EUR/RC75/XX ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
Provisional agenda item XX
A child and adolescent health and well-being strategy
for the WHO European Region
CONTENTS
This draft regional strategic plan for the WHO European Region (2025-2030) aims to assist countries
in enhancing the health and well-being of children and adolescents. The goal is improving the lives of
our children and adolescents and by doing so increasing their life opportunities. Additionally, the
plan is designed to contribute to the stability of our region during a period of significant change and
unprecedented health challenges. The strategic plan identifies five key priority areas to achieve this:
• Investing wisely in children and adolescents’ health and well-being for long-term benefits
• Duty of care and protection – securing equitable access to quality services
• Regulating against commercial harm
• Fostering good governance and multisectoral approach for comprehensive child and
adolescent health
• Monitoring progress and increasing accountability.
EUR/RC75/XX page 2
Table of Contents
Contents .................................................................................................................................................. 1
Background .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Current Situation ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Vision ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
Guiding Principles .................................................................................................................................... 8
Strategic Priorities ................................................................................................................................... 9
Strategic Priority 1: Investing wisely in Children's and Adolescents' Health and Well-being for
Long-Term Benefits ............................................................................................................................ 9
Strategic Priority 2: Duty of Care and Protection-securing equitable access to quality services .... 10
Strategic Priority 3: Regulating against Commercial Harm .............................................................. 11
Strategic Priority 4: Fostering good governance and multisectoral approach for
Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Health .................................................................................. 12
Strategic Priority 5: Monitoring Progress and Increasing Accountability ........................................ 13
EUR/RC75/XX page 3
BACKGROUND
1. Childhood and adolescence represent life's most dynamic and formative periods, offering
unparalleled growth, learning, and development opportunities. Love, nurturing relationships, play and
other learning opportunities are essential to fostering emotional well-being, building social skills, and
promoting overall health.
2. Yet many in the region do not live in conditions that optimize their potential and significant
opportunity for improvement remains. Our children and adolescents (aged 0-19 years) face significant
uncertainty about their futures due to complex, interacting factors, including economic instability, climate
change, declining mental health, rapidly evolving technology, increasing inequity, geopolitical and
humanitarian crises, aging populations, and strained healthcare systems. It is vital for countries to address
the health and well-being of children and adolescents within this broad context to create environments
where they can thrive and contribute to prosperous and inclusive societies.
3. The two previous European strategies for child and adolescent health, endorsed in 2005 and 2014 by
all 53 Member States, demonstrated a commitment across the Region to invest in this age group. This
investment is essential to fulfil the right of every child to good health as well as for the future stability of
countries, as the costs associated with childhood disadvantage and suboptimal health can extend into
adulthood, affecting government finances, employment, tax revenue and result in increased health and
social benefit spending.
4. Investing in preventative healthcare for children and adolescents presents a unique opportunity to
build human capital and avoid or reduce these lifelong economic and social costs, thereby reducing the
overall strain on health and social care systems for decades to come. For this investment to be effective, it
is crucial to strengthen the health system now, ensuring we have a sufficient and skilled workforce,
implementing child and adolescent -friendly policies, gathering robust data, fostering intersectoral
collaboration, and executing practical, evidence-based interventions.
5. While the primary focus of this strategy is on health, comprehensive responses from all levels of
government are crucial to enhance children's lives, address social determinants of health, especially by
improving the environments in which they grow up, reducing child poverty, and ensuring access to high-
quality education.
6. This strategy builds upon previous efforts and outlines what countries can do to honour their
commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). It also provides countries with an approach to tackling region-specific causes of
mortality and morbidity.
7. To ensure the perspectives and needs of children and adolescents are heard, they have been
engaged with throughout the process, and have informed, the development of this strategy.
EUR/RC75/XX page 4
CURRENT SITUATION
8. The European Region has enjoyed some of the best health outcomes for children and adolescents
globally. However, in recent years we have seen a deterioration in outcomes among a wide range of child
health indicators, which is why we must act now to prevent further decline and mitigate against emerging
challenges.
Significant health inequities still exist within and between countries, with some children and adolescents
consistently left behind. Health systems need to be strengthened to effectively reach those in the most
vulnerable situations, including those living in poverty, affected by immigration or conflict, or from minority
groups. Addressing health inequities through health systems strengthening and taking action to improve
social, economic, and educational conditions can help break the cycle of disadvantage, enabling all children
and adolescents to realize their full potential.
