April 2025 – UNICEF has released the 2024 Levels and Trends in Child Mortality report, produced by the United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), underscoring the urgent need to accelerate efforts to end preventable child deaths.
In 2023, the global under-five mortality rate was half of what it was in 2000—a significant achievement made possible by decades of commitment and collaboration from governments, donors, health workers, communities, and families. Yet, the work is far from over. An estimated 4.8 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2023—most from causes that could have been prevented. The highest national under-five mortality rates are found in sub-Saharan Africa.