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Article 6: The right to life 1982, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- Moreover, the Committee has noted that the right to life has been too often narrowly interpreted. The expression “inherent right to life” cannot properly be understood in a restrictive manner, and the protection of this right requires that States adopt positive measures. In this connection, the Committee considers that it would be desirable for States parties to take all possible measures to reduce infant mortality and to increase life expectancy, especially in adopting measures to eliminate malnutrition and epidemics.
- Body
- Human Rights Committee
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Infants
- Year
- 1982
Paragraph
Article 24: Rights of the child 1989, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- The Covenant requires that children should be protected against discrimination on any grounds such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, national or social origin, property or birth. In this connection, the Committee notes that, whereas non discrimination in the enjoyment of the rights provided for in the Covenant also stems, in the case of children, from article 2 and their equality before the law from article 26, the non discrimination clause contained in article 24 relates specifically to the measures of protection referred to in that provision. Reports by States parties should indicate how legislation and practice ensure that measures of protection are aimed at removing all discrimination in every field, including inheritance, particularly as between children who are nationals and children who are aliens or as between legitimate children and children born out of wedlock.
- Body
- Human Rights Committee
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Year
- 1989
Paragraph
Article 24: Rights of the child 1989, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- Under article 24, paragraph 2, every child has the right to be registered immediately after birth and to have a name. In the Committee's opinion, this provision should be interpreted as being closely linked to the provision concerning the right to special measures of protection and it is designed to promote recognition of the child's legal personality. Providing for the right to have a name is of special importance in the case of children born out of wedlock. The main purpose of the obligation to register children after birth is to reduce the danger of abduction, sale of or traffic in children, or of other types of treatment that are incompatible with the enjoyment of the rights provided for in the Covenant. Reports by States parties should indicate in detail the measures that ensure the immediate registration of children born in their territory.
- Body
- Human Rights Committee
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1989
Paragraph
Reporting by States Parties 1989, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- A fifth objective is to provide a basis on which the State party itself, as well as the Committee, can effectively evaluate the extent to which progress has been made towards the realization of the obligations contained in the Covenant. For this purpose, it may be useful for States to identify specific benchmarks or goals against which their performance in a given area can be assessed. Thus, for example, it is generally agreed that it is important to set specific goals with respect to the reduction of infant mortality, the extent of vaccination of children, the intake of calories per person, the number of persons per health care provider, etc. In many of these areas, global benchmarks are of limited use, whereas national or other more specific benchmarks can provide an extremely valuable indication of progress.
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Year
- 1989
Paragraph
The nature of States parties’ obligations 1990, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- The means which should be used in order to satisfy the obligation to take steps are stated in article 2 (1) to be "all appropriate means, including particularly the adoption of legislative measures". The Committee recognizes that in many instances legislation is highly desirable and in some cases may even be indispensable. For example, it may be difficult to combat discrimination effectively in the absence of a sound legislative foundation for the necessary measures. In fields such as health, the protection of children and mothers, and education, as well as in respect of the matters dealt with in articles 6 to 9, legislation may also be an indispensable element for many purposes.
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Year
- 1990
Paragraph
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994, para. 8.14
- Paragraph text
- Child survival is closely linked to the timing, spacing and number of births and to the reproductive health of mothers. Early, late, numerous and closely spaced pregnancies are major contributors to high infant and child mortality and morbidity rates, especially where health-care facilities are scarce. Where infant mortality remains high, couples often have more children than they otherwise would to ensure that a desired number survive.
- Body
- International Conference on Population and Development
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994, para. 8.12
- Paragraph text
- Important progress has been made in reducing infant and child mortality rates everywhere. Improvements in the survival of children have been the main component of the overall increase in average life expectancy in the world over the past century, first in the developed countries and over the past 50 years in the developing countries. The number of infant deaths (i.e., of children under age 1) per 1,000 live births at the world level declined from 92 in 1970-1975 to about 62 in 1990-1995. For developed regions, the decline was from 22 to 12 infant deaths per 1,000 births, and for developing countries from 105 to 69 infant deaths per 1,000 births. Improvements have been slower in sub-Saharan Africa and in some Asian countries where, during 1990-1995, more than one in every 10 children born alive will die before their first birthday. The mortality of children under age 5 exhibits significant variations between and within regions and countries. Indigenous people generally have higher infant and child mortality rates than the national norm. Poverty, malnutrition, a decline in breast-feeding, and inadequacy or lack of sanitation and of health facilities are all factors associated with high infant and child mortality. In some countries, civil unrest and wars have also had major negative impacts on child survival. Unwanted births, child neglect and abuse are also factors contributing to the rise in child mortality. In addition, HIV infection can be transmitted from mother to child before or during childbirth, and young children whose mothers die are at a very high risk of dying themselves at a young age.
