One of the most fundamental and universal rights of every human being is the right to life. But while several international policies aim to defend that right, including health provisions in the expiring Millennium Development Goals, a significant number of people — specifically children, minority groups and the poor — still struggle to live long, productive lives.
Why does a child born in a more affluent city or household have better chances of survival than one mired in poverty or living in the furthest corner of the world? Why, for example, is a child in Sierra Leone 20 times more likely to die under the age of 5 than a child of the same age range in the United States?
The answer lies in tackling a complex, intertwined set of causes including the lack of access to health and sanitation services, deficient infrastructure and unequal economic opportunities for sustenance. There is no quick fix.
About the author
Lean Alfred Santos@DevexLeanAS
Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.