Introduction
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© UNICEF/ Romania016/Bivol |
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Breastfeeding in a maternity hospital |
UNICEF assists in efforts to improve the health and nutrition of children and mothers.
One of UNICEF’s top priorities is the fight against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We make available information that encourages safe behaviour by young people, and promote their participation in various activities that foster social, school and professional integration.
HIV/AIDS
- Millennium Development Goal 6: Combat HIVAIDS, malaria and other diseases;
- Over 7,000 children and youth affected by HIV/AIDS, mostly adolescents infected between 1987-1991;
- Discrimination and stigma are still widespread: more than 20% of women and over 30% of men would deny an HIV-positive student access to school[1], with even higher levels in rural areas;
- Social inclusion is still a concern;
- Overall low HIV prevalence rate, at less than 0.1%;
- The incidence of HIV among 15-29-year-olds (173 new cases in 2007) has increased through heterosexual transmission: from a total of 136 new cases registered in adults (over the age of 14) in 2007, 117 were heterosexually transmitted;
- Growing concern of increasing prevalence among high-risk groups, including most-at-risk adolescents (MARA) and young people, intravenous drug users, and sex workers;
- While comprehensive knowledge about HIV is low, awareness is very high and the use of condoms is increasing.
Health and nutrition
Millennium Development Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
- The Under-five Mortality Rate (U5MR) dropped more than half in 2007, to 15 per 1,000 live births, from 31.0 in 1990;
- Infant mortality (IMR) and U5MR rates are higher in rural areas and among the Roma population.
Millennium Development Goal 5: Improve maternal health
- The Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) was 15 per 100,000 live births in 2006, down from 33 in 2000;
- Women exposed to the risk of maternal death are mainly from rural areas.