9. Child and Adolescent Mortality
Progress in child and adolescent survival have stagnated, with reversal observed in some countries
within the Region. In the past five years, neonatal mortality rates have risen in six countries and
plateaued in three countries with rates above the WHO European Region median. Additionally, under-
five mortality rates have increased in four countries and plateaued in six. For the first time in over two
decades, the median mortality rate for 15–19-year-olds has also risen in 19 countries across the
Region. Many of the leading causes of child and adolescent mortality are either preventable such as
injuries, self-harm, violence or could be addressed by high quality health care provision and treatment such
as respiratory infections or neoplasms.
10. Quality of and Access to Child and Adolescent-Friendly Health Care
Universal health coverage and high quality of care are essential for the health of newborns, children and
adolescents, providing preventive care and immunization, early diagnosis, and treatment for physical,
mental, and emotional health conditions.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call on Member States to eliminate avoidable deaths and
reduce morbidity among children and adolescents. To achieve this ambitious goal, it is essential to ensure
access to comprehensive healthcare services that are preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative.
Currently, less than 25% of countries in our region allow adolescents to access health services based on
their maturity without parental consent. In many cases, the age of consent for health services exceeds the
age of criminal responsibility, creating significant barriers to care that conflict with children's rights under
the UN Convention.
11. Early Childhood Development
Over 5 million children in the European Region are at risk of not reaching their full developmental potential,
highlighting the urgent need for concerted action. Optimal nutrition, nurturing care, access to health
services, and early learning opportunities are essential to improve outcomes for these young lives. To
effectively promote early childhood development (ECD), we must embrace multisectoral coordination and
integration and support parenting, recognizing that every child deserves a strong foundation for their
future.
12. Addressing Breastfeeding and Obesity
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of diarrhoea, pneumonia and asthma and has protective effects against
obesity and noncommunicable diseases later in life and yet the region has the lowest breastfeeding rates
globally. The food system is failing children and adolescents, evident from the rising trend in childhood
overweight and obesity which is also disproportionally among those in disadvantaged circumstances. Boys
are more likely than girls to be living with overweight or obesity. Addressing these challenges requires
comprehensive support for the protection of breastfeeding, regulating against the aggressive marketing of
unhealthy foods, promoting optimal feeding practices, implementation of the International Code of
Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, and encouraging active play and physical activity.
EUR/RC75/XX page 5
13. The Critical Role of Education
Education is a critical determinant of health, with education settings a key setting for the delivery of health
education and intervention. The recent pandemic caused unprecedented educational disruption across our
region, highlighting the importance of education to children and adolescents' health and wellbeing. With
school closures averaging 138 days, younger children, those from less affluent families, and those with
health conditions experienced the most severe impacts, with up to 40% reporting negative effects on their
learning. Overall, student performance and well-being significantly declined during the pandemic,
particularly among those in lower-income countries. While longer-term impacts of this disruption are yet to
be determined, the post COVID-19 pandemic period has seen increased school absences and a rise in
concerning behaviors among school-aged children such as vaping, gambling, and excessive social media
use.
14. The Impact of Digital Technology
Digital technologies are integral to children and adolescents' social lives, education, and entertainment, but
the relationship with their health and wellbeing is complex. For many using these technologies enhances
social connection and learning, others can experience increased anxiety, depression or social isolation.
Problematic use of social media and digital gaming is on the rise among adolescents, leading to several
negative outcomes. The prevalence of problematic social media use has increased in the region, with 11%
of adolescents reporting such use in 2022, up from 7% in 2018, varying across countries. This problematic
use is linked to mental health issues, reduced well-being, sleep disturbances, and increased substance
abuse. Alongside the consequences to individuals are the challenges of the harvesting and utilization of
children’s data for commercial purposes.
15. Mental Health and Well-Being
Suicide ranks among the top three leading causes of death among adolescents. Girls, older adolescents, and
those growing up in low-income households report the worst mental health. In some countries in the
region, nearly half of young people have unmet mental health care needs. The quality of care for child and
adolescent mental health is inconsistent across the WHO European Region, and there remains a lack of
robust data on the prevalence and severity of these issues and the impact of interventions.
