Millions of children in cities face poverty & exclusion – UNICEF

(PHOTO: HUMNEWS)(HN, 3/1/12) - Hundreds of millions of children in cities across the world are growing up in poverty & enduring deprivation, according to a report unveiled today by the UN's Children's Agency, UNICEF, spotlighting social exclusion & calling for measures to give youngsters access to basic services & opportunities for a better future. Presently, more than a billion children live in cities. 

(PHOTO: Shehzad Noorani/UNICEF) `The State of the World’s Children 2012’ report, highlights the hardship many children living in urban areas deal with, which in many cases are hidden in statistical averages where poverty of some is obscured by the relative wealth of others.  According to UNICEF, 1 in 3 city dwellers lives in slums, while in Africa the proportion increases to 6 in 10.

(PHOTO: HUMNEWS) The document stresses that despite growing up in close proximity to modern facilities & basic services, many children in urban areas lack access to electricity, clean water & education - facing numerous challenges that impede their full development - with many children going on to work in the streets.

(PHOTO: HUMNEWS) They're also prone to contracting diseases due to unsanitary conditions & many suffer from malnutrition. Vaccine coverage remains low in slums & informal settlements, increasing the population’s vulnerability. Children are also often at high risk of exploitation, trafficking & become easy victims of violence.

(PHOTO: Peer educator discusses HIV/AIDS prevention & other STDs in Barangay Don Carlos, a poor neighbourhood in Pasay City, Philippines/UNICEF)The report provides a set of recommendations to improve the conditions of children living in cities, making children’s needs a priority in city planning & infrastructure development, & using the knowledge to remove barriers to children's social inclusion.  (Read More @ UN News Centre)