30 January 2014: The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has published the ‘State of the World’s Children 2014 in Numbers: Every Child Counts,’ with the theme of ‘Revealing disparities, advancing children’s rights.’ The report emphasizes the importance of credible, inclusive data about children’s situations to realize children’s rights, improve their lives and expose and address unequal access to protection and services.

“Tremendous progress has been made during the past few decades,” according to the report. It highlights gains including: reduced mortality rates; reduced measles deaths due to increased immunization coverage; improved nutrition; increased primary school enrollment; and improved access to sanitation.

However, “children’s chances differ” depending on the wealth of their country, their location within their country, and their gender. The report underscores uneven distribution of deprivations and gains. For instance, while 2.1 billion more people have access to improved drinking water since 1990, 83% of those without safe drinking water live in rural areas. The report also notes ongoing violations of children’s rights, such as deaths from preventable causes, child labor, youth marriages and violent discipline.

The report stresses the need to count children to make them visible and to address their needs and advance their rights. Tessa Wardlaw, UNICEF, said “Further progress can only be made if we know which children are the most neglected, where girls and boys are out of school, where disease is rampant or where basic sanitation is lacking.” The report highlights innovations in data collection, analysis and dissemination that make it possible to target children who have been overlooked or excluded by broad averages.

The interactive report website includes sections on numbers, indicators, collecting and analyzing data, the report and statistics. Users can click on an interactive picture to read boxes on indicators, such as the use of improved drinking water sources and sanitation facilities, and their application to children, such as the number of children who die each day because of poor water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Statistical tables display national economic and social statistics on children’s well-being. [UNICEF Press Release] [Report Website] [Publication: State of the World’s Children 2014 in Numbers]