Highly vulnerable children

The objective of United States Government (USG) assistance to highly vulnerable children in developing countries is to open up opportunities for them to lead healthy, productive lives. Addressing their urgent humanitarian needs--a necessary first response--will not in itself improve their long-term prospects or prevent increases in the number of highly vulnerable children in the future. For this reason, USG assistance addresses immediate consequences of vulnerability through direct service delivery. It addresses causes of vulnerability through activities that employ diplomacy and policy and expand our knowledge through research, demonstration, and information dissemination. Finally, it addresses the ability of families, communities, and governments to care for their children and improve their future wellbeing through capacity building and through integration of programs for highly vulnerable children with other development programs.