Launching The State of the World’s Children Report 2008 in the Maldives
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Media Advisory
Launching the State of the World's Children Report 2008 in the Maldives
When:
31 January 2008, 10:AM-11:00AM
What:
Launching of UNICEF flagship report the State of the World's Children (SOWC) 2008, followed by Q&A discussion of child survival and nutrition challenges in the Maldives.
Who:
Minister of Health Honorable Ilyas Ibrahim
UN Resident Coordinator Patrice Coeur-Bizot
UNICEF Representative Ken Maskall
World Health Organization Representative Dr.Jorge Luna
Where:
UN Conference Room
UN Building, Male', Republic of Maldives
Background Information:
The 2008 edition of UNICEF's flagship report The State of the World's Children focuses on child survival and highlights strategies that can help reduce the number of children who die before their fifth birthday.
In 2007, UNICEF reported that for the first time in modern history, under-five mortality has fallen below 10 million per year. SOWC 2008 goes beyond the numbers to suggest actions and initiatives that should lead to further progress, such as exclusive breastfeeding, immunization, insecticide-treated bed nets and Vitamin A supplementation, and emphasizes the need to involve local communities.
In the case of the Maldives, the country has already achieved the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Target 5: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate. However, it is not yet reached MDG target 2: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.
The 2001 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) revealed that 30% of children under 5 are underweight in the Maldives. The same data showed 25% of children under five to be stunted and 13% wasted. These high malnutrition rates, coupled with difficult access to improved health services and the declining prevalence of healthy caring practices threaten to reverse the substantial progress established in chiild survival. The launch of SOWC will draw attention to these challenges and look at the health and nutrition programmes supported by the Government, UNICEF, WHO and other partners to fulfill the right of all Maldivian Children.
For further information, detailed programme and interviews please contact:
Piyali Mustaphi (UNICEF) Tel: (960) 3343321 Email: pmustaphi@unicef.org
Hawla Ahmed Didi (UNICEF) Tel: (960) 3343330 Email: hadidi@unicef.org
Sherine Guirguis (UNICEF) Tel: (960) 7906977 Email: sguirguis@unicef.org
Yumna Rasheed (UNICEF) Tel: (960) 7782603 Email: yrasheed@unicef.org
SOWC Launch Event Agenda