On World Children's Day, read UNICEF's latest SDG report on children's well-being : Joâo Pedro Azevedo

On World Children's Day – a global day dedicated to children – we call on the world to accelerate efforts to protect and fulfill the rights of every child. UNICEF's latest  Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) report reveals that around two thirds of the SDGs concerning children's rights and well-being are falling behind in their progress toward achieving their targets. If recent progress continues, only 60 countries, home to just 25 percent of the child population, will meet their targets by 2030. This would leave approximately 1.9 billion children in 140 countries behind.  © UNICEF/UN0779453/Ayene The report examines 48 child-related indicators that capture the breadth of children's lived experiences. The data reveal a stark truth: Despite remarkable advancements in several areas of development, millions of children continue to face the harsh realities of poverty, inequality and social exclusion. The analysis in the report benchmarks child-related SDG targets to help us to identify countries that are systematically displaying strong progress and glean insight as to how other countries might accelerate progress in their own contexts. Through this comparative analysis, the benchmarking process assists countries in comprehending the effort and level of ambition needed to reach their goals, as well as the practicality of setting targets that can be achieved through tangible actions. Access the report Explore the SDG data portal Read the blog post   If countries match the achievements of top-performing countries in their respective regions, the share of countries reaching the child-related SDGs by 2030 would triple. But progress is only possible with strong national commitment, effective policies, and adequate financing. To transition this midway point of the 2030 Agenda into a pivotal moment, decision-makers must take swift and resolute action in support of the protection and advancement of children's rights. Please share with your networks as appropriate. João Pedro Azevedo, PhD  Chief Statistician, Deputy Director Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring UNICEF