On 20 November 2009, the global community celebrates the 20th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the unique document that sets international standards for the care, treatment and protection of all individuals below age 18. To celebrate this landmark, the United Nations Children's Fund is dedicating a special edition of its flagship report The State of the World's Children to examining the Convention's evolution, progress achieved on child rights, challenges remaining, and actions to be taken to ensure that its promise becomes a reality for all children.

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs, and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. This report details the accomplishments and activities of UNICEF for the year 2000. The report begins with a timeline describing major accomplishments from 1990 to 2000 and the mission statement. The overview statement from the executive director pledges that UNICEF will continue to build partnerships dedicated to mobilizing the resources necessary to realize children's rights and meet their basic needs. The report next describes the Global Movement for Children as a coalition of governments, United Nations agencies, nongovernmental organizations, private sector and community groups, and families and children who are dedicated to improving children's lives. The accomplishments of UNICEF in 2000 are then detailed, including implementing immunization programs, improving access to education, providing children and adolescents with opportunities for participation in community life, and using media to reinforce health messages to children and adolescents and inform them of their rights. The report describes programs in partnership with the corporate community and delineates international celebrity spokespersons. Information is included on UNICEF's income (by source of funding) for each nation and agency. The report also delineates expenditures by sector, noting that 40 percent of expenditures are for child health and 18 percent for education. The funds targeted for particular programs are listed by program. The report concludes with contact information for various UNICEF committees. (KB)

Strengthening national immunization systems is an important goal in the WHO European Region as immunization saves lives. The WHO Regional Office for Europe launched a strategic plan in 2002 to eliminate measles and prevent congenital rubella infection, and in 2005 expanded it to include the elimination of rubella as well. This report indicates that, by the progress already made, these objectives are possible. It identifies key strategies and actions for countries to adopt, and indicators to use to measure progress, if they want to meet the targets by 2010.