Hope for children 2015
The 2014 State of the World's Children UNICEF report showed a total of 2,213,677 children under 18, with 652,093 of these under 5 for the year 2012. Children composed about 31.4 percent of the 2012 world population of 7,040,823. Recent statistics will certainly show a higher number for both world population and children population. What is in store for children globally for this New Year, for 2015?
The 2014 UNICEF report noted that the life expectancy of children in 2012 was 61. Can this present world gift the world children with long life?
Data from the same source showed, however, that the crude death rate (annual number of deaths per 1000 population) was 9. More detailed data show that there are 18,000 children who die per day, or 750 per hour, or think about 21 children dead per second. Why are so many children dying per second or per day?
Wars, conflicts, poverty, malnutrition, lack of safe water, cultural practices are some of the reasons why our world children die, many of them under the age of 5 who die due to pneumonia (17 percent of underage – five deaths), preterm birth complications (15 percent), intrapartum (complications during death-related complications – 10 percent), diarrhea (9 percent) and malaria (7 percent). Globally, under nutrition accounted for 45 percent of under-5 deaths.
If children are able to go beyond their survival, health, hunger, and nutrition problems, millions of them (15 percent of world children) are forced to do labor, many in hazardous situations. Millions more are unable to go to school and get adequate education (especially the girls). Millions are also unable to be properly registered upon birth and therefore grow up without proper legal, national identities. Compared to other children, stateless and unregistered children face unique additional problems as they grow older within communities and societies that demand legal and national identities.
To be fair, the world has tried to lessen the number of under-5 deaths from about 12.6 million in 1990 to 6.6 million in 2012. All regions have reduced their under-5 mortality rate except Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Much more have to be done, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, to allow children under 5 to enjoy life as long as they can, as protected as possible.
In 1990, only 53 percent of children gained school admission. By 2011, the rate had improved to 81 per cent. However, 11 percent of girls are married before they turn 15, jeopardizing their rights to health, education and protection.
Children also have the right to freedom from cruel and degrading punishment but this right is violated whenever children are subjected to violent discipline at home or in school. Child abuse is still rampant, with increasing number of children as well forced to become child soldiers in war/conflict affected areas. Rape and murder continue to be inflicted on young children, especially girls.
Children mirror the real world dominated by adults. Children reflect how adults treat children locally and globally across time. The situation of children reflects the success or failure of government, policy-makers, all adults, to address the continuing problems of the world: inequality and deprivations for millions, including children, amidst wealth and privilege of a few.
The plight of children cannot be solved only within their microscopic world, involving their families, communities, and societies. Global inequality and poverty and wealth are linked and therefore saving and improving the lives of children need to be viewed in a macroscopic manner, with the whole world finally deciding and acting to resolve global inequities soonest.
Will that ever happen? Can global inequities be addressed resolutely, with the world agreeing on 1) a ceiling to personal and national wealth, 2) basic changes in the present trade and profit-dominated economic system, and, 3) creating a human community over that of a global market, among others?
Can the children expect the adults to be more and sincerely caring about their plight? Can the adults of this world gift the children with life and a protected environment to grow up in?
Will 2015 be a better year for our world's children?
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