- Body
- International Conference on Population and Development
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Infants
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994, para. 8.18
- Paragraph text
- For infants and children to receive the best nutrition and for specific protection against a range of diseases, breast-feeding should be protected, promoted and supported. By means of legal, economic, practical and emotional support, mothers should be enabled to breast-feed their infants exclusively for four to six months without food or drink supplementation and to continue breast- feeding infants with appropriate and adequate complementary food up to the age of two years or beyond. To achieve these goals, Governments should promote public information on the benefits of breast-feeding; health personnel should receive training on the management of breast-feeding; and countries should examine ways and means to implement fully the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes.
- Body
- International Conference on Population and Development
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Persons with Disabilities 1994, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- According to the Standard Rules, "States should ensure that persons with disabilities, particularly infants and children, are provided with the same level of medical care within the same system as other members of society". The right to physical and mental health also implies the right to have access to, and to benefit from, those medical and social services including orthopaedic devices which enable persons with disabilities to become independent, prevent further disabilities and support their social integration. Similarly, such persons should be provided with rehabilitation services which would enable them "to reach and sustain their optimum level of independence and functioning". All such services should be provided in such a way that the persons concerned are able to maintain full respect for their rights and dignity.
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994, para. 8.23
- Paragraph text
- All countries, especially developing countries, with the support of the international community, should aim at further reductions in maternal mortality through measures to prevent, detect and manage high-risk pregnancies and births, particularly those to adolescents and late-parity women.
- Body
- International Conference on Population and Development
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994, para. 6.5
- Paragraph text
- In attempting to address population growth concerns, countries should recognize the interrelationships between fertility and mortality levels and aim to reduce high levels of infant, child and maternal mortality so as to lessen the need for high fertility and reduce the occurrence of high-risk births.
- Body
- International Conference on Population and Development
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994, para. 8.15a
- Paragraph text
- [The objectives are:] To promote child health and survival and to reduce disparities between and within developed and developing countries as quickly as possible, with particular attention to eliminating the pattern of excess and preventable mortality among girl infants and children;
- Body
- International Conference on Population and Development
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Infants
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994, para. 8.15b
- Paragraph text
- [The objectives are:] To improve the health and nutritional status of infants and children;
- Body
- International Conference on Population and Development
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994, para. 8.13
- Paragraph text
- The World Summit for Children, held in 1990, adopted a set of goals for children and development up to the year 2000, including a reduction in infant and under-5 child mortality rates by one third, or to 50 and 70 per 1,000 live births, respectively, whichever is less. These goals are based on the accomplishments of child-survival programmes during the 1980s, which demonstrate not only that effective low-cost technologies are available but also that they can be delivered efficiently to large populations. However, the morbidity and mortality reductions achieved through extraordinary measures in the 1980s are in danger of being eroded if the broad-based health-delivery systems established during the decade are not institutionalized and sustained.
- Body
- International Conference on Population and Development
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994, para. 8.9
- Paragraph text
- Through technology transfer, developing countries should be assisted in building their capacity to produce generic drugs for the domestic market and to ensure the wide availability and accessibility of such drugs. To meet the substantial increase in demand for vaccines, antibiotics and other commodities over the next decade and beyond, the international community should strengthen global, regional and local mechanisms for the production, quality control and procurement of those items, where feasible, in developing countries. The international community should facilitate regional cooperation in the manufacture, quality control and distribution of vaccines.
