Goal 4. Reduce child mortality Tarqet 4a: Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the mortality rate among children Midterm Fourth Philippine lndicators Baseline Target Second Progress 2015* Progress Report Year Report indicated in Report ewn ** (2010) (2995) 0* *** 4.'l Under-five mortality rate 4.2 lnfant mortality year old 26.7 990) 57.O 19.0 (1990) rate 4.3 Proportion of 80.0 (1 1 children immunized against 77.9 100.0 (1eeo) under five MDG Probability of Watch Meeting (2011) T3I9:' High **** 40.0 32.O 34.0 30.0 (2003) (2006) (2008'l (2011) 29.0 24.O 25.0 22.0 (2003) (2006) (2008) (201 1) 90.6**** High Medium (200e) measles * National Statistical Coordination Board, MDG Watch as of September 2010, http://www,nscb.gov.ph/stats/mdg/mdg_watch.asp. ** National Economic and Development Authority *** Based on the Fourth Progress Report (2010) of the National Economic and Development Authority **** National Statistical Coordination Board, MDG Watch as of October 2012,hllp:llwww.nscb.gov.ph/stats/mdg/mdg_watch.asp. Torture and illtreatment are persistent and widespread in the Philippines: the United Nations Human Rights Committee (2003) and the Committees against Tofture (2009) and on the Rights of the Child (2008, 2009) found a high incidence of torture, ill-treatment and sexual violence in detention centers, including a high number of reported cases of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment of children in detention, insufficient safeguards and inadequate protection against torture and ill-treatment during police detention, the lack of prompt, effective and impartial investigations into complaints of torture and ill-treatment, and a lack of redress, including compensation and rehabilitation, for victims of torture and illtreatment. ln addition, the Committee on the Rights of the Child (2009) expressed concern over the prevalence of corporal punishment against children in society and the lack of legislation prohibiting corporal punishment. The Committee noted the high number of institutionalized children, reported cases of physical and emotional abuse of children in residential care, and lack of quality standards of care and monitoring for alternative care. The Committee also noted un-reporting of cases of violence within the family, alleged cases of sexual abuse of children in religious institutions, and a failure to investigate cases of domestic violence and abuse of children within child-friendly processes. Poverty is antithetical to the right to an adequate standard of living, and has been considered a human rights violation. (UN CESCR, 2001) The tables below show moderate gains in reducing the number of persons living in poverty in the Philippines. Yet the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2008) noted an increase in the number of persons living in poverty despite a high rate of economic growth, the regional disparity between the National Capital Region and the poorest regions of the country (e.9. the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao), and significant inequalities in income distribution especially between urban and rural areas. I