IAS Daily Dose: Current Affairs 2013 for UPSC IAS Exam - Child Survival Call to Action Forum convened in US

According to the data released by UNICEF Worldwide, under-5 mortality has declined from more than 12 million deaths in 1990 to 7.6 million in 2010 thanks to new vaccines and improved health care practices, child deaths have been reduced by more than 50 per cent - yet thousands of children still die every day from preventable diseases.

Thus Child Survival Call to Action Forum was convened by the Governments of the United States, India, and Ethiopia in close collaboration with UNICEF in US to bring together an impressive array of public and private constituencies to identify the smart investments that can be dedicated to one ambitious, yet simple, goal – to end preventable child deaths.

The forum aims to raise global awareness of child survival challenges, celebrate the 70% reduction in child mortality over the past half-century and establish a global roadmap to end preventable child deaths in a generation.

The meeting asked governments and partners to sign A Promise Renewed, a pledge to work toward greater child survival.

As part of the Government Pledge, the heads of State and Government and representatives of States reaffirmed their commitment to children, and consistent with the Secretary-General's 'Every Woman Every Child' initiative pledged their support for the global movement to end preventable child deaths.

It asked the world to make specific plans to reduce child mortality to below 20 child deaths per 1,000 live births in every country by 2035. Child Survival Call to Action has drawn up a five-point plan to achieve that goal. It starts with increasing efforts in the 24 countries that account for 80 per cent of under-5 deaths. It also focuses on underserved populations, addressing the five causes of nearly 60 per cent of child deaths, as well as educating women and girls, and ensuring accountability.

The heads of States pledged that through national action and international cooperation they will take action to accelerate progress on newborn, child and maternal survival. They will hold themselves accountable for their collective progress towards this goal, and on behalf of all children everywhere, recommit their efforts to give every child the best possible start in life.

In September of each year, a child mortality report will be issued under the banner of A Promise Renewed, with country profiles that track progress at the national and sub-national levels. Governments will be encouraged to share lessons learned and to identify high-impact strategies, which will be posted on the website of A Promise Renewed and showcased at relevant meetings and events.