03 February 2010
Children
Worldwide, 10 million children die each year before their fifth birthday. The vast majority of these deaths occur among children born in low- or middle-income countries, and within these countries, among children of more disadvantaged households and communities. Even in high-income countries such as the United Kingdom, infant mortality is higher among disadvantaged groups.
There is an urgent need to address these mortality inequities. Equally important, at least 200 million children are not achieving their full developmental potential, with huge implications for their health and for society at large. Experiences in early childhood (defined as prenatal development to 8 years of age), and in early and later education, lay critical foundations for the entire lifecourse (ECDKN, 2007a). It is better for the individual child, and for society – in rich and poor countries alike – to provide a positive start, rather than having to resort to remedial action later on. Building on the child survival agenda, governments can make major and sustained improvement in population health and development, while fulfilling their obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, by using a more comprehensive approach to the early years of life. [Source: Commission on Social Determinants of Health Final Report, 2008, p.50]