16. Children and Adolescents in Vulnerable Situations
Progress on child and adolescent health has slowed amidst rising socioeconomic inequalities, and multiple
threats to health and wellbeing, resulting in inequities in child health outcomes and healthcare delivery.
Our region now hosts nine million forcibly displaced children, presenting urgent challenges for health
systems and society. These children face multiple threats to their well-being, including trauma and difficult
living conditions that harm their development, unsafe environments in reception centers and refugee
camps, and barriers to accessing essential healthcare, including immunization. Children with disabilities and
developmental difficulties struggle with access to timely and evidence-based early intervention services,
rehabilitation, and school inclusion. Without targeted intervention, these challenges will have long-term
implications for both individual health outcomes and regional development. Climate change will exacerbate
existing inequities within and between countries, with children in the most vulnerable situations
experiencing the highest burden of the direct and indirect health impacts of climate change.
17. Member State Priorities 2024
In a 2024 survey conducted among member states by WHO/UNICEF to identify key issues of concern
regarding child and adolescent health and well-being. Of the 31 responses, several significant challenges
were highlighted by most countries.
(a) Increasing Mental Health Burden: There is concern over increasing mental health issues and a lack of
high-quality support available in schools.
(b) Screen Time and Social Media Use: Excessive screen time and problematic use of social media are
recognized as major issues affecting children and adolescents.
EUR/RC75/XX page 6
(c) Aggressive Marketing: Children and adolescents are exposed to aggressive marketing of unhealthy
food, alcohol, tobacco, and nicotine-containing products. This marketing contributes to related
problems such as increasing overweight and obesity, poor dental health, and tobacco and nicotine
use.
(d) Integration of Services: A significant problem identified by many countries is the insufficient
integration of child and adolescent health services with social welfare and education systems. This
lack of integration hampers the ability to address comprehensive health and well-being needs
effectively. Particularly, Primary Health Care remains underutilized in many countries, and children
and adolescents do not always receive the evidence-based care they need.
18. Overall, the issues of excessive screen time, problematic social media use, and the increasing mental
health burden faced by children and adolescents were recognized as priorities of concern by every member
state.
EUR/RC75/XX page 7
VISION
19. All children and adolescents in the WHO European Region realize their rights to physical, mental, and
social health and well-being in healthy and supportive environments, enabling them to thrive in a rapidly
changing world and to participate fully in shaping inclusive, sustainable societies.
EUR/RC75/XX page 8
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
20. Investing wisely in child and adolescent health effectively prevents long-term health conditions,
enhances educational attainment and human capital, reduces the likelihood of entering the justice
system, and yields long-term human capital and economic benefits.
Early preventive interventions are more effective and produce better health and developmental outcomes
compared to later remediation efforts. They are also more likely to prevent inequality. By increasing
investment in a high-quality child and adolescent health system, supporting integration of services, building
a skilled workforce, and delivering evidence-based interventions, we can achieve significant health and
economic benefits. These benefits include lower unemployment rates, reduced involvement with the
justice system, and ageing in good health. Ultimately, this leads to decreased economic costs and less strain
on public systems for countries.
21. Improving the long-term health and wellbeing of the WHO European Region requires prioritizing
healthy development throughout early childhood, middle childhood and adolescence.
Countries often do not prioritize sustained investment in the health and development of children across the
life cycle. Building on policy and investment to improve early child development, investing during the
school years and in adolescence is essential if we are to reduce the burden of non-communicable disease in
the region.
22. Increased prioritization and improvement of child and adolescent health in the WHO European
Region requires commitment and tailored visions by countries.
This strategic plan acknowledges that each country is responsible for developing its own strategic policy
and action plan in accordance with its own context, including culture, priorities, and available resources.
EUR/RC75/XX page 9
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Strategic Priority 1: Investing wisely in Children's and Adolescents' Health and
Well-being for Long-Term Benefits
23. Investing early in children’s health, nutrition, education, and development brings lifelong benefits,
both individually and nationally. Countries that prioritize the well-being of children and adolescents have
achieved significant health and economic progress. However, many children and adolescents in Europe still
face poverty and exclusion, particularly among marginalized groups such as ethnic minorities,
undocumented migrants, and refugees. The European Region cannot afford for the de-prioritization of child
and adolescent health and well-being to continue.
