Why are girls still dying unnecessarily? The need to address gender inequity in child health in the post–2015 development agenda

In recent years, several key UN reports and articles have begun to articulate the gender gap that exists in child health outcomes [1–3]. Indeed, it has been the UN which has taken a lead in promoting gender equality internationally by requiring all UN entities to mainstream gender and promote gender equality as mandated by the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and ECOSOC resolutions 1996, 1997, 2006 and consolidated by the quadrennial comprehensive policy review 2012 (General Assembly Resolution 67/226). According to the 2012 World Development Report, gender equality is at the heart of development and “...too many girls and women are still dying in childhood and in the reproductive ages” [4]. Perhaps it is a reflection on the relative success of MDG 3 and 4 (despite it not being likely that the numerical targets will be achieved in time) that it has helped to raise the issue of gender in child health and the need for more equitable goals in the future.