Today we can talk about the recent publication of Report Card No. 11 that measures the situation of children in the 29 most advanced economies in the world. In the previous report the highest rates of deprivation were assumed by Romania, Bulgaria and Portugal.
This week, UNICEF has informed us that Child poverty rates in Spain are among the highest in industrialized countries, only surpassed by Latvia, the United States and Romania. Report Card No. 11 measures the situation of children according to five key dimensions of children's lives: material well-being, health and safety, education, behaviors and risks, and housing and the environment.
The Netherlands and four Nordic countries - Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden - are at the top of the general classification of child welfare, while four countries in southern Europe - Spain, Greece, Italy and Portugal - are in the lower half of the table. In this comparative analysis, Spain is also at the tail in the educational field, occupying the 26th position of 29 countries analyzed.
Each time they study or approve a new political measure, governments must analyze its concrete consequences for children, families with children, adolescents and young adults. These groups do not participate in the political process or their voices are rarely heard.
Children with worse levels of well-being suffer the consequences the rest of their lives. Trying to stop or mitigate the impact of sequelae in the future is more difficult, more expensive and less likely to succeed. That is why Early childhood interventions are crucial and should be supported by measures at the school stage so as not to lose the progress made at the beginning.or.
The opinion of the little ones
The report also includes children's opinions about the degree of satisfaction with their own lives. Their conclusions coincide, in general, with measurements of well-being based on data, although there are notable exceptions: children from Spain, Estonia and Greece gave their countries a much higher ranking, while those in Germany, Luxembourg and Poland rated theirs worse.
Gordon Alexander (from UNICEF) is convinced that 'the voice of children, even the smallest, is fundamental'.
Governments must guide their policies to protect the long-term future of their children and economies. Today, more than ever, it is a pressing issue
I was curious to know that according to the study, 'There is no direct relationship between GDP per capita and the general welfare of children'. For example, Slovenia is better ranked than Canada; the Czech Republic, better than Austria; and Portugal, better than the United States.
The main conclusion of the study is that child poverty in these countries is not inevitable, but that it is sensitive to policies and that certain countries protect the most vulnerable children better than others.
According to UNICEF the worst effects of the economic recession should be prevented and the loss of progress made in the past decade should be avoided.
