Substantial global progress has been made in reducing childhood mortality since 1990. Nonetheless in 2024, an estimated 4.9 million children died before their fifth birthday, including 2.3 million newborns, along with 2.1 million older children, adolescents and youth between the ages of 5 and 24.

Many of these deaths are due to preventable causes. Globally, pre-term birth complications, infectious diseases, including acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and malaria, along with birth asphyxia and trauma and congenital anomalies remain the leading causes of death for children under 5. Access to basic lifesaving interventions such as skilled personnel at birth, quality postnatal care, breastfeeding and adequate nutrition, vaccinations, and treatment for common childhood diseases can save many young lives.

Finally, children continue to face tragically differing chances of survival based on where they are born. In fact, two regions, sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, account for more than 80% of the 4.9 million under-5 deaths in 2024. In addition, the WHO African region had the highest neonatal mortality rate in 2024 at 26.3 deaths per 1 000 live births, followed by the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region with 23.8 deaths per 1 000 live births.