UNICEF Regional Office for CEE/CIS organizes a Consultation on Child Injuries.
27/28 April 2006, Geneva, Switzerland Geneva, 27 April 2006. The Regional Office for UNICEF CEE/CIS (Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States) is hosting a Consultation on Child Injuries on April 27/28 in Geneva, Switzerland. Child injury has been a neglected issue in the region and the conference aims to push it further up the agenda. Worldwide, injury accounts for almost six million deaths each year (8% of all deaths). In most of the developing world, injury is the leading cause of death and disability among children above the age of one. Injury is a serious public health problem, with the greatest burden lying on the young and desadvantaged. Child injury has generally been associated with industrialized countries. However, a landmark UNICEF Study from Innocenti Research Centre in 2001 showed that over 98% of all child deaths due to injuries occur in developing countries. Injuries are a major unrecognised problem impairing the health and welfare of children and adolescents in the transition countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. In 1997, UNICEF CEE/CIS took part in a study on the impact of injury on children, which found that mortality rates from injuries, poisonings and violence are nearly five times higher in the CIS than in the European Union, and 2.5 times higher in Central and Eastern Europe. Child injury is marked by disparities. People living in absolute or relative poverty are at consistently increased risk. They have less access to preventive measures and means to alter their exposure to risk. Deaths from injury are only the tip of the iceberg. Non-fatal injuries causing permanent and temporary disabilities caused by injuries affect the development of societies at large. For every child who dies of injuries, there are an estimated 30 children disabled, 300 hospitalised and thousands given emergency treatment for their injuries. Preventing injury reduces the cost to health systems and to society. In 2002, in the 15 European Union Countries, the cost of treatment of injuries (all ages) reached 5.2% of total health expenditures or a total of over €10 billion. Evidence shows that preventive interventions and protective strategies do work and are cost effective. The Consultation on Child Injuries will bring together UNICEF experience from other parts of the world, HQ and partner organizations such as WHO and the European Child Safety Alliance.
Important events 2005/06 2005, April – The UNICEF Global Mini Consultation in Bangkok recommended inclusion of prevention of injuries into the MTSP Priority Area One – Child Survival and Development 2005, June - Slovenia Regional Consultation on Violence 2005, September - The 55th Session of WHO EURO Regional Committee discussed: The Injures in the WHO European Region: burden, challenges and policy response 2005, October - Pre-Event for the First European Conference on Injury prevention and Safety Promotion “Towards a Safer Europe”, Athens, Greece 2005, November - First meeting of MoH/WHO EURO focal points on violence and injury prevention, 17-18 November 2005, The Netherlands 2005, November – Roll out of WHO Global call for Action on Child Injuries, Geneva, Switzerland 2006, April - 8th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, Durban, South Africa 2006, March – First Global meeting of MoH/WHO focal points on violence and injury prevention, 31 March, Durban, South Africa 2006, June – The First European Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety promotion, EC/DG SANCO, Vienna 2006, June – Second meeting of MoH/WHO EURO focal points on violence and injury prevention, Vienna, Austria
UNICEF Regional Office for CEE/CIS Consultation On Child Injuries Background Note [Word] More information Consultation on Child Injury Prevention in CEE/CIS Regional Office Related links Injuries and violence in Europe, WHO European Child Safety Alliance UN Regional Consultation on Violence Against Children Child protection resource package In Serbia and Montenegro, particular attention was drawn to prevention of injuries, addressed in the manual published for parents, “Nezgode se desavaju: sta uraditi kada se dese i kako ih spreciti” (Prevention of childhood injuries.) Commitments to Child Injury Reduction
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