Despite progress, 180 million children face bleaker prospects than their parents: UNICEF

New Delhi, Nov 21: Despite global progress, one in 12 children worldwide live in countries where their prospects today are worse than those of their parents, according to a UNICEF analysis conducted for World Children’s Day.

According to the analysis, 180 million children live in 37 countries where they are more likely to live in extreme poverty, be it out of school, killed by violent death than children living in those countries were 20 years ago. Assessing children’s prospects in escaping extreme poverty, getting a basic education and avoiding violent deaths, the UNICEF analysis reveals that the share of people living on less than 1.90 dollar a day has increased in 14 countries, including Benin, Cameroon, Madagascar, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This increase is mostly due to unrest, conflicts or poor governance, the UNICEF survey which was released on Monday said. Moreover, primary school enrollment has declined in 21 countries, including Syria and Tanzania due financial crises, rapid population growth and impact of conflicts. The analysis also revealed that violent deaths among children below the age of 19 have increased in seven countries - Central African Republic, Iraq, Libya, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen – all countries experiencing major conflicts; four countries – Central African Republic, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen – witnessed a decline more than one of the three areas measured, while South Sudan has experienced declines across all three. UNICEF Director of Data, Research and Policy Laurence Chandy said, “While the last generation has seen vast, unprecedented gains in living standards for most of the world's children, the fact that a forgotten minority of children have been excluded from this – through no fault of their own or those of their families – is a travesty”. A separate UNICEF survey of children aged 9-18 in 14 countries which was also released on Monday shows that children are deeply concerned about global issues affecting their peers and them personally, including violence, terrorism, conflict, climate change, unfair treatment of refugees and migrants, and poverty. UNI