Resource Library

Improving Children's Lives Transforming the Future

25 Years of Child Rights in South Asia

Publisher: Unicef

Year: 2014

Page Numbers: 78

Acc. No: 4526

Class No: 305.23 IMP

Category: Books & Reports

Subjects: Children

Type of Resource: Monograph

Languages: English

In this report, UNICEF South Asia looks at the progress made over the past 25 years in respecting, protecting and fulfilling child rights in all eight countries in the region. Whilst impressive progress has been made for the millions of children living in South Asia, there are still huge improvements to be made. Child marriage continues to be prevalent with some of the highest rates in the world. Almost half of all girls in the region continue to be married before the age of 18. In Bangladesh, 2 out of 3 girls are married by the age of 18.The report looks at progress made throughout the life cycle of the child and illustrate promising trends, gaps and approaches which can accelerate change and transform their future. Key findings include: approximately 8 million children below the age of one are not immunized; more than 45 percent of girls marry before the age of 18, and 18 percent marry before age 15; South Asia is home to the largest number of stunted children in the world; nearly 700 million people still defecate in the open; and approximately 100 million children under five are not registered at birth. South Asia continues to be one of the riskiest places in the world to become pregnant or give birth, with the second highest number of maternal deaths worldwide. Far too many children get married, and far too many girls are never born.