“A future for the world's children? A WHO–UNICEF–Lancet Commission” (2020), by Helen Clark et al. Health Professions research paper. Original abstract below, unchanged. No free PDF was found.

A future for the world's children? A WHO–UNICEF–Lancet Commission

Helen Clark, Awa Marie Coll‐Seck, Anshu Banerjee et al. · February 1, 2020 · Health Professions

Abstract

Despite dramatic improvements in survival, nutrition, and education over recent decades, today's children face an uncertain future.Climate change, ecological degradation, migrating populations, conflict, pervasive inequalities, and predatory commercial practices threaten the health and future of children in every country.In 2015, the world's countries agreed on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), yet nearly 5 years later, few countries have recorded much progress towards achieving them.This Commission presents the case for placing children, aged 0-18 years, at the centre of the SDGs: at the heart of the concept of sustainability and our shared human endeavour.Governments must harness coalitions across sectors to overcome ecological and commercial pressures to ensure children receive their rights and entitlements now and a liveable planet in the years to come. Invest in children's health for lifelong, intergenerational, and economic benefitsThe evidence is clear: early investments in children's health, education, and development have benefits that compound throughout the child's lifetime, for their future children, and society as a whole.Successful societies invest in their children and protect their rights, as is evident from countries that have done well on health and economic measures over the past few decades.Yet many politicians still do not prioritise investing in children, nor see it as the foundation for broader societal improvements.Even in rich countries, many children go hungry or live in conditions of absolute poverty, especially those belong ing to marginalised social groups-including indigenous populations and ethnic minorities.Too often, the potential of children with developmental disabilities is neglected, restricting their contributions to society.Additionally, many millions of children grow up scarred by war or insecurity, excluded from receiving the most basic health, educational, and developmental services.Decision makers need a longterm vision.Just as good health and nutrition in the prenatal period and early years lay the foundation for a healthy life course, the learning and social skills we acquire at a young age provide the basis for later development and support a strong national polity and economy.Highquality services with universal healthcare coverage must be a top priority.The benefits of investing in children would be enormous, and the for Sick Children, Toronto, OT, Canada (

Source page DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32540-1