EVERY NEWBORN
An Action Plan To End Preventable Deaths
1
,About Every Newborn
The Every Newborn action plan is based on the latest epidemiology, evidence and global and country learning,
and supports the United Nations Secretary-General’s Every Woman Every Child movement. The preparation was
guided by the advice of experts and partners, led by WHO and UNICEF, and by the outcome of several multi-
stakeholder consultations and a web-based consultation with more than 300 comments. Discussed at the 67th
World Health Assembly, Member States endorsed the document and made firm commitments to put in practice
recommended actions. The Director General has been requested to monitor progress towards the achievement of
the global goal and targets and report periodically to the Health Assembly until 2030.
WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Every Newborn: an action plan to end preventable deaths.
1.Infant Mortality – prevention and control. 2.Infant, Newborn. 3.Stillbirth. 4.Perinatal Care. 5.Pregnancy Outcome.
I.World Health Organization
ISBN 978 92 4 150744 8 (NLM classification: WA 900)
© World Health Organization 2014
All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization are available on the WHO website
(www.who.int) or can be purchased from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia,
1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: ).
Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications –whether for sale or for
non-commercial distribution– should be addressed to WHO Press through the WHO website
(www.who.int/about/licensing/copyright_form/en/index.html).
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of
any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country,
territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines
on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.
The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or
recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.
Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters.
All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in
this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed
or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the
World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.
Reprinted in Luxembourg
, EVERY NEWBORN|An Action Plan to End Preventable Deaths
EVERY NEWBORN
An Action Plan To End Preventable Deaths
JUNE 2014
, Contents
i. Foreword......................................................................................................................3
ii. Acronyms and key definitions..................................................................................4
1. Executive summary...................................................................................................5
2. Today’s landscape ...................................................................................................9
Existing commitments..............................................................................................10
Rights ......................................................................................................................11
Current situation .....................................................................................................12
3. Effective interventions for improving the health
of newborns across the continuum of care...........................................................14
4. Vision and goals......................................................................................................18
5. Strategic objectives and principles .....................................................................20
Strategic objective 1................................................................................................22
Strategic objective 2................................................................................................24
Strategic objective 3................................................................................................28
Strategic objective 4................................................................................................32
Strategic objective 5................................................................................................36
6. Framework for success...........................................................................................39
Impact framework...................................................................................................39
Coverage targets.....................................................................................................40
Measures of success...............................................................................................41
Milestones ................................................................................................................42
Core indicators........................................................................................................44
7. The way forward.......................................................................................................45
Research priorities....................................................................................................45
Coordination............................................................................................................45
8. Actions by constituency.........................................................................................46
References....................................................................................................................48
Summary of action plan process..............................................................................50
ANNEX
Annex 1: Sixty-Seventh World Health Assembly Resolution WHA67.10:
Newborn health action plan.................................................................51
Annex 2: Maternal mortality target setting process..............................................53
2
An Action Plan To End Preventable Deaths
1
,About Every Newborn
The Every Newborn action plan is based on the latest epidemiology, evidence and global and country learning,
and supports the United Nations Secretary-General’s Every Woman Every Child movement. The preparation was
guided by the advice of experts and partners, led by WHO and UNICEF, and by the outcome of several multi-
stakeholder consultations and a web-based consultation with more than 300 comments. Discussed at the 67th
World Health Assembly, Member States endorsed the document and made firm commitments to put in practice
recommended actions. The Director General has been requested to monitor progress towards the achievement of
the global goal and targets and report periodically to the Health Assembly until 2030.
WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Every Newborn: an action plan to end preventable deaths.
1.Infant Mortality – prevention and control. 2.Infant, Newborn. 3.Stillbirth. 4.Perinatal Care. 5.Pregnancy Outcome.
I.World Health Organization
ISBN 978 92 4 150744 8 (NLM classification: WA 900)
© World Health Organization 2014
All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization are available on the WHO website
(www.who.int) or can be purchased from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia,
1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: ).
Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications –whether for sale or for
non-commercial distribution– should be addressed to WHO Press through the WHO website
(www.who.int/about/licensing/copyright_form/en/index.html).
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of
any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country,
territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines
on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.
The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or
recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.
Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters.
All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in
this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed
or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the
World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.
Reprinted in Luxembourg
, EVERY NEWBORN|An Action Plan to End Preventable Deaths
EVERY NEWBORN
An Action Plan To End Preventable Deaths
JUNE 2014
, Contents
i. Foreword......................................................................................................................3
ii. Acronyms and key definitions..................................................................................4
1. Executive summary...................................................................................................5
2. Today’s landscape ...................................................................................................9
Existing commitments..............................................................................................10
Rights ......................................................................................................................11
Current situation .....................................................................................................12
3. Effective interventions for improving the health
of newborns across the continuum of care...........................................................14
4. Vision and goals......................................................................................................18
5. Strategic objectives and principles .....................................................................20
Strategic objective 1................................................................................................22
Strategic objective 2................................................................................................24
Strategic objective 3................................................................................................28
Strategic objective 4................................................................................................32
Strategic objective 5................................................................................................36
6. Framework for success...........................................................................................39
Impact framework...................................................................................................39
Coverage targets.....................................................................................................40
Measures of success...............................................................................................41
Milestones ................................................................................................................42
Core indicators........................................................................................................44
7. The way forward.......................................................................................................45
Research priorities....................................................................................................45
Coordination............................................................................................................45
8. Actions by constituency.........................................................................................46
References....................................................................................................................48
Summary of action plan process..............................................................................50
ANNEX
Annex 1: Sixty-Seventh World Health Assembly Resolution WHA67.10:
Newborn health action plan.................................................................51
Annex 2: Maternal mortality target setting process..............................................53
2
