While most of the nearly 38 million people living with HIV/AIDS are adults, the
pandemic is increasingly recognized to have devastating repercussions for childhood. Over 2 million children under the age of 15 are already infected with HIV. Fifty per cent of HIV-positive infants die before they reach the age of two.
Childhood is at risk as soon as HIV/AIDS enters the household. By 2003, 15 million children – 80 per cent of them in
sub-Saharan Africa – had been orphaned by the disease. The rise in infection rates among women in the region means that a growing proportion of the children orphaned because of HIV/AIDS have lost their mothers. Countless more have been deprived of their relatives, teachers and health workers. Many children have become caregivers themselves, increasing the likelihood that they will not receive an education, have access to health care, or be safeguarded from exploitation and abuse.
The pandemic has contributed to higher poverty levels, an increased incidence of child labour and dramatically shortened lifespans. In Botswana, for instance, over 37 per cent of adults are infected with HIV – and a child born there in 2003 could expect to live just 39 years, down from 65 years in 1990. In the most-affected countries, HIV/AIDS is eliminating the protective environment that is the right of every child and the first responsibility of adults to children.
Produced for UNICEF by Myriad Editions Limited Copyright © UNICEF
, 2004
Source: UNAIDS, UNICEF, USAID, Children on the Brink 2004.
Sub-Saharan African countries where more than 250,000 children (0–17 years) have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS 2003
Sub-Saharan Africa 46
Middle East and North Africa 67
South Asia 63
East Asia and Pacific 69 Latin America and Caribbean 70
CEE/CIS 70
Industrialized countries 78
Developing countries 62
Least developed countries 49 World 63
Region Life expectancy
2003
1,100,000 980,000 Tanzania, United Rep. of
980,000 940,000 720,000 630,000 650,000 500,000 Côte d’Ivoire 310,000 Burkina Faso 260,000 Mozambique 470,000 Malawi Zambia Kenya Ethiopia
Dem. Rep. of Congo Uganda
Zimbabwe
South Africa Nigeria
770,000
The Young Face of HIV/AIDS
While most of the nearly 38 million people living with HIV/AIDS are adults, the
pandemic is increasingly recognized to have devastating repercussions for childhood. Over 2 million children under the age of 15 are already infected with HIV. Fifty per cent of HIV-positive infants die before they reach the age of two.
Childhood is at risk as soon as HIV/AIDS enters the household. By 2003, 15 million children – 80 per cent of them in
sub-Saharan Africa – had been orphaned by the disease. The rise in infection rates among women in the region means that a growing proportion of the children orphaned because of HIV/AIDS have lost their mothers. Countless more have been deprived of their relatives, teachers and health workers. Many children have become caregivers themselves, increasing the likelihood that they will not receive an education, have access to health care, or be safeguarded from exploitation and abuse.
The pandemic has contributed to higher poverty levels, an increased incidence of child labour and dramatically shortened lifespans. In Botswana, for instance, over 37 per cent of adults are infected with HIV – and a child born there in 2003 could expect to live just 39 years, down from 65 years in 1990. In the most-affected countries, HIV/AIDS is eliminating the protective environment that is the right of every child and the first responsibility of adults to children.
Produced for UNICEF by Myriad Editions Limited Copyright © UNICEF
, 2004
Source: UNAIDS, UNICEF, USAID, Children on the Brink 2004.
Sub-Saharan African countries where more than 250,000 children (0–17 years) have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS 2003
Sub-Saharan Africa 46
Middle East and North Africa 67
South Asia 63
East Asia and Pacific 69 Latin America and Caribbean 70
CEE/CIS 70
Industrialized countries 78
Developing countries 62
Least developed countries 49 World 63
Region Life expectancy
2003
1,100,000 980,000 Tanzania, United Rep. of
980,000 940,000 720,000 630,000 650,000 500,000 Côte d’Ivoire 310,000 Burkina Faso 260,000 Mozambique 470,000 Malawi Zambia Kenya Ethiopia
Dem. Rep. of Congo Uganda
Zimbabwe
South Africa Nigeria
770,000
The Young Face of HIV/AIDS
While most of the nearly 38 million people living with HIV/AIDS are adults, the
pandemic is increasingly recognized to have devastating repercussions for childhood. Over 2 million children under the age of 15 are already infected with HIV. Fifty per cent of HIV-positive infants die before they reach the age of two.
Childhood is at risk as soon as HIV/AIDS enters the household. By 2003, 15 million children – 80 per cent of them in
sub-Saharan Africa – had been orphaned by the disease. The rise in infection rates among women in the region means that a growing proportion of the children orphaned because of HIV/AIDS have lost their mothers. Countless more have been deprived of their relatives, teachers and health workers. Many children have become caregivers themselves, increasing the likelihood that they will not receive an education, have access to health care, or be safeguarded from exploitation and abuse.