24. Key regional focus areas are:
(e) Smart investment in training and ongoing professional development of healthcare professionals in
child and adolescent health and nutrition
(f) Increased focus on scaling evidence-based interventions such as child health and development home
visiting programmes, parenting programmes, vaccination, and nutrition services.
(g) Long-term cross party strategic plans for supporting the health and wellbeing of children and
adolescents. This includes their physical and mental health, social services, education, and economic
opportunities, all of which promote holistic development.
(h) Increased domestic funding for child and adolescent health and wellbeing by all sectors. Smart
investment is required for delivery of evidence-based child health and nutrition programmes, the
development and provision of paediatric drugs and medical devices and ensuring an adequate,
skilled workforce in the short, medium and long-term.
(i) Facilitating adoption of the Nurturing Care framework, the primary international framework for
improving Early Childhood Development. A European adaptation by WHO Europe emphasizes actions
that Europe’s governments should take to optimize ECD.
Possible key actions:
25. For Member States
(j) Guarantee an up-to-date healthcare needs assessment for child and adolescent health system to
identify resourcing and workforce planning needs.
(k) Secure adequate allocation for primary health care, including for health promotion and prevention
services targeting child and adolescent health.
(l) Improve transparency of budgetary allocations for child and adolescent health and report the share
of this within health and overall public budgets.
(m) Guarantee that workforce strategies prioritize and budget for the workforce supporting child and
adolescent health.
(n) Invest wisely in sustainable professional development of health workforce providing services for
children and adolescents with a particular attention to capacity for mental health support and ECD
services.
(o) Review Nurturing Care Framework and WHO European Framework on Early Childhood Development
in the WHO European Region and incorporate associated actions into ECD programme plans and
interventions.
(p) Secure funding for paediatric drugs, medical devices and assistive technologies.
EUR/RC75/XX page 10
(q) Align social protection policies and provisions with the child and adolescents' health and wellbeing
priorities to address social determinants of health.
26. For WHO/UNICEF
(r) Support capacity building for and implementation of financing and costing methodologies to allow
for adequate financial planning in support to child and adolescent health and wellbeing.
(s) Develop recommendations and standards on the workforce supporting child and adolescent health.
Strategic Priority 2: Duty of Care and Protection-securing equitable access to
quality services
27. Access to high-quality primary and specialist health care, nutritious food in and around schools, paid
parental leave, and comprehensive parenting support are vital to the health and well-being of children,
adolescents, and society. While the European region has made strides in advancing access to quality
primary health care for all, significant gaps remain. Issues such as the overuse of antibiotics, low support
from healthcare providers for breastfeeding, unnecessary hospitalizations, overmedicalization, and
insufficient health promotion are pressing concerns that demand immediate attention.
28. Key regional focus areas are:
(t) Ensuring access to primary and specialist health care services for all children including for those living
in the most vulnerable situations to address persistent inequities
(u) Ensuring quality, evidence-based and patient centred services delivered by a well-trained and
adequately remunerated workforce sufficient in numbers
(v) Ensuring comprehensive health care including promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative as
well as emergency health services for children and adolescents
Possible key actions:
29. For Member States:
(w) Secure availability of essential services for child and adolescent health for all children and
adolescents. Introduce lacking services such as comprehensive primary health care including mental
health and early-childhood development services within communities and schools.
(x) Support the alignment of primary health care services with the WHO Pocket book of primary health
care for children and adolescents: guidelines for health promotion, disease prevention and
management from the newborn period to adolescence.
(y) Promote equity in access to services, provide services that are in the best interest of the child or
adolescent including access to services for adolescents based on maturity and strengthen outreach
mechanisms and community support to reach children and adolescents living in the most vulnerable
situations.
(z) Guarantee protection from all forms of violence, abuse and mistreatment through coordinated
action of all sectors through policy and programme measures and building of public awareness.
(aa) Improving health literacy with programmes aimed at caregivers about parenting, health,
development, nutrition, and mental well-being.
