The Lottery of Birth: Giving all Children an Equal Chance to Survive

Based on inaugural analysis of disaggregated data from 87 low and middle income countries around the world, this report reveals that in more than three quarters of these countries, inequalities in child survival rates are actually worsening, resulting in some groups of children making far slower progress than their better-off peers. In 78 percent of the countries covered in the report, at least one social or economic group has fallen behind and is therefore making slower progress in reducing child mortality, and in 16 percent of these countries, inequalities in child survival rates have increased across all social and economic groups. Save the Children's analysis suggests that, without a true step change in action, the lottery of birth will continue into the future, slowing progress towards the ultimate goal of ending preventable child deaths for generations to come. However, tackling this inequality is possible. Almost a fifth of the countries in the report, including Rwanda, Malawi, Mexico, and Bangladesh, have successfully combined rapid and inclusive reductions in child mortality, achieving faster progress than most countries, while at the same time ensuring that no groups of children are left behind.The agency calls for the international community to commit to ending preventable child deaths by 2030.The new development framework, which will replace the MDGs, will be agreed upon at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015. This framework must set out ambitious child and maternal survival targets and commit to working towards universal health coverage

Development Asia

Beneath the gloss of Asia’s newfound prosperity lies an unsettling reality. Rising inequality has denied the benefits of Asia’s economic growth to many millions of its citizens. The problem is worsening as the region’s rich get richer much faster than the poor, who miss out on the income, education, and health care they need to lead fulfilling lives. In this issue’s Special Report, Development Asia examines Asia’s widening inequality from many different perspectives. We look at the role of globalization in producing inequality, and consider the disputed relationship between inequality and economic growth. Asia isn’t the only region suffering from a wealth gap, but unlike others it has failed so far to narrow the divide. Most of its large economies have shown rising income inequality since the 1990s, and rural poverty is outpacing urban poverty across much of the continent. If left unchecked, the consequences of this trend could be dire. Palaniappan Chidambaram, the Government of India Finance Minister, provides unique insights into India’s experience with inequality in a fascinating question-and-answer session. In a forthright opinion piece, former World Bank chief economist Justin Yifu Lin delivers his prescription for tackling inequality in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). We discuss how some countries have managed to sidestep the inequality trap, and reveal how others like Cambodia have made progress in curbing the symptoms of inequality— in this case child mortality. Rounding out our cover package is a central question: What can be done about inequality? While some characterize inequality as a phase on the path to prosperity, an emerging consensus suggests otherwise and highlights the importance of inclusive, jobs-rich growth. In our Features section, we venture into Asia’s sprawling slums for a closeup look at how hope—and economies— can take root amid the squalor. Many slums are now vital hubs in the broader economy of their cities, a positive step but one that complicates plans for slum redevelopment. Closing this issue is Black & White, a new section that provides a space for some of Asia’s leading photographers to display their work on a specific development project or theme. In this issue, Filipino photographer Veejay Villafranca spent time with the garbage-pickers of Manila’s Smokey Mountain waste dump. Veejay’s powerful image, on page 56, and the story of a project trying to improve the lives of the pickers, suggests it was time well spent

Off-track, Off-target: Why Investment in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Is Not Reaching Those Who Need It Most

This report explores why resources are not reaching those who need it most and why progress is slow, uneven, and unjust. Among the reasons mentioned in the report: political priorities lead governments to favor other sectors, improve places already served, or exclude poor and marginalized groups. Furthermore, aid is not well-coordinated, is only loosely targeted according to need, and its effectiveness is constrained by red tape and lack of alignment with government systems. The report recommends key actions for national governments, donors, international agencies and civil society to break the vicious cycle of low investment and poor performance and get off-track countries back on-track to meet the MDGs

Globalization, Urbanization and Nutritional Change in the Developing World

Urbanization and globalization may enhance access to non traditional foods as a result of changing prices and production practices, as well as trade and marketing practices. These forces have influenced dietary patterns throughout the developing world. Longitudinal case study data from China indicate that consumption patterns closely reflect changes in availability, and that potentially obesogenic dietary patterns are emerging, with especially large changes in rural areas with high levels of urban infrastructure and resources. Recent data on women from 36 developing countries illustrate that these dietary shifts may have implications for overweight/obesity in urban and rural settings. These data emphasize the importance of developing country policies that include preventive measures to minimize further adverse shifts in diet and activity, and risk of continued rises in overweight.dietary patterns, developing countries, overweight, food policy, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Food Security and Poverty,

East Midlands regional economic strategy 'creating a flourishing region together' - consultation document 2005.

