This year’s theme echoes WHO’s Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures campaign. It reminds us that every child deserves a fair chance at life, starting from their very first moments.

A strong start isn’t just about survival – it’s about honouring the promise of every tiny life. It’s about giving these babies the chance not only to survive but to thrive and one day, transform the world.

Failing to provide the special care these tiny babies need means a huge loss of big potential. Did you know? Some of history’s greatest minds were born too soon. Famous preterm babies include Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Pablo Picasso. What brilliance might we be losing today?

Calls to Action

The campaign has several key calls to action, calling on countries to:

1. Invest in special care for small and sick newborns, including neonatal units, specially trained staff, dedicated space and life-saving equipment;
2. Strengthen maternal health services to prevent preterm birth and detect health problems early;
3. Support families with emotional, financial, and practical resources to care for their tiny babies; and
4. Ensure equity so that survival doesn’t depend on geography or income, but grants every baby – from their tiniest beginnings –the best chance at a brilliant future.

Strong starts for hopeful futures

Around 1 in 10 babies worldwide is preterm – born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Without effective care, they are at high risk of life-threatening health conditions like respiratory distress, infections, and hypothermia, which together lead to hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year.

Governments, health systems, communities, and individuals have a shared responsibility to protect these tiny babies and ensure their families get the support they need.

Source: World Health Organization (WHO)