This book examines issues concerning how developing countries will have to prepare for demographic and epidemiologic change. Much of the current literature focuses on the prevalence of specific diseases and their economic consequences, but a need exists to consider the consequences of the epidemiological transition: the change in mortality patterns from infectious and parasitic diseases to chronic and degenerative ones. Among the topics covered are the association between the health of children and adults, the strong orientation of many international health organizations toward infant and child health, and how the public and private sectors will need to address and confront the large-scale shifts in disease and demographic characteristics of populations in developing countries.

The theme of leadership in this publication is related to the role of governments and international institutions in protecting the well being of children. It is in three sections; the first "birth and broken promises", contrasts the reality of the life of a child born eleven years ago with the promises made at the World Summit for Children, held in New York in 1990. The section, "to change the world with children", looks at the way UNICEF has called attention to the plight of children. The last section, "actions that can change the world", concludes that investing in children is the best investment a country can make and that no country has made a leap to sustainable development without investing significantly in its children.

The sixth issue of Progress for Children reports on the status of child-specific targets set by world leaders at the May 2002 UN General Assembly Special Session on Children. This special edition examines more than 35 key indicators in the four broad areas identified at the Special Session as requisite to building ’A World Fit for Children'. It also analyses the Millennium Development Goals and provides information on the state of child protection.