This high-level breakfast event, held during the 2025 UN General Assembly, will convene global leaders to accelerate action and investment to end childhood lead exposure. Anchored in the forward-looking agenda of the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future (PLF), the event will explore one central question:
What will it take—technically, politically, and financially—to achieve a lead-free future for children?
Lead poisoning affects 1 in 3 children worldwide, undermining health, education and economic potential—particularly in low- and middle-income countries. After decades of underinvestment, momentum is beginning to shift: governments are stepping up with stronger policies and programs, philanthropic support is expanding what is possible, and political will is aligning with global advocacy to drive change.
This moment—amid shifting development financing priorities—offers an opportunity to make the case for lead mitigation as an urgent and achievable goal within broader agendas on health, equity, education and climate resilience.
This event will be livestreamed on this event page on the day, with in-person attendance by invitation only.
Programme:
7:15 AM – Breakfast networking reception
7:45–8:45 AM – Programme featuring keynote and moderated panel discussions
Speakers:
- H.E. Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister, Bhutan
- Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations (video)
- Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF
- Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP
- Honourable Nurjahan Begum, Advisor to the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the Interim Government of Bangladesh
- Honourable Djami Diallo, Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development of Guinea
- Honourable Mekdes Daba, Minister of Health, Ethiopia
- Dr. Vu Manh Ha, Permanent Deputy Vice Minister of Health of Vietnam
- Tom Hird, Head of Grant Making, Lead Exposure Action Fund, Open Philanthropy
- Jessica Leighton, Public Health, Bloomberg Philanthropies