WHO child health strategy adopted across Europe and Central Asia

WHO European Region adopts new strategy for child and adolescent health and well-being 2026–2030

COPENHAGEN: All 53 Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region have unanimously adopted a groundbreaking new strategy to improve the health and well-being of children and adolescents across Europe and Central Asia.

Developed jointly by WHO/Europe and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the framework titled “A healthy start for a healthy life: a strategy for child and adolescent health and well-being in the WHO European Region 2026–2030” was endorsed at the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Copenhagen.

The new plan envisions a future where every child and adolescent can grow, learn, and thrive in good health—physically, mentally, and socially.

A shared vision for fairness and the future

“This strategy is about fairness and future,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “Every child deserves a healthy start and every adolescent deserves the chance to reach their full potential. By investing in health, protection, and participation early in life, we are investing in stronger, more resilient societies for generations to come.”

The initiative is built on extensive consultation with governments, civil society, experts, and youth representatives, focusing on tackling inequities in child and adolescent health and addressing new challenges such as mental health issues, digital risks, poverty, climate change, and conflict.

Building stronger foundations for life

The strategy calls on governments to strengthen health systems and social protection policies supporting children and families from pregnancy through adolescence. It urges countries to ensure:

• Accessible and inclusive maternity and child health services
• Early childhood development programs
• Preventive health care for all children
• Comprehensive, high-quality services tailored to adolescent needs

It also emphasizes protecting children from violence, commercial exploitation, unhealthy products, and online risks, promoting safe and nurturing physical, social, and digital environments.

“Children and young people are telling us what they need: to be safe, to be seen, and to be heard,” said Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of Health Systems at WHO/Europe. “This strategy recognizes their voices and calls for their active participation in shaping the policies and services that affect their lives.”

Addressing urgent priorities

The 2026–2030 roadmap focuses on six key areas:

• Health equity and inclusion: Reducing preventable diseases and promoting inclusion, particularly for vulnerable populations.
• Mental health: Responding to rising rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among young people.
• Health-promoting schools: Integrating education and health efforts to build resilience and well-being.
• Safe and supportive environments: Improving access to safe housing, nutrition, and physical activity while reducing exposure to harmful products.
• Digital well-being: Protecting youth from online harm and promoting positive digital engagement.
• Participation and empowerment: Ensuring that children and adolescents play an active role in shaping policies that affect them.

Accountability and measurable impact

WHO/Europe and UNICEF will jointly support implementation of the strategy, developing a monitoring and accountability framework that aligns with national health priorities. Progress will be reviewed in a midterm report in 2027 and a final evaluation in 2030.

The initiative aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Union’s care and youth strategies, underscoring the region’s long-standing commitment to health equity and life-course well-being.

A call to collective action

Despite Europe’s global lead in life expectancy, children and adolescents across the region continue to face inequalities in access to care, growing mental health challenges, and exposure to harmful commercial and digital influences.

Dr Kluge emphasized, “The region’s future depends on the health and happiness of its children. This strategy gives us a shared roadmap and a shared responsibility to ensure that every child, everywhere, has the opportunity to grow up healthy, confident, and cared for.”

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