State of the World's Children

Not much on the adoption front today, so I'll speak out for the children today.

You all should check out www.unicef.org/voy when you get a chance. This site goes into great detail about the problems our world has regarding how children are treated. Specifically, there is a "State of the World's Children Report" if you dig deep enough in the site. Some of the more startling facts:

1. More than 1 billion children suffer from a lack of proper nutrition, safe drinking water, decent sanitation facilities, health-care services, shelter, education and information.

2. In 2004, an estimated 10.5 million children died before they reached age five, most from preventable diseases. Vaccine-preventable diseases cause more than 2 million deaths every year.

3. There are an estimated 150 million children with disabilities in the world, most of whom face discrimination in one form or another.

4. At the end of 2003, there were an estimated 143 million orphans under the age of 18 living in 93 developing countries.

5. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 246 million children between 5 and 17 are engaged in child labour. Of these, nearly 70 per cent are working in hazardous conditions – in mines, with chemicals and pesticides in agriculture or with dangerous machinery. Some 73 million of them are less than 10 years old.

6. Reliable global statistics are impossible to compile, but it is estimated that trafficking affects about 1.2 million children each year.

Ryan's Note: FYI - trafficking is defined as the moving of persons from one place to another illegally, for the profit of others. Child trafficking is lucrative and linked with criminal activity and corruption. It is often hidden and hard to address. Trafficking violates a child’s right to grow up in a family environment. In addition, children who have been trafficked face a range of dangers, including violence and sexual abuse. They are even arrested and detained as illegal aliens – often with little or no access to their parents or other support services.


These kids need a bigger voice than what I've got.