What is HECA?

The world's children are key to the healthy future of our planet and there is no task more important than safeguarding the environment in which they live, learn, play and grow. However, a growing number of diseases affecting children's health are now linked to unhealthy and unsafe environments. Pollution and environmental degradation know no borders; deadly contaminants and germs can move through air, water, soil and food to affect children anywhere in the world. Poverty, in particular, sets the stage for unhealthy, polluted and unsafe living conditions. Poor or neglected children risk exposure to many threats associated with poor sanitation, malnutrition, unhealthy housing, and limited access to health and social services. One in five children in the poorest parts of the world will not live to their fifth birthday mainly because of environmentally related diseases.

Work by WHO and other international key players shows that there is real potential for improving child health and creating better futures for children through a dramatic scaling-up in action to tackle environmental dangers. The Healthy Environments for Children Alliance brings together governments, NGOs scientists and private entities to harmonize efforts to protect children's health and safeguard the environment. The Alliance will catalyse a visible and vibrant global movement that follows up the political commitments of WSSD in Johannesburg and empowers governments and donors to expand and scale up action to create Healthy Environments for Children. Most importantly, the alliance will empower communities, particularly of poor people, to galvanise action to improve their domestic environment and to ensure that their children have access to basic services and necessities.

MORE INFORMATION

- Priority risks
- Healthy environments for children now a priority
- A healthy place for every child
- Effective solutions
- Seven effective strategies for healthy environments
- Children's environmental health - an issue of great concern
- Environmental diseases affect development