(bb) Promote integration of life course and family-centred approaches into public health strategies and
clinical practices, to better respond to the diverse needs of children and adolescents across their
lifespan.
(cc) Consider linking quality of care provided with new payment mechanisms.
EUR/RC75/XX page 11
30. For WHO/UNICEF:
(dd) Support countries to translate, adapt, adopt, and implement evidence-based standards and guidance
and provide quality care for every child and adolescent at all levels.
(ee) Support countries to strengthen primary health care to ensure every child and adolescent receives
the care they need and are not unnecessarily hospitalized.
(ff) Support countries to build well-functioning and resilient health systems fit to deliver quality care to
children and adolescents at all levels, including capacity building for the workforce delivering services
to children and adolescents and ensuring all necessary infrastructure, equipment, and medicines.
(gg) Support countries to implement legislation conducive for child and adolescent health including
access to services and protection from harm and all forms of violence.
(hh) Develop guidelines for integrating life-course approaches into national public health strategies.
Strategic Priority 3: Regulating against Commercial Harm
31. The commercial sector plays a key role in wealth creation, but unregulated marketing can threaten
children and adolescents' health and drive the development of long-term health conditions. Companies
profit from promoting unhealthy products to parents, children and youth, such as breast milk substitutes,
fast food, sugary drinks, alcohol, tobacco, and vaping, necessitating strict regulatory standards. With
adolescent e-cigarette use surpassing traditional cigarette smoking in many countries, comprehensive
strategies are essential to mitigate harm.
32. The significant concern raised by member states around the impact on children and young people of
digital technologies and the increasing impact of problematic social media use, gambling, alongside the
harvesting and utilization of children’s data for commercial purposes and marketing are growing concerns
that require mandatory regulation.
33. Key regional areas of focus are:
(ii) Implementation of education campaigns and public dialogues to raise awareness among parents,
children, and adolescents about the risks associated with targeted marketing of harmful products.
Mobilization of communities to advocate for policies that protect children's health from exploitation
by the commercial sector.
(jj) Strengthened legislative measures and enforcement mechanisms through the establishment or
enhancement of regulatory bodies to mandatory standards regarding advertising and marketing to
children, ensuring compliance by companies.
(kk) Improve research and data collection to understand the impact of marketing tactics on children's
health and behaviors, informing future policy decisions.
(ll) Promote healthy alternatives through policy and legislation that encourages companies to invest in
food reformulation and promote healthier product options for children and adolescents.
Possible key actions:
34. For Member States:
(mm) Guarantee that policies across government acting on the commercial determinants of health (such as
on alcohol, tobacco and nicotine-containing products, unhealthy food, breast milk substitutes and
gambling) protect the health and well-being of children and adolescents.
(nn) Support adoption and enforcement of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk
Substitutes.
EUR/RC75/XX page 12
(oo) Support adoption and implementation of the baby friendly hospital initiative.
(pp) Develop specific legislation to protect children from aggressive and inappropriate marketing of
breastmilk substitutes and formula, foods and drinks with high sugar, fat and salt content, drinks
containing methyl-xanthine (including caffeine) and/or taurine, as well as food containing industrial
trans-fatty acids and unhealthy brands in all settings.
(qq) Guarantee that interventions to support healthy environments, such as those described in NCD Best
Buys, are considered for children and adolescents.
(rr) Monitor and restrict marketing of unhealthy commodities, especially in online contexts to reinforce
that children are not a legitimate market for products that are harmful to health.
(ss) Adopt an additional protocol of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and report on progress
with the implementation of regulation against commercial harm
35. For WHO/UNICEF:
(tt) Compile and share evidence on action and approaches to protect children and adolescents from
commercial harm, including a collation of “best buys” for child and adolescent health.
(uu) Monitor and report progress on the implementation of regulation against commercial harm of the
health of children and adolescents. Provide technical support to countries for enforcing
legislation.
(vv) Serve as a platform to share successful country experiences with the implementation of regulation
protecting children and adolescents from commercial harm.
Strategic Priority 4: Fostering good governance and multisectoral approach
for Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Health
36. To promote the health and well-being of children and adolescents, we must go beyond health to
education, social welfare, housing, agriculture, energy, and transportation. Clean water, air, safe play areas,
universal health coverage, good nutrition, and social welfare policies are essential.
