1988 Asian and Pacific atlas of children in national development

Intended for use as a tool by social development practitioners at both
field and decision-making level, the Atlas of Children in National Development
marks the fruition of ten years of co-operation on the subject between UNICEF
and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
There are two main characteristics of this publication which are of
special note. First of all, the social and economic data presented attempt to
show the status of children within the context of overall national development.
The UNICEF strategy, known as the Child Survival and Development Revolution
(CSDR) - which advocates the promotion of low-cost interventions such as
immunization, breast-feeding, oral rehydration therapy and growth monitoring
complemented by female education, food supplementation and family spacing -
needs a positive development framework, to achieve its full potential. This implies
that economic constraints are "adjusted with a human face" so that their impact
is not unduly harsh on those least equipped to cope - the children.
Secondly, the Atlas may be one of the few available publications which
stresses sub-national data. It hopes to make a unique contribution towards
better understanding of social progress by showing the distribution of socio-
economic indicators on a geographic basic, thus providing a base for targeted
interventions.
In publishing this third edition, UNICEF acknowledges with thanks the
continuing interest and co-operation of ESCAP staff. It is not by chance that
UNICEF and ESCAP have joined in this venture, for together they represent two
vital developmental concerns - children and national development
and are
thus well prepared to tackle the complex task. The new edition makes no claims
to perfection although it has evolved considerably since the first edition was
published six years ago. However, if the Atlas helps to highlight the situation of
children and their mothers and contributes to enhance the political will to act on
their behalf, then the objectives of the publication will have been achieved.