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23 Jan 2026
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23 Jan 2026
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New York mayor Zohran Mamdani has been sent a baby box by the Scottish Government.
Scotland’s Social Justice Secretary, Shirley Anne-Somerville, said it would help the city’s leader develop his own plans for a “baby basket”.
The proposal formed part of the 34-year-old’s mayoral campaign which focused on the cost of living.
Mr Mamdani has previously mentioned Scotland, Chile and Finland as examples of where the policy has been introduced.
More than 360,000 baby boxes have been given out to Scottish parents since the launch of the scheme in 2017.
Every new mother is entitled to a box, which is delivered a few weeks before her due date, and includes items such as books, clothes and a digital thermometer, while the box itself can be used as a sleeping space.
This week Ms Somerville wrote to the mayor of New York City and delivered a baby box to the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs in Manhattan – a more than 3,000-mile journey.
The Scottish Government offered to work with the administration in New York City on child poverty and cost-of-living policies.
Commonly known as a “baby box,” the concept originated a century ago in Finland, where it’s now a universal program.
Scotland +Chile also provide them to every new family.
There are 91+ programs around the world + our federal government recently concluded a successful pilot.
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) January 7, 2025
The Social Justice Secretary said: “I read with interest that Mayor Mamdani was considering a baby basket scheme in New York and hope that, by sending a Scottish example, it will provide inspiration to help him to refine and develop his exciting policy.
“Scots share much in common with the people of New York, not least our history and heritage – as celebrated every year during New York Tartan Week.
“I’m proud that we can also share a commitment to tackling child poverty and addressing the cost-of-living for the people that we serve.
“Scotland’s baby box provides much needed essentials for when a child enters the world, and it recognises the financial burden of those first few months of parenthood.
“More than 360,000 children in Scotland have been supported since the programme was introduced in 2017, with around 90% of families continuing to take up the offer of a baby box for their new child.
“Over the years we have learnt a lot, and my door is always open as the New York City administration develops its new scheme.”
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