- Body
- International Conference on Population and Development
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Infants
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 1994, para. 7.6
- Paragraph text
- All countries should strive to make accessible through the primary health-care system, reproductive health to all individuals of appropriate ages as soon as possible and no later than the year 2015. Reproductive health care in the context of primary health care should, inter alia, include: family-planning counselling, information, education, communication and services; education and services for prenatal care, safe delivery and post-natal care, especially breast-feeding and infant and women's health care; prevention and appropriate treatment of infertility; abortion as specified in paragraph 8.25, including prevention of abortion and the management of the consequences of abortion; treatment of reproductive tract infections; sexually transmitted diseases and other reproductive health conditions; and information, education and counselling, as appropriate, on human sexuality, reproductive health and responsible parenthood. Referral for family-planning services and further diagnosis and treatment for complications of pregnancy, delivery and abortion, infertility, reproductive tract infections, breast cancer and cancers of the reproductive system, sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS should always be available, as required. Active discouragement of harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation, should also be an integral component of primary health care, including reproductive health-care programmes.
- Body
- International Conference on Population and Development
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1994
Paragraph
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995, para. 80g
- Paragraph text
- [By Governments:] Promote an educational setting that eliminates all barriers that impeded the schooling of pregnant adolescents and young mothers, including, as appropriate, affordable and physically accessible child- care facilities and parental education to encourage those who are responsible for the care of their children and siblings during their school years, to return to or continue with and complete schooling;
- Body
- Fourth World Conference on Women
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1995
Paragraph
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995, para. 106r
- Paragraph text
- [By Governments, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and employers' and workers' organizations and with the support of international institutions:] Promote public information on the benefits of breast-feeding; examine ways and means of implementing fully the WHO/UNICEF International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, and enable mothers to breast- feed their infants by providing legal, economic, practical and emotional support;
- Body
- Fourth World Conference on Women
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1995
Paragraph
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995, para. 277a
- Paragraph text
- [By Governments and, as appropriate, international and non-governmental organizations:] Promote an educational setting that eliminates all barriers that impede the schooling of married and/or pregnant girls and young mothers, including, as appropriate, affordable and physically accessible child-care facilities and parental education to encourage those who have responsibilities for the care of their children and siblings during their school years to return to, or continue with, and complete schooling;
- Body
- Fourth World Conference on Women
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Infants
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 1995
Paragraph
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995, para. 106l
- Paragraph text
- [By Governments, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and employers' and workers' organizations and with the support of international institutions:] Give particular attention to the needs of girls, especially the promotion of healthy behaviour, including physical activities; take specific measures for closing the gender gaps in morbidity and mortality where girls are disadvantaged, while achieving internationally approved goals for the reduction of infant and child mortality - specifically, by the year 2000, the reduction of mortality rates of infants and children under five years of age by one third of the 1990 level, or 50 to 70 per 1,000 live births, whichever is less; by the year 2015 an infant mortality rate below 35 per 1,000 live births and an under-five mortality rate below 45 per 1,000;
- Body
- Fourth World Conference on Women
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1995
Paragraph
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995, para. 83s
- Paragraph text
- [By Governments, educational authorities and other educational and academic institutions:] Remove all barriers to access to formal education for pregnant adolescents and young mothers, and support the provision of child care and other support services where necessary.
