"Children and adolescents are our future. They are a cornerstone in the prevention of NCDs , however, when it comes to addressing NCD's, children are too frequently left off the policy agenda," said Dr. Kate Armstrong, Chair of the NCD Alliance Child-Focused Working Group and President of UNDPI/NGO associated non-profit CLAN (Caring & Living As Neighbours). "We therefore call on all stakeholders – including UN member states, UN-related agencies such as UNICEF, the private sector and civil society – to protect and promote the rights of children to the highest attainable standard of health."
The NCD Alliance Child-Focused Working Group, which represents more than 23 non-governmental and civil society institutions, actively advocates for the inclusion of children in the discourse and outcomes of the UN Summit on NCDs in September 2011.
At the United Nations Informal Interactive Civil Society Hearing on 16 June, Dr. Armstrong shared a model for community-based action to help children and adolescents who are currently living with NCDs and other chronic health conditions.
Dr. Armstrong's intervention coincided with the launch of 'A Focus on Children and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)', a policy document written by the NCD Alliance Child-Focused Working Group, which covers the major NCDs (diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory diseases). This policy document shows that sustainable change is possible and that it is imperative to work together to protect the rights of the world's children.
There has been a strong movement for the inclusion of children within NCD policies recently. At the Global Health Council Conference in Washington on 14 June, a panel of experts from Harvard University, Partners in Health, the National Newborn Screening and Genetic Resource Center and CLAN addressed the topic "Don't Forget our Children! Global Approaches to NCD's and Children". Evidence from Latin America, Africa, Asia and other developed countries was shared, and clear opportunities available to secure healthier futures for children within the context of effective sustainable management and prevention of NCDs and chronic disease were demonstrated.
The recent efforts of the Child-Focused Working Group of the NCD Alliance to integrate children within all NCD policies and discussion have a strong rights-based foundation.
The international community in its almost universal ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) has shown a clear commitment to upholding and protecting the rights of children. Children and adolescents are integral to effective preventive measures in addressing the global burden of NCDs, and securing commitments on scaling up access to essential medicines and technologies for NCDs. Currently, there are massive inequalities concerning the NCD mortality rates between developed and developing countries. These inequalities are greatest for children.
About the NCD Alliance www.ncdalliance.org
The NCD Alliance leads the global civil society movement against premature death and preventable illness and disability from NCDs, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes. The NCD Alliance builds coalitions, develops consensus, produces evidence and advocates for solutions to the NCD crisis. Founding partners of the NCD Alliance include the International Diabetes Federation, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, the Union for International Cancer Control and the World Heart Federation. Together, these federations represent some 900 member associations in over 170 countries and territories worldwide.
The NCD Alliance has launched 100 Days of Action to urge civil society and concerned individuals to call on world leaders to attend the UN Summit on NCDs and agree to outcomes to end the suffering and to forge a healthier future for all. With 36 million deaths attributed to NCDs each year, it's time to make our voices heard. The Alliance's Proposed Outcomes Document for the UN Summit can be found at www.ncdalliance.org/od.
About the NCD Alliance Child-Focused Working Group
The NCD Alliance Child-Focused Working Group will continue to advocate for the inclusion of children and adolescents in discourse and policy documents in the coming months and asserts that the cost of inaction and exclusion of children and adolescents would be detrimental to the NCD movement.
The NCD Alliance Child-Focused Working Group is a platform of stakeholders committed to ensuring the voices of children are heard. The Child-Focused Working Group of the NCD Alliance calls on member states to uphold their international commitment to the rights of the child and guarantee that children are "a primary consideration" and must not be left off the agenda.
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For more information or to schedule an interview with members of the NCD Alliance Child-Focused Working Group please contact Amy Eussen at +1 917.488.4628 or amyeussen@yahoo.com