Infant Mortality Measurement and the Rate of Progress on International Commitments: A Matter of Methods or of Guarantees of Rights? Some Evidence from Argentina

Abstract

Infant mortality is considered to be one of the greatest expressions of social injustice. Thus, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1989 urged adhering states to take the necessary steps to reduce it progressively and as a guarantee of equal opportunities. This objective was further supported by a series of subsequent international conferences, in which specific goals of reduction, both in the level as well as in the differences between social sectors, were laid down. Among them: The World Summit for Children in 1990, the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994, the Millennium Summit in 2000 and the Special Session on Children in 2002. Argentina adheres to both the CRC and the subsequent conferences, adopting the goals concerning the levels of infant mortality as they were laid down internationally. However, in so far as the goals of inter-sector gaps reduction are concerned, it reduced their requirements. Results show that, from 1990, the country has managed to reduce the level of infant mortality, although it has not reached all the goals agreed upon with the international community. The situation regarding the fulfillment of the equality goals, however, is worse. According to the method and degree of disaggregation used results vary, showing, at times, that disparities, far from shrinking, have actually increased. This means non-compliance with the commitments agreed upon in the framework of children’s rights, a situation that is aggravated, in particular, when the topic of preventable deaths is addressed.