‘Children in SA feel they have no voice’
World Children’s Day aims to give them a platform to speak
AT least 73% of children in South Africa felt their voices were not heard and their opinions ignored, a Unicef analysis conducted for World Children’s Day revealed on Monday. The anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with global children’s “take-overs”, is highlighted with high-profile events and other activities involving children in over 130 countries.
World Children’s Day aims to give children their own platform to express themselves and be heard.
The analysis looked at 180 million children living in 37 countries, where they are more likely to live in extreme poverty, be out of school, or be killed by violent death than children living in those countries were 20 years ago.
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.”
Chandy said one in 12 children live in countries where their prospects were worse than those of their parents.
Assessing children’s prospects in escaping extreme poverty, getting a basic education and avoiding violent deaths, the Unicef analysis revealed that people living on less than $1.90 (R26) a day had increased in 14 countries, including Benin, Cameroon, Madagascar, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
This increase is mostly due to unrest, conflicts or poor governance.
Primary school enrolment has declined in 21 countries, including Syria and Tanzania, due to such factors as financial crises, rapid population growth and the impact of conflicts.
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.
“In a time of rapid technological change leading to huge gains in living standards, it is perverse that hundreds of millions are seeing living standards actually decline, creating a sense of injustice among them and failure among those entrusted with their care,” said Chandy.
“No wonder they feel their voices are unheard and their futures uncertain.”
A separate Unicef survey of children aged nine to 18 in 14 countries, 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.
The survey’s key findings include, half of children across all 14 countries report feeling disenfranchised when asked how they felt when decisions are made that affect children around the world.
Children in India reported feeling the most empowered, with 52% of children believing their voices were heard and could help their country.
Children across all 14 countries identified terrorism, poor education and poverty as the biggest issues they wanted world leaders to take action on.
The analysis found that across all 14 countries, violence against children was the biggest concern, with 67% reporting worrying a lot.
Children in India have the most confidence in their leaders, with only 30% not trusting them. Barack Obama, Cristiano Ronaldo, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift are the most popular names for children to invite to their birthday party, with the former President of the US featuring in the top five in nine of the 14 countries.
Watching TV was the number one hobby in seven out of 14 of the countries.
World Children’s Day is a day “for children, by children”, when children from around the world will be taking over key roles in media, politics, business, sport and entertainment to express their concerns about what global leaders should be focusing on, and to voice support for the millions of their peers who are facing a less hopeful future.