37. Effective collaboration across these sectors requires strategic partnerships, cabinet coordination,
diverse stakeholder involvement, and political commitment. Government leaders should establish
mechanisms for inter-ministerial collaboration to ensure that health and wellbeing of children and
adolescents is supported in a holistic manner.
38. Access to education and educational attainment are fundamental determinants of health and
economic prosperity from childhood into adulthood. Educational establishments also provide a unique
setting for the delivery of preventative and promotive health services to children such as vaccination or
mental health support services and optimal nutrition. School health services are part of the overall
approach to ensuring universal health coverage and promoting cross-sectoral action. Health promoting
schools support healthy living and learning conditions that are inclusive for all and equip children and
adolescents with the competencies to make informed decisions towards a healthy future.
39. Key regional areas for focus are:
(ww) Facilitating greater cross-governmental policy development and implementation, ensuring improved
alignment between health and education, as well as social welfare, housing, climate change and
transportation plans for a comprehensive approach.
(xx) Enhancing intersectoral collaboration at regional levels including health, education, social welfare,
and urban planning.
EUR/RC75/XX page 13
(yy) Maximizing opportunities to promote the health and well-being of children and adolescents within
educational settings through support for early childhood development and learning, school health
systems and health promoting schools.
(zz) Ensure children and adolescents needs are considered in plans for prevention and mitigation of the
impacts of climate change.
(aaa) Increasing the involvement of children, adolescents, and their families in decision-making processes
to ensure their needs and perspectives are effectively considered and that they are empowered to
lead healthy lives and foster ownership and accountability.
Possible key actions:
40. For Member States:
(bbb) Secure mechanisms in place to support cross-cutting governmental approaches to ensure cohesive
action and budgeting for child and adolescent health.
(ccc) Strengthen collaboration among and between government, health organizations, schools, and
communities to create supportive cultures that prioritize children and adolescents in policy, financing
and practice.
(ddd) Develop multi-sectoral policies and budgets addressing overall child and adolescent wellbeing or
ensure alignment of sectoral policies and budgets to ensure comprehensive support to child and
adolescent health and wellbeing.
(eee) Adopt the health promoting schools' approach and ensure that every school is a health promoting
school.
(fff) Establish skills-based health education, including comprehensive health behaviour sexuality
education, as part of the school curriculum.
(ggg) Strengthen the role of school nurses for health promotion and health/education liaison.
(hhh) Strengthen pre-service and continuing medical education of family doctors and paediatricians and
other health workers caring for children and adolescents.
41. For WHO/UNICEF:
(iii) Support countries with the setting up of cross-cutting ministries based on exiting country experience
and serve as a demonstration platform.
(jjj) Share evidence on successful intersectoral coordination mechanisms ensuring the whole-of -
government support to child and adolescent health and wellbeing.
(kkk) Support the implementation of health promoting schools' approach and cross regional collaborative
networks to facilitate the approach and knowledge sharing.
(lll) Work with countries to strengthen the role and capacity of school nurses.
(mmm) Share evidence-based curricula for health education in schools including sexuality education.
(nnn) Develop standards for and support countries in pre-service and continuing medical education of
health care workers entrusted with the care of children and adolescents.
Strategic Priority 5: Monitoring Progress and Increasing Accountability
42. Data collection is an essential aspect of health systems. There are still significant child and adolescent
health surveillance gaps across the region, including early childhood developmental monitoring, children
EUR/RC75/XX page 14
with mental and physical health problems, refugee and migrant children, children with long-term health
conditions or disabilities and those in institutional care.
43. Early detection of difficulties increases the potential to improve outcomes for children and
adolescents who are at risk of or have developmental delays, disabilities and/or behavioural or mental
health needs, and their families. Without high-quality, accurate and timely data collection, developing and
implementing effective policies and services for children is challenging, leading to potentially ineffective or
harmful interventions and insufficient or misallocated investment. Overall, inadequate child data collection
and surveillance can significantly impede efforts to protect and support children, ultimately affecting their
health, education, and overall well-being.
44. Key regional areas of focus are:
(ooo) Increased investment in comprehensive child data collection and surveillance, including the health-
data infrastructure and digitalization to achieve universal health coverage.
