Publications

The State of the World’s Children 2009 examines the current state of maternal and neonatal health, explores the fundamentals of a supportive environment for mothers and newborns, and outlines ways to strengthen efforts in support of primary health care. The report highlights the importance of establishing a continuum of maternal and newborn care framework and the imperative of strengthening health systems and working together. Africa and Asia are a key focus of this report, which complements the previous year’s issue on child survival.

The State of the World's Children 2009 examines critical issues in maternal and neonatal health. It explains why support for the rights of women and children is a prerequisite for improving maternal and newborn health, emphasizes the need to establish effective continua of care and outlines ways to strengthen health systems.

In the course of UNICEF’s work during the past decade, the child-friendly school (CFS) model has emerged as the organization’s signature means to advocate for and promote quality education for every girl and boy. The model can be viewed as a package solution and a holistic instrument for pulling together a comprehensive range of interventions in quality education. As the main proponent of this model, UNICEF has developed the manual as a reference document and practical guidebook to help countries implement CFS.

The phrase ‘know your epidemic and response’ has become extremely important in the fight against HIV and AIDS. But to better serve children, knowing your epidemic and response must be paired with 'know your children'. This Third Stocktaking Report examines data on progress, emerging evidence, and current knowledge and practice for children as they relate to four programme areas, and it calls for several focused, concrete, achievable actions that can significantly improve prospects for children and women and help nations move towards their goals.

The summary version of Children and AIDS: Third Stocktaking Report, 2008.

A companion volume to Children and AIDS: Third Stocktaking Report, 2008, with statistical data for 157 countries and territories.

Millennium Development Goal 5 is to improve maternal health, and its bold target is to reduce the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters between 1990 and 2015. Still, each year more than half a million women die from pregnancy-related causes that are avoidable. At the present rate of progress, the world will fall well short of the MDG 5 target. This report details progress in maternal health and highlights areas where improvements are needed.

The sixth issue of Progress for Children reports on the status of child-specific targets set by world leaders at the May 2002 UN General Assembly Special Session on Children. This special edition examines more than 35 key indicators in the four broad areas identified at the Special Session as requisite to building ‘A World Fit for Children’. It also analyses the Millennium Development Goals and provides information on the state of child protection.