The future of tomorrow are the children of today.The world is fighting to meet the target of reaching the eight Millennium Development Goals by marking Universal Children's Day on November 20th.
A review of organizations dedicated to improving the quality of Children's lives. Presented through songs, news reports, mission statements and children.
By resolution 836(IX) of 14 December 1954, the General Assembly recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children. It recommended that the Day was to be observed also as a day of activity devoted to promoting the ideals and objectives of the Charter and the welfare of the children of the world. The Assembly suggested to governments that the Day be observed on the date and in the way which each considers appropriate. The date 20 November, marks the day on which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.
In 2000 world leaders outlined Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015. Though the Goals are for all humankind, they are primarily about children.
1. Malnutrition is a major contributor to the total global disease burden. More than one third of child deaths worldwide are attributed to undernutrition. Poverty is a central cause of undernutrition.
2. A key indicator of chronic malnutrition is stunting - when children are too short for their age group compared to the WHO child growth standards. About 178 million children globally are stunted, resulting from not enough food, a vitamin- and mineral-poor diet, and disease. As growth slows down, brain development lags and stunted children learn poorly. Stunting rates among children are highest in Africa and Asia. In south-central Asia 41% are affected.
3. Wasting is a severe form of malnutrition - resulting from acute food shortages and compounded by illness. About 1.5 million children die annually due to wasting. Rising food prices, food scarcity in areas of conflict, and natural disasters diminish household access to appropriate and adequate food, all of which can lead to wasting. Wasting demands emergency nutritional interventions to save lives.
4. Hidden hunger is a lack of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet, which are vital to boost immunity and healthy development. Vitamin A, zinc, iron and iodine deficiencies are primary public health concerns. About 2 billion people are affected by iodine deficiencies worldwide; and vitamin A is associated with more than half a million deaths of under-five children globally each year.
5. The rise in overweight and obesity worldwide is a major public health challenge. People of all ages and backgrounds face this type of malnutrition. As a consequence, rates of diabetes and other diet-related diseases are escalating, even in developing countries. In a few developing countries, up to 20% of children under-five are overweight.
6. Good nutrition during pregnancy ensures a healthier baby. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months, introducing age-appropriate and safe complementary foods at six months, and continuing breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond. About 20% of deaths among children under-five worldwide could be avoided if these feeding guidelines are followed. Appropriate feeding decreases rates of stunting and obesity and stimulates intellectual development in young children.
7. Nutritional problems in adolescents start during childhood and continue into adult life. Anaemia is a key nutritional problem in adolescent girls. Preventing early pregnancies and fortifying the nutritional health of developing girls can reduce maternal and child deaths later, and stop cycles of malnutrition from one generation to the next. For both girls and boys, adolescence is an ideal time to shape good eating and physical activity habits.
8. A lifetime of unhealthy eating and inactivity raises health risks over time - contributing to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and other problems. The global population is ageing: the number of people aged 60 and older will jump from 700 million today to 1 billion by 2020. Nutritional health at older ages will be a critical factor in the state of global health.
9. Nutrition information is required to identify the areas where nutritional assistance is most needed and monitor the progress of change. In 2006 WHO released international child growth standards that provide benchmarks to compare children's nutritional status within and across countries and regions.
10. Public education is another way to improve nutritional health. Starting in China during the Beijing Olympics, and continuing in other countries, WHO and Member States will promote "5 keys" to a healthy diet:
a. give your baby only breast milk for the first six months of life
b. eat a variety of foods
c. eat plenty of vegetables and fruits
d. eat moderate amounts of fat and oils
e. eat less salt and sugars
Resources
Kids Eat Right
November 2010, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and ADA Foundation officially launched their first joint initiative, Kids Eat Right. The two-tiered campaign aims to mobilize ADA members to participate in childhood obesity prevention efforts, and to educate families, communities, and policy makers about the importance of quality nutrition.
Mission: The Kids Eat Right campaign was launched to support public education projects and programs that address the national health concern of obesity among our children.
To learn more about the Kids Eat Right Campaign visit:
Voices of Youth
More than ever before, young people are recognized as having rights - and as having an active role to play in asserting those rights.
helping Children through Education. Break the cycle of poverty with more than a handout. Build a school or well. It's not charity. It's sustainability.
We Day - Your Actions, Your Impact
Thousands of young people went to We Day then stood up and took action. Learn more at We Day 2010 is created by "Free The Children" to celebrate the power of young people to create positive change, We Day is a day-long event that ignites a year-long program for change, called We Schools in Action. In cities across Canada, the event brings inspirational speeches and performances to young leaders. Students then bring that energy home to take action on local and international issues all year long. Free The Children's We Day is the celebration, the inspiration and the vehicle for young people to change the world.
"Imagine a new idea as vital as democracy. Now imagine helping it spread quickly throughout the world! Child Honouring is one such idea, an idea whose time has come.
- Raffi
He is known to millions as "Raffi", a beloved songwriter and performer, author, ecology advocate and founder of Centre for Child Honouring. Child Honouring is a vision for creating a humane and sustainable world by addressing the universal needs of children.
To learn more about the Centre for Child Honouring, please visit the Centre for Child Honouring and join "the compassion revolution."
Covenant for Honouring Children
Turn This World Around
Raffi's tribute to humanity's hero sprang from Mandelas call to global leaders in 2000 to turn this world around, for the children. In 2001, Raffi sang this for Nelson Mandela at Torontos Ryerson University. The song expresses the essence of Raffi's Child Honouring philosophy, a children-first paradigm for societal change. A child-friendly world enriches all of us, and offers the best chance to create sustainable cultures. All children want to live in peace, and to follow their dreams.
