WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA are jointly organizing a high-level meeting aimed at accelerating progress towards achieving MDGs 4 and 5 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
It is estimated that 923 000 children under 5 years old and around 39 000 women of childbearing age die every year in this region as a result of common childhood diseases and pregnancy-related complications. Mortality levels are particularly high in poor, rural and underserved areas, among malnourished children and pregnant adolescents. There is thus an urgent need to increase efforts to implement effective interventions to achieve the MDG targets.
High-level delegates are expected to attend from all Member States in the Eastern Mediterranean, including the ten priority countries identified under the Secretary General’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health: Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen.
UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO, along with UNAIDS, UN Women and the World Bank, work together as the H4 in a joint effort to improve the health of women and children and accelerate progress towards achieving MDGs 4 and 5. The H4 serves as the lead technical partners for the United Nations Secretary-General's Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health .
