More than 180 UN member countries unanimously adopted a plan of action "A World Fit for Children," to help free children from the threats of poverty, hunger, disease and war over the coming decade. The main points are as follows:

PROMOTING HEALTH:

-Cut the infant, aged under- 5, and maternal mortality rates by at least one-third.

- Reduce child malnutrition among children under 5 by at least one-third.

- Reduce the proportion of households without proper sanitation and safe drinking water by at least one-third.

PROVIDING QUALITY EDUCATION:

- Expand and improve comprehensive early childhood care and education.

- Reduce the number of primary school-age children who are out of school by 50 per cent.

- Increase primary school education to at least 90 percent by

2010.

- Eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005 and achieve gender equality in education by 2015.

IMPROVING PROTECTION:

- Protect children from abuse, neglect, exploitation, violence, armed conflict and forced displacement.

- Protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation, including paedophiles, trafficking and abduction.

- Take immediate measures to eliminate the worst forms of child labour.

COMBATING HIV/AIDS:

- Nations should establish time targets by 2003 to achieve the international goal of reducing HIV prevalence among 15-to-24 year olds in the most affected countries by 25 per cent by 2005, and by 25per cent globally by 2010.

- By 2005, cut the proportion of infants infected with HIV by 20 per cent and by 2010 reduce it by 50 per cent.

PROMOTING REPRODUCTIVE AND SEXUAL HEALTH:

- Provide access through primary health-care systems to reproductive health for all individuals of appropriate ages as soon as possible and no later than 2015.

- Develop and implement policies and programs for children, including adolescents, to promote responsible sexual behaviour.

- Provide access "to appropriate, user-friendly and high quality health care services, education and information to all children."

- "Address effectively, for all individuals of appropriate age, the promotion of their healthy lives, including their reproductive and sexual health, consistent with the commitments and outcomes of recent UN conferences and summits."