On World Children’s Day, November 20, 2024, WHO/Europe and UNICEF announced a bold initiative to transform child and adolescent health across the European Region. The centerpiece of this effort is a set of 10 evidence-based fact sheets that address critical health challenges, present the latest data, and highlight practical solutions for improving young lives.

Dr. Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, WHO/Europe’s Director for Country Health Policies and Systems, emphasized the significance of this initiative, noting that it represents a defining moment for children’s health. The fact sheets focus on a wide range of issues, including social media use, mental health, breastfeeding, and childhood obesity, providing countries with the tools to shape policies that will have a lasting impact on the health of current and future generations.

The findings reveal a complex landscape of persistent and emerging challenges. Over 5 million children in the Region face difficulties in learning, development, and daily activities. Mental health concerns disproportionately affect girls and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated educational disparities, with over a quarter of adolescents reporting negative effects on their school performance—rising to 40% in some areas. Additionally, the digital age has introduced new risks, with more than one in ten teenagers struggling with problematic social media use. Fundamental health concerns persist, including the lowest breastfeeding rates globally and a rising prevalence of childhood obesity, now affecting one in three primary school children.

Despite these challenges, there are notable successes. The fact sheets document interventions already making a positive impact across the Region, offering insights that inform a new strategic approach. Developed through extensive consultations with young people and member states, the strategy is built around key priorities such as supporting healthy development, improving access to age-appropriate health services, addressing commercial and environmental threats to health, reducing inequities, and fostering collaboration across sectors like education, health, and social welfare.

Dr. Azzopardi-Muscat underscored the transformative potential of the fact sheets, explaining that they not only outline problems but also provide actionable solutions. For example, while neonatal mortality rates vary dramatically across the Region, targeted interventions could significantly reduce these disparities and save lives.

Covering areas such as early childhood development, mental health, digital environments, obesity, sexual and reproductive health, refugee and migrant children’s needs, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, the fact sheets serve as a vital resource for evidence-based policymaking. They emphasize the importance of comprehensive approaches that address both immediate needs and systemic challenges.

This initiative represents a call to action for governments and stakeholders to commit to improving the health and well-being of children and adolescents. By reducing inequities and fostering collaboration, WHO and UNICEF aim to build a healthier, more equitable future. The strategy not only addresses current challenges but also sets the stage for long-term investment in young people, ensuring they have the opportunity to thrive in a rapidly changing world.