• The Hope Report 2026: A Chance For Every Child is published by the ONE Campaign in partnership with Project Everyone.
• The report is being launched on the opening day of the Global Partnerships Conference in London on 19 May 2026.
• The Global Partnerships Conference is co-hosted by the UK government, South Africa, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and British International Investment.
• The report states that almost 4.9 million children currently die every year before their fifth birthday, with almost all deaths considered preventable or treatable.
• The estimate that one child could die every 35 seconds by 2030 due to aid cuts is based on modelling published by The Lancet.
• Since 1990, global under-five mortality has fallen by more than 60%.
• Vaccination programmes have saved more than 150 million lives globally.

About The ONE Campaign:  

ONE is a global, nonpartisan organization advocating for the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa. Since 2004, we have helped secure more than $1 trillion in new investments to build a safer, more prosperous world. Our trusted advocacy combines hard-hitting data, grassroots activism and political engagement to influence decision-makers and drive lasting change. Learn more at ONE.org. 

About Project Everyone

Project Everyone is a not-for-profit creative and communications agency on a mission to use the Global Goals to create a fairer, greener world by 2030 – leaving no one behind. We believe that “to make things happen, you have to make things.”

We make campaigns, one-of-a-kind events, ground-breaking content, learning resources and unique partnerships…all so that we can make an impact on progress for people and the planet.

Contact: [email protected] / 07462256646