The Early Years

The Early Years

Adolescence

Adolescence

 

The Early Years

© UNICEF Iran

Although infant and child mortality rates have decreased, rural children in the Islamic Republic of Iran still face many challenges.

Iran's comprehensive primary health care system means Iranian children today have a much better chance at survival than their parents did. The probability of dying before reaching the age of five (under-five mortality rate) is 3.9%, a rate which puts the Islamic Republic on par with countries like Egypt, Morocco and Turkey (State of the World’s Children Report, 2005). However, drastic regional disparities make life in rural areas of the country much harsher than in urban centres.

Although infant and maternal mortality rates have decreased, malnutrition, diarrhoeal disease and micronutrient deficiencies remain a challenge in the most disadvantaged provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan, Hormozgan and West Azarbaijan.

Nationally, more than 95% of children are fully immunized, but the figures are far lower in the disparity regions. Children in these provinces also suffer from lower rates of birth registration and from wasting, stunting and being underweight.

© UNICEF Iran

Nasrin Soltani, 7, is one of thousands of children who benefit from a network of rural child care centres.

Although she has yet to start school, Nasrin Soltani has already learned to read and write. Nasrin attends kindergarten five days a week at a Rural Child Care Centre (RCCC) in Ilbolaghi, a small village in West Azarbaijan province. Putting the finishing touches to a drawing she has been working on she said, “I come here every day because I love this place.” Children attending the centre read stories and poems, draw, sing and play games. “I’d like to be a doctor when I grow up,” said Nasrin.

UNICEF provided instrumental support to the State Welfare Organization in initiating this concept, starting with 42 centres in the most deprived provinces. Building on the success of this model, the Government has now established around 3,600 centres. The centres offer health and nutrition services in addition to pre-school and cognitive development activities.

UNICEF is also advocating for universal birth registration, a prerequisite for the fulfilment of children’s rights. Monitoring routine vaccination activities and strengthening the country’s capacity for vaccine planning and forecasting is another important activity to ensure uninterrupted immunization services. Support is given also to growth monitoring, to identify and treat cases of child malnutrition.