The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) works with the U.S. government, other partners, and through the International Pediatric Association to ensure that global health is funded and children everywhere have access to the care they need to survive and live healthy lives. In 2013, 5.9 million children globally died from easily preventable or treatable causes. The United States and its partners have committed to ending preventable maternal and child deaths within a generation. The AAP supports this commitment and advocates for high-quality, high-impact maternal, newborn and child health interventions that save lives, promote healthy development, and strengthen children, families and communities. 

The AAP's federal priorities for global child health include urging Congress to fully fund the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition accounts, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Global Immunization initiatives.

The AAP also helps to raise the profile of interventions and best practices that contribute to conditions for the safe and healthy development of children around the world, and contributes expert advice to relevant plans and policies at the national and international levels.

The AAP advocates for:

Funding Global Child Health Programs

Saving Newborn Lives by increasing impact and expanding access to critical interventions.  The AAP’s own commitments include Helping Babies Breathe.

Keeping Children Healthy by emphasizing child health across sectors and within a continuum of care, from maternal and newborn to child and adolescent health.

Promoting Early Childhood Development by contributing to the health and safety of children, their families and their communities around the world.

Supporting Adolescent Health, including mental health, injury prevention, tobacco prevention and cessation and healthy lifestyles.