A new UN report has shown that women’s and children’s health has suffered globally, as the impacts of conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change converge, with devastating effects on prospects for children, young people, and women.
Data presented in the report shows a clear and critical regression across virtually every major measure of childhood well-being and many key indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The report, titled “Protect the Promise”, is published by global partners, including the World Health Organization, UNICEF, UNFPA, and other partners as a bi-annual summary of progress in response to the UN Secretary-General’s “Every Woman Every Child Global Strategy for Women, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health.”
An estimated 25 million children were either under-vaccinated or not vaccinated at all in 2021 – 6 million more than in 2019 – increasing their risk of contracting deadly and debilitating diseases.
UNICEF chief, Catherine Russell says the pandemic has raised the stakes for all vulnerable communities and reversed hard-won progress for women, children, and adolescents, “but global leaders are not powerless to change this.”
