As many as 224 million children around the world are not counted by the monitoring systems used to measure country level progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.1 If these children are not included in the data, they are statistically invisible and at serious risk of being left behind. When children are counted, they are more likely to be included in government programs which help to ensure they grow up healthy, safe, and better-prepared to contribute positively to their societies.

Ninety colleagues from 60 organizations came together in July 18-19, 2017 at the Yale Club in New York City to explore child-data gaps and why they exist; how such gaps relate to the United Nation’s promise to “leave no one behind”, and what practical steps can be taken to break down barriers to ensure that children are included and benefit from the commitments made in the Sustainable Development Goals.

This report summarises the outcomes of this event and proposes next steps.