MOSCOW, September 16 (RIA Novosti) – The global child mortality rate has decreased by 49 percent in 2013, compared to 1990 according to a United Nations Children's Fund report, UNICEF's press release, published Tuesday, said.
"The dramatic decline in preventable child deaths over the past quarter of a century is one of the most significant achievements in human history. The global under-five mortality rate has declined by nearly half (49 percent) since 1990, dropping from 90 to 46 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2013," UNICEF states.
However, the progress is still short of meeting the global target of a two-thirds decrease by 2015. In 2013, 6.3 million children under five died from mostly preventable causes, fewer than 6,6 million in 2012 and 12.7 million in 1990. Almost half of the nearly 17,000 child deaths each day are caused by under-nourishment, report says.
UNICEF also stresses the significant achievement in reducing newborn (neonatal) mortality rates.
"The global progress in reducing newborn deaths is almost as striking. Between 1990 and 2013, the number of newborn babies who died within the first 28 days of life declined from 4.7 million to 2.8 million," the Fund states.
The data showed twice as many children born in poverty are dying prematurely than children from wealthier families. The lowest mortality rate is among the children born to educated mothers, UNICEF informs.
