INTRODUCTION

As conflict, instability and increasing extreme weather continue to drive the world’s most vulnerable children and their families into desperate need, children’s rights are under threat. Equipping communities, partners, and governments to act ahead of a crisis can be a vital way to save lives and livelihoods, reduce costs, empower communities and enhance resilience. Save the Children has committed to integrating anticipatory action into programs and systems and working with partners, governments, communities and vitally, children themselves, to anticipate and act ahead of crises.

Save the Children aims to leverage the power of anticipatory action to reduce the impact of predictable crises on children so they can survive, learn, and be protected. Guided by our Framework for Anticipatory Action, we continue to build the systems, skills, and partnerships needed to act early and effectively — while advocating for a global shift toward child-centered, locally led anticipatory approaches.

In 2024, Save the Children and partners reached more than 360,000 people, including more than 160,000 children, through anticipatory action for drought, flood, heatwaves, and disease outbreaks. These actions helped preserve children’s access to education and healthcare, protect household incomes, and reinforce community resilience. Timely interventions enabled early evacuation, access to clean water and cash assistance, and the set-up of temporary learning spaces. Meaningful engagement with communities and children fostered ownership and innovation, while strengthened early warning systems and cross-sector coordination improved overall preparedness.