The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) reveals a world at a critical crossroads, as millions of young lives were cut short in 2024 by causes that experts say are entirely within our power to prevent.
While the data highlights a dramatic long-term decline in child mortality since the turn of the millennium, the momentum that once characterised global health efforts is beginning to wane.
João Pedro Azevedo, Deputy Director and Chief Statistician at UNICEF’s Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring, noted that the latest estimates provide the “clearest picture yet” of the risks facing the world’s youth, though the findings remain stark.
“In 2024, millions of children, adolescents and youth around the world lost their lives, many of them due to preventable causes,” Azevedo stated. “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.”
The 2024 analysis is the first to fully integrate global estimates on causes of death into its core framework, providing a more comprehensive view of the specific threats facing different age groups.
One of the most urgent findings indicates that newborns now account for nearly half of all under-five deaths, with most of these losses linked to complications during labour, delivery, and prematurity.
Beyond the first month of life, infectious diseases continue to take a devastating toll. Communicable diseases were responsible for 43 per cent of under-five deaths this past year, with malaria maintaining its position as the leading infectious killer for children in that age bracket.
“The burden of these tragic losses remains starkly unequal,” the report emphasises, pointing to a massive geographic divide. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most dangerous region for young people, accounting for 58 per cent of global under-five deaths and an even more staggering 68 per cent of deaths among those aged 5 to 24.
The report also sheds light on the intersection of nutrition and survival. For the first time, researchers estimated direct deaths from severe acute malnutrition, identifying more than 100,000 such cases in 2024. However, the report cautions that this figure likely underestimates the full impact of malnutrition on child survival.
Demographic and environmental factors also play a significant role in mortality rates. The data shows that male youth between the ages of 20 and 24 are twice as likely to die as their female counterparts. Furthermore, those living in fragile or conflict-affected settings face significantly higher risks than those in stable environments.
Despite the gravity of the numbers, UN officials insist that the path forward is clear. The report concludes that these losses are not inevitable, but rather the result of gaps in care. Cost-effective, life-saving solutions ranging from vaccines and nutrition services to skilled birth attendance and stronger primary health systems already exist.
“These losses are preventable,” the report underscores. “Reaching the most vulnerable children requires commitment, investment, and reliable, transparent data.”