The pandemic has contributed to higher poverty levels, an increased incidence of child labour and dramatically shortened lifespans. In Botswana, for instance, over 37 per cent of adults are infected with HIV – and a child born there in 2003 could expect to live just 39 years, down from 65 years in 1990. In the most-affected countries, HIV/AIDS is eliminating the protective environment that is the right of every child and the first responsibility of adults to children.
Produced for UNICEF by Myriad Editions Limited Copyright © UNICEF
, 2004
Sub-Saharan Africa 46
Middle East and North Africa 67
South Asia 63
East Asia and Pacific 69 Latin America and Caribbean 70
CEE/CIS 70
Industrialized countries 78
Developing countries 62
Least developed countries 49 World 63
Region Life expectancy
HIV/AIDS
This map does not reflect a position by UNICEF on the legal status of any country or territory or the delimitation of any frontiers.
Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.
1,800,000 Over 15% HIV/AIDS prevalence among adults (15–49 years) end-2003
5.1%–15.0% 1.1%–5.0% 1.0% and under No data
Life expectancy has decreased 1990–2003
More than 15 years 6–15 years 1–5 years
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Statistics Division.
Fifteen years have elapsed since the world embraced the terms of childhood as laid down in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In the intervening years, chil- dren’s rights have been vigorously cham- pioned by many, UNICEF among them. Never before have children’s rights been so high on the public agenda; never before have children’s voices been heard as clearly and distinctly by the internation- al community as they were during the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children in 2002.
A broken promise
Yet for hundreds of millions of children, the promise of childhood that undergirds the Convention already appears broken as poverty, conflict and HIV/AIDS threaten their lives and well-being. Though a child- hood of love, care and protection, in a family environment, with ample scope to survive, grow, develop and participate is the right of every child, millions do not experience it. When they become parents, their own children also risk having their rights denied as the threats to childhood, particularly the ones highlighted in this report, replicate themselves from genera- tion to generation. This is already evident in the lives of millions of youth – those aged 15 to 24 – who have grown up since the Convention was adopted and who are still living amid penury, conflict, violence, exploitation and disease. To take but one example, more than 140 million youth were illiterate in 2000, over 60 per cent of them young women.1
It is hard to avoid the conclusion that we, the adults of the world, have failed these young people and are failing the children
For hundreds of millions of children the promise of child- hood laid down in the Convention on the Rights of the Child already appears broken. They do not inherit their right to a child- hood of love, care and protection, in a family environment, encouraged to reach their full potential. When they become parents, their own chil- dren risk having their rights denied as the threats to childhood, particular- ly poverty, armed conflict and HIV/AIDS, replicate themselves from one generation to the next.
It does not have to be this way. We have an unparalleled opportunity to fulfil the rights of children. The intent is there, as evidenced by the near- universal ratification of the Convention, and the endorsement of other international and national instruments related to children’s rights and well- being. The resources – knowledge, money, technology, strategies and people – are available in abundance. The targets are clear: Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the broad aims of ‘A World Fit for Children’, would do much to make the world a better place for children.
Summary
UNICEF believes that the rights of all children every- where can be fulfilled, if only the world demonstrates the willto enact its promises. Everyone can make a contribution.
•The world must reaffirm and recommit to its moral and legal respon- sibilities to children.For governments and donors, the message is unambiguous: Keep your commitments to children. Children’s rights must be given the highest priority.
•Each nation must apply a human rights-based approach to social and economic development.Placing rights at the heart of human develop- ment strategies allows countries to prioritize goods and services essential for children and to construct a protective environment.
•Governments must adopt socially responsible policies, keeping chil- dren specifically in mind.Pursuing measures with children specifically in mind is the most effective route to reduce poverty and lower HIV prevalence. A key starting point would be to abolish school fees, which will encourage poor families to enrol their children in school.
•Donors and governments must invest additional funds in children. The resources are available to fund a global transformation of child- hood, through both increased official development assistance and improvements in the quality of national public finances.
•Everyone must fulfil their obligations to children.Many possibilities exist for participation in activities that benefit children: All that is required is the willingness to get involved and stay engaged. Childhood is the foundation of the world’s future. Many are already con- tributing, at all levels and in innovative ways, to ensuring that every child enjoys their right to a childhood. Many more must follow their example.
ACTION:
ISSUE:
THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2005
of today. But this does not have to be the case. We have an unparalleled opportunity to fulfil the rights of children. The intentis there, as evidenced by the near-universal ratification of the Convention and the endorsement of other international and national instruments related to children’s rights and well-being. The resources – knowledge, money, technology, people – are available in abundance: by any aggre- gate measure, the world is richer than it has ever been. The targets are clear: Achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals, and fulfilment of the broad aims embodied in ‘A World Fit for Children’, though not a panacea for all childhood’s woes, would do much to make the world a better place for children. Decades of human development research have fine-tuned our strategies: We now know, for example, that for development gains to be sustainable, the participation of all parties – including children and young people – is essential.