Child marriage divorces girls from opportunity

11 October 2012—Today the world marks the first ever International Day of the Girl Child. The theme of the day is ending child marriage. The number one cause of death among girls aged 15-19 is death during pregnancy and childbirth. Early marriage also increases exposure to violence and abuse, and can increase the risk of HIV infection.

• Read the fact sheet on adolescent pregnancy

9 October 2012 -- Globally, more than 350 million people have depression. Many people fail to acknowledge that they are ill with depression and do not seek treatment. On World Mental Health Day, 10 October, WHO is calling for an end to the stigmatization of depression and other mental disorders and for better access to treatment for all people who need it.

• Read the note for media on depression
• View the video on depression
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4 October 2012 -- A new approach to routine immunization in the rural Afar region in north-eastern Ethiopia nearly quadrupled the numbers of children vaccinated against measles, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio and other diseases in 2010. This success feature focuses on the strategies used to take vaccination coverage from as low as 22% to nearly 80% coverage in the target area.

• Read the feature story on the new immunization approach in Ethiopia

1 October 2012 – Population ageing is one of the key issues facing policy-makers, communities and town planners today. By mid-century, two billion men and women will be over 60 years old, with 400 million being over the age of 80 years. On the International Day of Older Persons, WHO welcomes Kolkata, India as the 105th member of its Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities. Kolkata is the first city to join from WHO’s South-East Asia Region.

• Note for the media: Kolkata, India joins age-friendly cities network