MANDALUYONG CITY, 12 May 2005 --- With more than one million under-five children dying each year in the East Asia and Pacific Region – and millions more at risk of never reaching their full potential due to poor nutrition and disease – UNICEF Regional Director Anupama Rao Singh today urged the region’s governments to invest more in health and nutrition interventions for pregnant women and infants.

At the first regional conference of national bodies and lead government agencies for children in East Asia and Pacific region, ongoing until 13 May in Mandaluyong City, Ms Rao Singh called on the delegates from 16 countries in the region to do more to help improve the survival, growth and development of the region’s children.

“One of the most pressing challenges in the region is the growing evidence of disparities, both economic and social,” Ms Rao Singh said.“

Five of the 10 countries for which data is available are at the threshold beyond which the risk of social instability is considered to increase significantly.”

The UNICEF Regional Director cited other challenges in the region:

Natural disasters. In 2004, over one-quarter of the world’s natural disasters occurred in East Asia and Pacific.

Maternal mortality. The majority of countries, including the Philippines, are unlikely to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality by three-quarters from 1990 to 2015.

Child malnutrition. Excluding China from the analysis, the regional prevalence of child under-nutrition, at 27 per cent, is almost equivalent to that in sub-Saharan Africa (29 per cent).

HIV/AIDS. The number of people living with the virus in East Asia rose by 50 per cent in 2002-2004.

Trafficking in humans. Roughly one-third of the global trafficking in women and children occurs within, or from, the region.

Violence against children. A survey conducted among children in the region in 2001 showed that 3 out of 10 children report violence in the family.

To address these challenges, Ms Rao Singh said there was a need for greater investment in children and women; better quality data; stronger partnerships for children with the private sector, NGOs, development sector and children themselves; comprehensive disaster risk reduction and awareness; and, sharing of experiences within the region and globally.

In particular, Ms Rao Singh focused on the role of national bodies to facilitate the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Since ratification of CRC in 1990 many countries have set up special bodies at the national level.

“There are four major roles that have emerged in national bodies or state mechanisms for implementation of CRC,” Ms Rao Singh said. “These are: (1) ensuring coordination of relevant activities; (2) promoting a comprehensive agenda for the realization of child rights; (3) monitoring progress; and, (4) making children more visible in government’s actions.

Aside from speaking at the regional meeting, Ms Rao Singh also participated in technical consultations with the World Health Organization (WHO). The consultations aim to formulate a joint WHO-UNICEF strategy for child survival.

With 45 per cent of the 1.1 million under-five deaths in the region each year related to problems around pregnancy – and more than half related to poor nutrition – Ms Rao Singh said there is a need to improve the status of the pre-pregnant and pregnant women by ensuring access to better nutrition and care during pregnancy, safe delivery by trained birth attendants, and support for care of newborn children.

Ms Rao Singh also visited Pasay City where she met Mayor Peewee Trinidad, toured the Doña Marta maternity and lying-in clinic, and met with members of the Barangay 193’s Council for the Protection of Children.

“The key to the sustainability of development programmes for children and women is the local chief executive,” Ms Rao Singh concluded.