Protecting Children Worldwide
![Cover image
of
brochure entitled Children's Environmental Health: A Call for Global
Protection](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081105045108im_/http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/International_cover.jpg)
- Children's Environmental Health: A Call for Global Protection (PDF) (2 pp, 205K)
- International Childhood Cancer Cohort Consortium (I4C)
- Global Children's Environmental Health Indicators
- World Health Organization
- Calendar with a Children's Environmental Health Tip for Every Day in October in Korean (Word) (6 pp, 65K)
- International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) Environmental Health Criteria 237: Principles for Evaluating Health Risks in Children Associated with Exposures to Chemicals
- G8 Environment Ministers
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International Childhood Cancer Cohort Consortium (I4C)
Around the world, several large infant/child prospective studies have been launched to examine environmental and biological determinants of common diseases. The International Childhood Cancer Cohort Consortium (I4C) was established as a global alliance of longitudinal studies of children to enable investigations of the role of various environmental exposures in the etiology of childhood cancer. Because of its longitudinal design and large sample size, it will be easier to see associations considered statistically meaningful. Initially, this effort may provide valuable insights about he causes of childhood leukemia, and later may be helpful for studying other types of cancer as well as other rare childhood diseases. Two workshops have been held in September 2005 and August 2007.
In 2007, "Cohort Profile: The
International Childhood Cancer Cohort Consortium (I4C) " was published in the International Journal
of Epidemiology. The article discusses the formation of the I4C, its
purpose, what it covers, its sample size, and major areas of research. Learn
more about I4C by visiting the
National Children's Study Web site
.
Global Children's Environmental Health Indicators
EPA launched a UN partnership to develop indicators for children's
environmental health at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in August
of 2002. Current partners include the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the
Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), Physicians for Social
Responsibility, International Society of Doctors for the Environment,
International Network of Children's Health and Environment, as well as the
countries of South Africa, Italy, Canada, and Mexico. WHO is leading the effort
and provides lots of information on their Children's Environmental Health
Indicators website , which presents information on children's health indicators
with links to: the concept of children's health indicators; details on the
global initiative on children's health indicators; priorities; regional pilots;
and other resources and contact information.
![Cover
image
of
report entitled Children's Health and the Environment in Europe: A Baseline
Assessment](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081105045108im_/http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/che-europe-baseline_cover.jpg)
- An international workshop, "WHO
Children's Environmental Health
Indicators: Five Years After the Global Commitment at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development
," will assess progress made to date on developing children’s environmental health indicators and outline directions for future work. The workshop will be held in Hammamet, Tunisia, on April 10-11, 2008. For more information, contact Martha Berger (berger.martha@epa.gov).
- A brochure was developed for WSSD by several of the partners under a cooperative agreement with EPA, entitled A Call to Action: Using Indicators to Measure Progress on Children's Environmental Health (PDF) (16 pp, 1MB).
- The World Health Organization developed a report entitled Making
a Difference: Indicators to Improve Children's Environmental Health
as part of the work they are continuing on global indicators.
- Environmental Health Perspectives recently published a report on the
development of environmental health indicators for European children. Read the report
(PDF)
(7 pp, 867K) or read the indicators report from Europe (PDF)
(144 pp, 2.5MB).
World Health Organization
After the G8 Declaration, the World Health Organization established
a Task Force for the Protection of Children's Environmental Health.
The Task
Force organized a very
successful conference
in Bangkok, Thailand on the environmental health of children in
South East
Asia
in March of 2002 and is actively
involved in a host of programs and projects to protect children.
In 2003, WHO announced the Healthy Environments for
Children Alliance
and designated Healthy Environments for Children as the theme for World Health Day (April
7,
2003) . Visit the WHO Children's Environmental Health Web
site
.
Posters and Maps Adapted from Inheriting the
World: The Atlas of
Children's Health and the Environment ![exit epa](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081105045108im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/epafiles_misc_exitepadisc.gif)
Posters may be used for any non-commercial purpose provided that due credit is given to WHO, but they may not be used, directly or indirectly, in part or in whole or in any shape and form whatsoever, in connection with the promotion of any specific company or product. Maps constitute the main maps from the atlas and do not include text or additional graphics. The relatively small jpg files are suitable for use in PowerPoint presentations or Word files.
10 Facts on Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environments
Environmental hazards are responsible for about a quarter of the total burden of disease worldwide, and nearly 35 percent in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. As many as 13 million deaths can be prevented every year by making our environments healthier.
This fact file highlights the impact of environmental factors on public
health. Some of the images used in this fact file are winning entries from the
2007 WHO ICF photo and video contest focusing on the theme "health and
environment". Read
the 10 Facts on Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environments .
Children’s Health and the Environment: A Global Perspective
, Edited by J. Pronczuk-Garbina, MD, World Health OrganizationThis ground-breaking manual incorporates both developing and industrialized
country outlooks to give a comprehensive international account of how
environmental quality can influence the health and development of children from
conception through adolescence. Geared specifically for public health
specialists, the health care provider and decision maker and to all those who
have a stake in minimizing adverse environmental impacts on children's health
and development, the resource manual provides background information on an
array of illnesses caused, triggered or exacerbated by environmental hazards.
The manual illustrates how children are uniquely and particularly vulnerable to
environmental threats. It outlines exposure routes, signs and symptoms, basic
treatments and prevention, as well as providing ample resources for
consultation. Furthermore, it presents interesting case studies, referenced
throughout the book, to give concrete and tangible examples of environmental
illnesses, with a particular focus on children in developing countries. For a
copy, email Martha Berger
(berger.martha@epa.gov) or visit: http://www.who
.int/ceh/publications/handbook/en/print.html .
International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) Environmental Health Criteria 237: Principles for Evaluating Health Risks in Children Associated with Exposures to Chemicals
This report contains the collective views of an international group of experts and is published under the joint sponsorship of the UN Environment Programme, the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization and produced within the framework of the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals. Available online at: http://whql ibdoc.who.int/publications/2006/924157237X_eng.pdf (PDF) (351 pp, 3.2MB).
G8 Environment Ministers
Soon after the creation of the Office of Children's Health Protection, it became obvious that the issues we confront in the United States are relevant for children the world over, and that we should take action to increase protections beyond our borders.
One event in particular triggered a growing international response to children's environmental health issues - the Group of Eight Environment Ministers annual meeting in Miami. The 1997 Declaration of the Environmental Leaders of the Eight on Children's Environmental Health gives worldwide attention to environmental hazards that threaten children and highlights the need for international cooperation to improve protection of children. The leaders of G7 countries and Russia unanimously adopted the Declaration at the Miami summit in 1997.
In 2002, Canada published a five year review of progress since the G8 Declaration (PDF) (67 pp, 1MB).