A/HRC/22/31 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted to the Human Rights Council pursuant to resolution 19/37, in which the Council invited the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to prepare a report on the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including States, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and other relevant United Nations bodies and agencies, relevant special procedures mandate holders, regional organizations and human rights bodies, civil society, national human rights institutions and children themselves, and to present it to the Council at its twenty-second session, to inform the annual day of discussion on children’s rights. 2. A total of 112 contributions were received for the study from States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions and academia. On 30 and 31 October 2012, OHCHR organized an expert consultation to gather input from stakeholders. The wealth of information obtained from written submissions, a research document and the views of experts participating in the consultation were used in the preparation of the present report. 1 II. Children’s health: a global priority 3. The right to health is a universal human right recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The realization of the right of the child to health is indispensable for the enjoyment of all other rights in the Convention. The survival, protection, growth and development of children in good physical and emotional health are the foundations of human dignity and human rights. 4. Childhood is a unique moment of growth and development, but also a time when the child may be affected by serious health problems. Risky forms of behaviour and experimentation associated with adolescence may also have serious health consequences. 5. It is important to look at child health through a life-course approach, consistent with a rights-based approach, starting from the neonatal stage to childhood through adolescence and into adulthood. Child mortality has been reduced, but remains unacceptably high; 6.9 million children die every year before they reach their fifth birthday. In addition, an estimated 2.6 million people aged between10 and 24 years of age die every year. Most of these deaths are preventable. 6. The burden of morbidity among children is another important concern. Patterns of disease vary according to gender, age, geography and other categories. Furthermore, certain groups of children, particularly those in most difficult circumstances, warrant special attention. Recognizing these variations in disease patterns is critical to tailoring appropriate responses to children’s needs. 7. Childhood illness can have sequelae well into adulthood, and behaviour patterns developed during childhood can continue in adulthood. Nearly two thirds of premature deaths and one third of the total disease burden in adults are associated with conditions or 1 For more information, see www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Children/RightHealth/Pages/righttohealthindex.aspx. 3