Situational analysis of young children in a changing world

Millions of the world’s young children do not develop to their full potential due to factors such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, and armed conflict. This chapter examines child, family, community, and environmental factors affecting the status of the world’s children, and, when data are available, changes in children’s status in recent years. Contextual changes such as urbanization, external migration, socially defined gender roles, and environmental issues that influence the way young children grow and develop are highlighted, and recommendations for policies and programs to improve young children’s well-being are outlined