(ppp) Ensuring adequate resources and sufficiently skilled staff are available to undertake analysis.
(qqq) The development of robust surveillance frameworks and standards is necessary to allow for
continuous monitoring of child health indicators and to assess programme effectiveness.
(rrr) Promoting data sharing and collaboration. This includes partnerships among government agencies,
NGOs, and health organizations to share data and insights, facilitating a unified approach to child
health initiatives.
Possible key actions:
45. For Member States:
(sss) Strengthen health surveillance including both data infrastructure and workforce, embracing
digitalization to support universal health coverage and adequate health monitoring, including data
on child health collected within private healthcare services.
(ttt) Assess the proportion of children who are developmentally on track using the Early Childhood
Development Index 2030 (ECDI 2030) as recommended by the United Nations.
(uuu) Surveillance should include children with mental and physical health problems, refugee and migrant
children, and children in institutional care in national health information systems.
(vvv) Produce regular national reports on their own country’s child and adolescent health and well-being
outcomes and strategic progress.
(www) Engage with WHO and UNICEF in monitoring the implementation of this strategy at country
level in 2027 and 2031.
46. For WHO/UNICEF:
(xxx) Provide guidance on a minimum surveillance data set and associated indicators to enable member
states to monitor child and adolescent health effectively and consistently.
(yyy) Highlight critical data gaps (e.g., mental health prevalence, developmental delays) and propose a
phased plan to strengthen surveillance across countries.
(zzz) Support countries awareness of and ability to join, and use, national data and evidence from HBSC,
GYTS and COSI to inform programmes, policies and innovation to benefit children and adolescents.
(aaaa) Provide evidence products that support countries to base interventions and policy actions on
effective, evidence informed action.
(bbbb) Undertake a monitoring and evaluation programme for assessing the progress of child and
adolescent health over the course of this strategy.
EUR/RC75/XX page 15
= = =
Saatja: "PETTERSSON, Olga Tchachtchina" <
[email protected]>
Saaja: "Helen Sõber", "Leena Kalle"
Teema: Estonia: Invitation to comment on WHO/UNICEF European Strategy on Child and Adolescent Health and Well-being
Kuupäev: 2025-01-30 16:41
Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga.
Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada.
Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga.
Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada.
Dear National Focal Point,
We are seeking your feedback on the draft of the new WHO/UNICEF strategy
for child and adolescent health (CAH) and well-being for the WHO European
Region.
This draft has been developed by an Advisory Group composed of national
focal points who volunteered to participate.
The survey form is designed to collect your feedback and follows the
numbering of the paragraphs and bullet points in the draft document.
Please note that we expect only one submission per Member State. The
responder information fields are mandatory, while the rest are optional
based on whether you have comments. The time required to complete the
survey will depend on the number and detail of your comments. If you have
any additional comments on the proposed draft strategy, please indicate
this in the "Any other comments" field at the end of the form.
The deadline for submission is 9 February 2025.
Link to the on-line form for providing comments:
https://forms.office.com/e/fgPpM2qUkw
Your feedback will serve as the basis for our discussion during our next
Member States consultation (18-19 February 2025).
We look forward to your feedback and your participation in the
consultation meeting.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely yours,
Secretariat
From: PETTERSSON, Olga Tchachtchina
Sent: Friday, November 29, 2024 8:53 PM
To: Helen Sõber <
[email protected]>
Cc:
[email protected];
[email protected];
[email protected]; Kaisa.Mitt-Alvarez
<
[email protected]>;
[email protected]; KÖHLER, Kristina
<
[email protected]>; age <
[email protected]>;
[email protected]; PETTERSSON, Olga
Tchachtchina <
[email protected]>
Subject: Estonia: Consultations on WHO European Strategies on Child and
Adolescent Health and Wellbeing and Ageing in Good Health
Dear Ms Sõber,
We are delighted to invite your country to participate in 2 consecutive
Member State meetings on:
* WHO Regional Strategy on Ageing in Good Health “Ageing is Living”
and
* WHO Regional Strategy on Child and Adolescent Health and
Well-being
which will take place in Istanbul, Istanbul, Türkiye, 17 February 2025 and
18-19 February 2025.
We will look forward to hearing from you by 10 December 2024.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely yours,
Secretariat