Statement: UNICEF Annual Session 2026

UNICEF Annual Session 2026

Statement after the vote by H.E. Anna Jóhannsdóttir, Permanent Representative of Iceland to the UN

Thank you, President.

I deliver this statement on behalf of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and my own country, Iceland

We regret that consensus was not possible on this decision. It represents a further challenge to the Executive Board’s tradition of working by consensus, particularly on issues that go to the effectiveness, accountability and integrity of UNICEF.

It is particularly disappointing that a decision focused on organisational culture and diversity, which is key to addressing well-being, leadership accountability and inter-agency collaboration was called to a vote.

We supported this decision because we believe a safe, respectful, ethical, diverse and inclusive working environment is central to UNICEF’s ability to deliver for children. This is not a secondary concern, but a core enabler of programme delivery, risk management, staff performance and institutional trust.

Our view is that this decision, which is the result of collaborative negotiations, is balanced and constructive. It recognises the importance of UNICEF management leadership, and includes key requests for practical measures, including with respect to improving gender equality, youth engagement and disability inclusion; better monitoring of the impact of organisational change on staff well-being; encourages the use of staff survey data; and underlines the value of independent perspectives. These are appropriate and necessary areas of Board oversight.

At a time when UNICEF is managing significant internal organizational change, including through the Future Focus Initiative and the wider UN80 process, it is especially important that staff trust, psychological safety and well-being are monitored carefully and addressed transparently. Organisational transformation will only succeed if it is carried out in a way that brings staff with it, listens to concerns, and mitigates risks to morale, inclusion and delivery.

Our support for this decision should therefore be understood as support for UNICEF’s staff, UNICEF’s leadership, and UNICEF’s mandate. UNICEF’s dedicated and hardworking staff are the organisation’s most valuable asset. We encourage UNICEF to continue its work to achieve a diverse and inclusive organisational culture where staff members respect, enable and empower each other, which in turn enables UNICEF to achieve impactful and sustainable results for children.

We remain committed to engaging constructively with UNICEF and all Board members on these issues, and we hope that the Board can return to consensus on this important agenda item in future sessions.