This consultation document supports the development of the RES: A flourishing Region published in 2006

Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed Progress Report 2015

Twenty-five years ago this month, when the Convention on the Rights of the Child came into force, the world made a promise to its children. It was a promise to do everything we could to keep them alive, to keep them healthy, and to help them realize their full potential. Fifteen years ago, the world extended these promises through the Millennium Development Goals. They included cutting the number of young children dying before their fifth birthdays, keeping their mothers alive, and tackling diseases and deprivations that threatened their futures. And three years ago, we renewed those promises with the Child Survival Call to Action, which launched the A Promise Renewed movement to end preventable child deaths. Since then, nearly 180 countries have pledged to make child survival a priority -- and 30 countries have followed this pledge with sharpened strategies to address child mortality. This report takes stock of our collective progress towards fulfilling those promises

Health Biotechnology Innovation for Social Sustainability -A Perspective from China

China is not only becoming a significant player in the production of high-tech products, but also an increasingly important contributor of ideas and influence in the global knowledge economy. This paper identifies the promises and the pathologies of the biotech innovation system from the perspective of social sustainability in China, looking at the governance of the system and beyond. Based on The STEPS Centre’s ‘Innovation, Sustainability, Development: A New Manifesto’, a ‘3D’ approach has been adopted, bringing together social, technological and policy dynamics, and focusing on the directions of biotechnological innovation, the distribution of its benefits, costs and risks and the diversity of innovations evolving within it and alongside it

REDUCING INFANT AND UNDER-5 MORTALITY RATE THROUGH GOVERNMENT HEALTH EXPENDITURE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background: Although it has been globally reported that IMR and U5MR continue to decline every year, the rate disparities between urban and rural areas are still evident in various countries. The government is presumed to carry out efforts to reduce this disparity, such as by allocating the government’s health expenditure. Aims: This study systematically identifies the effectiveness, best practices, and positive impacts of government health expenditure allocation for IMR and U5MR, specifically in rural areas. Methods: This systematic review study was conducted using the PICOS method to analyse data that were obtained from 3 online databases. Results: The government health expenditure could reduce the gap in mortality rate indicators between urban and rural areas. Programs specifically proposed for rural communities can help decrease the gap between urban-rural IMR and U5MR. The effectiveness of government health expenditure to reduce mortality rates was strongly influenced by various factors, including supporting policies, field implementation in regions, and the collaboration between the central and local governments. Conclusion: The local government plays a definitely crucial role in the implementation of the health program to ensure that the central government executes the program effectively in order to reduce IMR and U5MR in rural areas

Trade, infrastruture and income inequality in selected Asian countries: An empirical analysis

This paper attempts to unravel the interlinkages and interconnections among infrastructure, trade openness and income inequality, using panel data of 14 Asia-Pacific countries at different levels of development.Trade, infrastructure, imcome inequality

mHealth in China and the United States: How Mobile Technology is Transforming Healthcare in the World's Two Largest Economies

In this paper, we explore ways mobile technology can help with these difficulties. Specifically, we look at avenues through which mobile devices boost productivity, aid communications, and help providers improve affordability, access, and treatment. Using data drawn from China and the United States as well as global trends, we look at recent developments andemerging opportunities in mobile health, or mHealth. We argue that mobile technology assists patients, health providers, and policymakers in several different respects. It helps patients by giving them tools to monitor their health conditions and communicate those results to physicians. It enables health providers to connect with colleagues and offers alternative sources of information for patients. It is also an important tool to inform policymakers on health delivery and medical outcomes