Child Survival and Development
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Every year an estimated 9.2 million children worldwide under the age of five die from largely preventable causes. Some were directly caused by illnesses such as measles, polio or malaria, whereas others were caused by a lack of water and sanitation facilities. Malnutrition also plays a role in the majority of the deaths of children under five. 
A boy receives a measles vaccination at a temporary clinic in Lalomanu, a village on one of Samoa’s two main islands. Proper nutrition is needed to fight off diseases and develop a healthy mind and body. When children are well nourished, they can attend school and become a productive member of society.
© UNICEF/NYHQ2009-2042/David Youngmeyer
But it doesn’t have to be this way! We believe that all children deserve the healthiest possible start in life. Therefore, UNICEF is committed to provide every single child with vaccines, nutrition and access to safe water to secure child survival and development.
The issue
Safe water is fundamental to human life, yet more than 1 billion people do not have access to it. As a result, more than 5,000 children die every day from diarrhea and other water, sanitation and hygiene-related diseases and many more suffer and are weakened by illness. Additionally, malnutrition keeps children too weak to fight off illness, and they often become physically and mentally stunted. Therefore, thousands of children still die needlessly every day from diseases like malaria or tuberculosis.UNICEF's impact
Immunisation
UNICEF is the world’s largest purchaser of life-saving vaccines for children and their families reaching 56 per cent of the world's children as part of our commitment to improving child survival. In 2010 alone, UNICEF procured around 2.53 billion doses of vaccines, from polio and measles to tetanus, BCG and yellow fever vaccines, at a value of US$750 million.When war or natural disaster strikes, we do whatever it takes to get children immunised. We help broker ceasefires so that we can enter a war-torn region and vaccinate its children. After a disaster, we go door-to-door in the remotest areas to distribute lifesaving vaccines. But protecting a child’s health goes beyond immunisation. We are the world’s largest provider of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, which help protect families from malaria. Read about how UNICEF delivers vaccines to remotest areas.
Water and sanitation
We work in more than 90 countries, investing heavily in
water supplies and sanitation facilities for schools and communities,
and promoting safe hygiene practices. We are often the first one on the ground in emergencies, providing urgent relief to communities and nations threatened by disrupted water supplies and disease. Our commitment to securing household water and sanitation has freed girls and women from the long hours spent fetching water and reduced the incidence of illness, resulting in higher levels of productivity and increased income earning capacity for families.
Nutrition
UNICEF is there to make sure that all children get the proper nutrition they need to grow into healthy and productive adults.We supply much-needed vitamins and nutrients to the world’s most severely malnourished children. By holding nutrition classes in local health centres, UNICEF supports mothers who are having difficulties properly nourishing their children. We are also working to eliminate iodine deficiency, which can cause brain damage and physical impairment in children. Read about how UNICEF saved Ariane from malnutrition.
Join us in the fight for child survival and development.
