16 June 2009, On Day of The African Child, UNICEF calls for collective action to improve child survival in SudanKhartoum, Sudan – On this year’s Day of the African Child UNICEF is calling for collective action to tackle Sudan’s child mortality rates and improve child survival throughout the country. “While recognizing that progress is being made to reduce child mortality in Sudan, based on Sudan’s under-five mortality rates, UNICEF estimates that for every ten children born in the country today, the probability is that one will not survive to celebrate his or her fifth birthday,” said UNICEF’s interim Representative Per Engebak. “Each of those deaths represents a loss of vital potential and opportunity for the future; a price that no country – especially Sudan – can afford to pay,” he added. “The Day of the African Child provides us with a reminder that we must all work together tirelessly to reduce that human cost, reducing disparities between communities and paying special attention to vulnerable groups of children who face particular threats to their survival.” Since the signing of Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, renewed efforts have been made by the Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan and their partners to address child survival, including the launch of a Sudan Accelerated Child Survival Initiative (ACSI) that aims to reduce child deaths from preventable diseases and malnutrition. ACSI brings together a package of cost-effective measures delivered in the heart of communities – including polio and measles immunization, vitamin A supplementation, provision of anti-malaria bed nets, administering of de-worming tablets, and health, hygiene and nutrition education – while improving the skills and capacity of local health workers. The initiative, which has reached more than 6 million children across Sudan in 2009 alone, aims to help prevent the deaths of at least 120,000 children by the end of this year and will contribute towards the Millennium Development Goal of reducing under-five mortality by two-thirds by 2015. The theme for the 2009 Day of the African Child is "Africa Fit for Children: Call for Accelerated Action towards their survival". Contributing to this ideal in Sudan will require concerted efforts by all agencies, says Per Engebak. “Reducing child mortality in Sudan can only be achieved through a shared commitment at all levels of society, including governments, the international donor community, UN agencies such as UNICEF, local community bodies, and individual families,” he said. “As Africa comes together to commemorate this important day we hope there will be a renewed determination across Sudan to tackle the underlying causes of child mortality, and to recognize that protecting the fundamental rights of all children to survive and develop is a shared responsibility." Notes for editors The Day of the African Child marks the occasion in 1976 when children in Soweto in South Africa spoke out against the inferior quality of their education and demanded their right to be taught in their own language. Sadly, their complaints were met with a violent response, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people and the injury of more than 1,000. The Day was established in memory of their sacrifice, and to provide an opportunity to draw the world’s attention every year to continued neglect of children’s rights in Africa.
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