Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Survive to five

By Andy Griffiths - posted Monday, 5 October 2009


The United Nations recommends developed countries contribute 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product to overseas development assistance. As a start, Australia should contribute 0.47 per cent of GNI to overseas aid by 2010-11, the equivalent amount of an average donor country. Other countries such as Norway contribute twice this amount to international development programs.

More funds and many more trained health workers are needed to accelerate progress towards reducing by two-thirds the under-five, child mortality rate by 2015. This would fulfil Millennium Development Goal Four - one of several goals that form a global blueprint developed by world leaders in 2000 to halve global poverty by 2015.

More funding is needed to tackle malnutrition and a lack of food security and make health services more accessible to marginalised communities.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, in Australia, Indigenous children are three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than non-Indigenous children.

About 85 per cent of deaths occur in children aged one and under, exacerbated by maternal health factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption by expectant mothers. Poor breastfeeding rates are also a problem because children miss out on antibodies in breast milk that provide resistance to infections.

The Council of Australian Governments has vowed to halve the gap in child mortality for Indigenous children under five by 2017-18. Investing in better data collection would lay the foundation for more effective policies aimed at reducing Indigenous child mortality even further - by two-thirds before 2015.

Developing a national education strategy targeting Indigenous mothers about the importance of antenatal care and a national network of Indigenous community-controlled health care centres for remote communities would improve survival rates for Indigenous children.

Extending paid parental leave from the Federal Government’s commitment of 18 weeks’ leave to six months would allow mothers to bond with their children and establish breastfeeding. Introducing this scheme next year instead 2011 means many more children would benefit.

Every child deserves the right to a happy and fulfilling life - governments at all levels should take urgent action to save the lives of as many children as possible.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All

Today Save the Children in Australia launches the Survive to Five campaign to reduce child mortality across the globe.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Andy Griffiths is a children’s book author and an ambassador for Save the Children in Australia.

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment Comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy