Investment in human development: nutrition, health and economic policies.

Investment in children is compelling for several reasons. First, children lie at the heart of international commitments to social justice. International forums, such as the International Conference on Population and Development, World Summit for Children, International Conference on Nutrition, Education for All Initiative, and Beijing Conference on Women, have a common theme: support for the economic and social rights for women and children lie at the heart of true development. Second, the International Development Goals are centered on raising the life prospects for poor women and children through nutrition, health, and education as human rights. The IDGs include the virtual elimination of infant, under-five child, and maternal mortality, of gender disparities in primary and secondary education, and fulfillment of universal primary school enrolment. These cannot be achieved without higher levels of investments in maternal nutrition, health and care, and in the comprehensive needs of young children. Costeffective strategies to meet the IDGs do exist, and lie at the core of social protection programs for the most vulnerable women and children.