ANNEX I. >> M  etadata sheets on selected indicators Indicator 15 Infant mortality rate [e.g., tables on the right to food, the right to life and the right to enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health] Definition  The indicator refers to infants dying before reaching the age of one year per 1000 live births during the specified period. Rationale  As a measure of child survival, the infant mortality rate is a key socioeconomic statistic for many human rights, including the right to life, the right to health and the right to adequate food. This indicator can be influenced by a wide range of economic, social, political and environmental determinants. As a consequence, it will be particularly important in monitoring the results of State parties’ actions in fulfilling their obligations to create favourable and necessary conditions in which infant mortality rates are minimized. The indicator is an outcome indicator for the right to life, the right to health and the right to adequate food. Method of computation  The indicator is computed as the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1000 live births in that year. The number of deaths is divided by the number of births and the result is multiplied by 1000. Data collection and source  The main sources of data at the country level are national administrative records, including the vital statistic registration systems and records of statistical agencies, sample surveys, population censuses and household surveys, such as Demographic and Health Surveys. WHO compiles aggregate country data series based on administrative and survey data. UNICEF also provides country data series in its Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Periodicity  In general, the indicator based on administrative records is available annually and the indicator based on household surveys every three to five years. Disaggregation  The indicator should be disaggregated by cause of death, sex, economic and social situation, ethnicity, minority, indigenous, colour, language, religion, national or social origin, migrant, and disability. In addition, disaggregation by place of residence (region and rural/urban) is essential in assessing disparities in the infant mortality pattern across different regions. Comments and limitations  The infant mortality rate is considered to be a more robust estimate than the under‑five mortality rate if the information is drawn from vital statistics registration covering at least 90 per cent of vital events in the population. For household surveys, infant mortality estimates are obtained directly (Demographic and Health Surveys) or indirectly (Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys). When estimated indirectly, the under-one mortality estimates must be consistent with the underfive mortality estimates. Girls have a survival advantage over boys during the first year of life, largely based on biological differences. This is especially so during the first month of life when perinatal conditions are most likely to be the cause or a contributing cause of death. While infant mortality is generally higher for boys than for girls, in some countries girls’ biological advantage is outweighed by gender‑based discrimination. However, under‑five mortality better captures the effect of gender discrimination than infant mortality, as nutrition and medical interventions are more important after age one. In its general comment No. 14 (2000) on the right to the highest attainable standard of health, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights interprets that “‘the provision for the reduction of the stillbirth rate and of infant mortality and for the healthy development of the child’ (art. 12 (2) (a)) may be understood as requiring measures to improve child and maternal health, sexual and reproductive health services, including access to family planning, pre‑ and postnatal Human Rights Indicators 163