This sustained commitment to children has contributed to a remarkable decrease in childmortality that is unprecedented in human history. Over the past two decades, the number ofunder-five deaths has fallen dramatically, from nearly 12 million in 1990 to 6.9 million in 2011.
Steady progress has been made, but many more lives can be saved
World leaders have been steadfast in their commitment to child survival and well-being – starting in late 1989 with the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 1990, the global community united behind the World Summit for Children. A decade later, world leaders adopted the Millennium Declaration, which led to the subsequent adoption of the MDGs and positioned children at the centre of eight critical targets for human development. In 2002, the United Nations General Assembly passed a landmark resolution to build ‘A World Fit for Children’.
This sustained commitment to children has contributed to a remarkable decrease in child mortality that is unprecedented in human history. Over the past two decades, the number of under-five deaths has fallen dramatically, from nearly 12 million in 1990 to 6.9 million in 2011.
Yet, even as the global and regional under-five mortality rates have fallen, the number of child deaths still remains unacceptably high. Every year, millions of children die from causes that we have the power to prevent − and diseases that we have the ability to treat.
The time has come to recommit to child survival and renew the promise to give every child the best possible start in life.
Join us.
Committing to Child Survival
A Promise Renewed
Visit the website for additional information.
www.apromiserenewed.orgTwitter: #Promise4Children
Facilitated by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
For the first time in history we have the knowledge, technical expertise and innovative tools needed to mitigate the risk of young children dying from preventable causes. Evidence shows that tremendous progress is possible, even in the most difficult settings. By pledging support for A Promise Renewed, partners commit to redoubling efforts to accelerate the declines in the number of under-five and maternal deaths, enabling more countries to achieve MDGs 4 and 5 by 2015 and to sustain the progress well into the future.
Everyone has a role to play in achieving the goals of A Promise Renewed:
•Governments can take the lead in monitoring and strengthening country action plans for maternal, newborn and child survival.
•Developmentpartners can align their support with national priorities and targets.
•Privatesectorpartners can spur innovation and help identify new resources for maternal, newborn and child survival.
•Civilsociety can support the communities and families whose decisions and actions have a direct impact on prospects for maternal, newborn and child survival.
•Individualcitizens can demonstrate support for the principle that every last child, rich or poor, deserves the best possible start in life.
Join the global movement for child survival To advance Every Woman Every Child, an initiative launched by the United Nations Secretary-General, partners from the public, private and civil society sectors are uniting around a clear and compelling goal: ending preventable child deaths.
A Promise Renewed is a commitment to all
children, rich and poor, wherever they live.
No child should die of preventable causes.
Dramatic reductions in preventable child deaths can be achieved through concerted action in five critical areas:
Five priority actions
GeoGrapHy
Scale up efforts in the 25 countries that
account for 80 per cent of all under-five
deaths. While every region of the world
has made progress in reducing the
number of child deaths, high rates of
child mortality persist, particularly in
South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
HiGH-BUrDen popULations
Strengthen health systems to increase
coverage among underserved popula-
tions, including rural and low-income
groups. Coverage of proven interventions
and access to innovative products and
strategies must be expanded to reach the
children and families in greatest need.
HiGH-iMpact soLUtions
Intensify efforts to address the five
conditions responsible for almost
60 per cent of child deaths − pneumonia,
diarrhoea, malaria, pre-term birth
complications and intrapartum-related
complications.
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, 2012.
Percentage change, 1990 to 2011
Countries that achieved the greatest percentage declines in under-five mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) since 1990
0 25 50 75 100
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Timor-Leste
Liberia
Bangladesh
Rwanda
Nepal
Cambodia
Malawi
Madagascar
Bhutan
Ethiopia
Niger
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
United Republic of Tanzania
Zambia
Mozambique
Azerbaijan
Senegal
Haiti
Eritrea
72
70
68
67
65
64
64
64
62
61
61
60
58
57
57
54
53
52
51
51
Four countries
achieved a
reduction of
more than
two thirds
BANGLADESH
LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC
LIBERIA
68% declineU5MR 1990: 241U5MR 2011: 78
TIMOR-LESTE
GenDer eQUaLity
Invest in education for girls and women
and empower them to make decisions
that impact their lives. Promote women’s
rights, gender equality and inclusive
economic growth.
MUtUaL accoUntaBiLity
Build broad-based political support for
maternal, newborn and child survival;
monitor progress against a set of common
metrics; and encourage public dialogue
on the triumphs and challenges of efforts
to accelerate declines in preventable
maternal, newborn and child deaths.
72% declineU5MR 1990: 148U5MR 2011: 42
67% declineU5MR 1990: 139U5MR 2011: 46
70% declineU5MR 1990: 180U5MR 2011: 54
14,000
FEWERCHILDREN DIED EACH DAY
IN 2011 THAN
IN 1990
Renewing the Promise – to every child: It can be done!Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed is a global effort to accelerate action on maternal, newborn and child survival.
In June 2012, the Governments of Ethiopia, India and the United States convened more than 700 representatives from government, civil society and the private sector for the Child Survival Call to Action in Washington, D.C. Evidence presented at the high-level forum demonstrated that it is feasible to eliminate the grossest of inequities – the disparate child survival rates that persist between the poorest and richest nations. A modelling exercise showed that most countries can lower national rates of child mortality to 20 or fewer deaths per 1,000 live births by 2035.
To make the most of this extraordinary opportunity, governments and partners are uniting under the banner of A Promise Renewed to support concerted action on three fronts:
Strengthening evidence-based country action plans: Participating governments are sharpening their country action plans to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and setting five-year milestones to monitor progress from 2015 to 2035.
Monitoring and reporting: Governments and partners are increasing the availability and accessibility of data and analysis on maternal, newborn and child mortality to encourage stronger accountability for child survival. Each year, UNICEF and partners will release global progress reports to stimulate public dialogue and sustain the political commitment to child survival.
Promoting global communication and social mobilization for child survival: Governments and partners are mobilizing broad-based social support for the principle that no child should die from preventable causes. By harnessing the power of mobile technology, governments and partners are engaging all citizens, especially women and youth, in the search for innovative solutions to maternal, newborn and child survival.
Many countries have achieved marked declines in child
mortality over the past two decades, including some that
had very high mortality rates in 1990.
Globally, reductions in under-five mortality rates, combined
with declining fertility rates in many regions and countries,
have lowered the number of child deaths from nearly
12 million in 1990 to 6.9 million in 2011.
Note: This map is stylized and is not to scale. It does not reflect a position by UNICEF on the legal status of any country or territory or the delimita-tion of any frontiers. The dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the Parties. The final boundary between the Republic of the Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been determined. The final status of the Abyei area has not yet been determined.
