A new report commissioned by UNICEF and Save the Children UK, and prepared in collaboration with the Overseas Development Institute, brings encouraging news: There has been remarkable progress in children's well-being throughout the world over the past few decades, and there is a path to extending these gains. Greater emphasis on the most disadvantaged children, where childhood deprivation is increasingly concentrated, offers a cost-effective and efficient way to make even faster progress toward internationally-agreed goals for children.
Case studies examined in the report suggest that various factors have been critical in delivering positive outcomes for children: stronger and explicit national commitments to invest in children, supportive policies and programmes at country level, and greater and well-targeted development assistance.
