This special issue of "The State of the World's Children" marks the 50th anniversary year of UNICEF and its work on behalf of children. Chapter 1 examines how wars and civil conflicts are taking an enormous toll on children. The chapter outlines a proposed anti-war agenda as a vital step to prevent and alleviate the suffering of children in armed conflict, and calls for an end to the recruitment and conscription into the military of children under the age of 18; for a ban on the manufacture, use, stockpiling, and sale of all anti-personnel land mines; and for efforts to strengthen the procedures for monitoring and prosecuting war criminals. Chapter 2 reviews the efforts of UNICEF in its first half-century to cope with children submerged not only in conflict, but also in the silent emergencies of poverty and preventable disease. It shows how many governments and communities, with UNICEF support, have made great progress in improving the health, nutrition, and education of their children. Chapter 3 provides statistics, such as those on infant and child mortality, immunization, maternal mortality, malnutrition, and school enrollment that chart the progress countries are making toward goals set at the World Summit on Children. Basic indicators on nutrition, health, education, population, economic progress, and the situation of women are given, along with regional summaries. (TJQ)