Health, education and social welfare

The year 2022 was replete with major challenges: climate disasters, the war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as energy and food crises. Switzerland's engagement made an important contribution to efforts to overcome these pressing issues. The Swiss International Cooperation – Annual Report 2022 has compiled the key stories, facts and figures from this year.

As every year, from 22 to 25 May, a week at the UN in New York will be devoted to the protection of civilians. This is also one of Switzerland's thematic priorities for its membership of the UN Security Council. Find out how Switzerland is working in this area at the multilateral level and directly on the ground in conflict areas.

Over the past 30 years, the Kantha Bopha children's hospitals founded by Dr Beat Richner have significantly improved healthcare for people in Cambodia. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has backed these efforts since the very beginning and will continue to support the hospitals until 2027. SDC Director General Patricia Danzi signed an agreement to this effect with the Kantha Bopha Foundation on 17 February 2023.

Two hundred and twenty-two million children and young people around the world are affected by violent conflicts and humanitarian crises. Switzerland is working to protect these children, in the UN Security Council as well as in other bodies and through its international cooperation work. Syrian refugee children in Jordan and Lebanon are just one example of how Switzerland is restoring access to education – a key pillar of sustainable peace and development.

Main beneficiaries, but also actors: young people play a key role in education. This will be the focus of the International Cooperation Forum Switzerland (IC Forum), which will be held in Geneva on 15 February. Samuel Espinosa Gómez and Mohammed Habib Fuseini will travel from Mexico and Ghana to participate as young ambassadors.

In this interview, SDC Director General Patricia Danzi talks about the International Cooperation Forum Switzerland and explains why it's so important to include young people in the discussion. Education is one of the most important sustainable development goals of the 2030 Agenda – and it's also one of the goals that suffers from acute financing problems. What does that mean for those who are impacted? And most importantly, how can we stop this harmful trend? This year's edition of the IC Forum will shine a spotlight on education.