Life and Development | | Movimento Globale per i Diritti dell’Infanzia

Every child has the right to live in a healthy and protected environment, and at a standard of living that allows for his or her full physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development.

Articles 3, 6, 24, 27
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989, considerable progress has been made. However, much remains to be done. The life chances of millions of girls and boys differ drastically depending on the country they are born in, the community around them, their gender, social class and circumstances.

In 2019, air pollution contributed to nearly 500,000 deaths among infants in the first month of life. In fact, air pollution is responsible for 20 per cent of newborn deaths worldwide, most of which are related to the complications of low birth weight and preterm birth (State of Global Air 2020).

Worldwide, almost one in three children - about 663 million - live in poverty. Of these, more than half - about 385 million - live in extreme poverty, having to survive on less than $1.90 a day. According to ISTAT figures, 1.4 million children in Italy live in absolute poverty. This means that one in 10 families with underage children live in absolute poverty while more than 1 in 4 children are at risk of poverty.

Globally, almost two-thirds of children are not protected from the long-term consequences of poverty. For those affected by humanitarian crises, the challenges intensify. Poverty deprives children of the things they need most for survival and development, such as food, water, education, health services and hygiene.  Even when it is not a matter of material deprivation, having fewer opportunities in any of the above conditions can limit one’s chances of realising one’s future aspirations. This results in a loss of potential not only for the children themselves, but for society as a whole. (UNICEF 2023)

The ratification of the Convention in virtually all countries of the world (with the exception of the United States of America) represents a concrete opportunity to accelerate the realisation of children’s rights for every child, girl child and adolescent. Together - governments, business, society and every single citizen - we can make the world a better place to grow up in.

Allocating sufficient resources for policies and programmes related to children, adolescents and families, particularly those in need, and establishing concrete measures for work/life balance and the promotion of equal opportunities, is an important step towards a fairer, more equitable and responsible world, fit for children.