Launch of The State of African Children Statistical Compendium : UNICEF

Dear colleagues and partners,  As Africa's child population continues to grow rapidly – projected to approach one billion by 2050 – the availability of robust, high-quality data is more essential than ever for driving evidence-based programming and policy interventions. Reliable data are critical not only for tracking progress toward our collective goals but also for ensuring that every child has an equitable chance to thrive.  In response to this need, we are pleased to announce the release of The State of African Children 2025 Statistical Compendium, jointly developed by UNICEF's Chief Statistician's Office, the African Union Commission, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).  This compendium presents a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the status of children across Africa, delivering vital insights to support evidence-based decision-making, resource allocation, and advocacy. It features timely, actionable data on key indicators—including child mortality, health, nutrition, education, protection, and social policy—disaggregated by Regional Economic Commissions.

Access the compendium Register for the side event

The Compendium will be launched during a dedicated side event "The State of African Children: Harnessing Data for Policy Action and SDG Acceleration" at the 11th Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) taking place on Monday April 7th 14:00 – 15:30 Kampala time (GMT+3). [Register here]  The event will open with presentations that highlight the urgency of strengthening child-focused data systems and aligning national strategies with the SDGs, Agenda 2040, and Agenda 2063. These presentations will set the stage for a panel discussion that brings together youth advocates, government statisticians, academics, and development partners. The panel will explore practical approaches to improving partnerships, increasing domestic funding, and integrating data into policy—ultimately contributing to stronger national and regional data systems and ensuring that every African child counts. We invite you to join the event and explore this publication, integrate its findings into your work, and share it within your networks.  Warm regards, João Pedro Azevedo Chief Statistician and Deputy Director Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring UNICEF   Botho Kebabonye Bayendi  Director, Office of Strategic Planning and Delivery African Union Institute for Statistics (STATAFRIC) African Union Commission William Muhwava  Chief, Demographic & Social Statistics Section  African Centre for Statistics (ACS) United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)

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