- Body
- Fourth World Conference on Women
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1995
Paragraph
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995, para. 108i
- Paragraph text
- [By Governments, international bodies including relevant United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral donors and non-governmental organizations:] Give all women and health workers all relevant information and education about sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS and pregnancy and the implications for the baby, including breast-feeding;
- Body
- Fourth World Conference on Women
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1995
Paragraph
The girl child 1998, para. g
- Paragraph text
- [Actions to be taken by Governments, civil society and the United Nations system, as appropriate:] Recognize and protect from discrimination pregnant adolescents and young mothers and support their continued access to information, health care, nutrition, education and training;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- CSW Agreed Conclusions / Declaration
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Girls
- Infants
- Youth
- Year
- 1998
Paragraph
Key actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the of the International Conference on Population and Development 1999, para. 18a
- Paragraph text
- [18. Governments of developing countries and countries with economies in transition, with the assistance of the international community, especially donors, should:] (a) Continue to support declines in infant and child mortality rates by strengthening infant and child health programmes that emphasize improved prenatal care and nutrition, including breastfeeding, unless it is medically contraindicated, universal immunization, oral rehydration therapies, clean water sources, infectious disease prevention, reduction of exposure to toxic substances, and improvements in household sanitation; and by strengthening maternal health services, quality family-planning services to help couples to time and space births, and efforts to prevent transmission of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Year
- 1999
Paragraph
Women and health 1999, para. 2a
- Paragraph text
- [Actions to be taken by Governments, the United Nations system and civil society, as appropriate:] (a) Accelerate efforts for the implementation of the targets established in the Beijing Platform for Action with regard to universal access to quality and affordable health services, including reproductive and sexual health, reduction of persistently high maternal mortality and infant and child mortality and reduction of severe and moderate malnutrition and iron deficiency anaemia, as well as to provide maternal and essential ob stetric care, including emergency care, and implement existing and develop new strategies to prevent maternal deaths, caused by, inter alia, infections, malnutrition, hypertension during pregnancy, unsafe abortion and post-partum haemorrhage, and child deaths, taking into account the Safe Motherhood Initiative;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- CSW Agreed Conclusions / Declaration
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1999
Paragraph
The right to adequate food (Art. 11) 1999, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- Appropriate United Nations programmes and agencies should assist, upon request, in drafting the framework legislation and in reviewing the sectoral legislation. FAO, for example, has considerable expertise and accumulated knowledge concerning legislation in the field of food and agriculture. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has equivalent expertise concerning legislation with regard to the right to adequate food for infants and young children through maternal and child protection including legislation to enable breastfeeding, and with regard to the regulation of marketing of breast milk substitutes.
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Food & Nutrition
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Youth
- Year
- 1999
Paragraph
Key actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the of the International Conference on Population and Development 1999, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- 69. While one of the most important interventions to reduce HIV infections in infants is primary prevention of infection, Governments should also scale up, where appropriate, education and treatment projects aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Anti-retroviral drugs, where feasible, should be made available to women living with HIV/AIDS during and after pregnancy as part of their ongoing treatment of HIV/AIDS and provide infant-feeding counselling for mothers living with HIV/AIDS so that they can make free and informed decisions.
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1999
Paragraph
Key actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the of the International Conference on Population and Development 1999, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- 64. In order to monitor progress towards the achievement of the goals of the International Conference on Population and Development for maternal mortality, countries should use the proportion of births assisted by skilled attendants as a benchmark indicator. By 2005, where the maternal mortality rate is very high, at least 40 per cent of all births should be assisted by skilled attendants; by 2010 this figure should be at least 50 per cent and by 2015, at least 60 per cent. All countries should continue their efforts so that globally, by 2005, 80 per cent of all births should be assisted by skilled attendants, by 2010, 85 per cent, and by 2015, 90 per cent.
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Infants
- Year
- 1999
Paragraph
Women and health 1999, para. 2b
- Paragraph text
- [Actions to be taken by Governments, the United Nations system and civil society, as appropriate:] (b) Promote and support breastfeeding unless it is medically contra-indicated, as well as implement the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative;
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- CSW Agreed Conclusions / Declaration
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Infants
- Women
- Year
- 1999
Paragraph
The right to adequate food (Art. 11) 1999, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- Accessibility encompasses both economic and physical accessibility: Economic accessibility implies that personal or household financial costs associated with the acquisition of food for an adequate diet should be at a level such that the attainment and satisfaction of other basic needs are not threatened or compromised. Economic accessibility applies to any acquisition pattern or entitlement through which people procure their food and is a measure of the extent to which it is satisfactory for the enjoyment of the right to adequate food. Socially vulnerable groups such as landless persons and other particularly impoverished segments of the population may need attention through special programmes. Physical accessibility implies that adequate food must be accessible to everyone, including physically vulnerable individuals, such as infants and young children, elderly people, the physically disabled, the terminally ill and persons with persistent medical problems, including the mentally ill. Victims of natural disasters, people living in disaster-prone areas and other specially disadvantaged groups may need special attention and sometimes priority consideration with respect to accessibility of food. A particular vulnerability is that of many indigenous population groups whose access to their ancestral lands may be threatened.
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Infants
- Year
- 1999
Paragraph