While we celebrate Children's Day with children at our homes and in schools, we will do well do remind them of the bounties and privileges that they enjoy as compared to their less privileged peers in the world.

1. The Less Privileged Children
14 November 2019
Payam Shoghi

2. There are many children in the world today
who are not as privileged as we are.
Consider this. . .

3. Hunger

4. Statistics:
• 69 million children worldwide suffer from malnutrition. [World Bank].
• 66 million children go to school hungry in the developing world. [WFP, 2012].
• 5.6 million children under 5 died in 2016; nearly 15,000 daily. [WHO, 2016].
• Some 3.1 million children die from malnutrition each year. Hunger and
malnutrition contribute to over half of global child deaths. [UNICEF, 2018].
What does hunger do to children?
• High mortality rates.
• Adversely affects children’s ability to learn.
• Under developed in areas like language, learning, skills, and behavior.
• Low immunity; frequent illness (diarrhea, malaria, pneumonia, measles).

5. Poverty

6. Statistics:
• Nearly 385 million children live in extreme poverty. [UNICEF, 2016].
• Children represent roughly a third of the world's population but
account for almost half of all people living in poverty (UNICEF).
What does poverty do to children?
• Lack of access to opportunities for development and progress in life.
• Results in poor health, lack of education, crime, addiction, teen
pregnancy, and many other problems.
• Increase in instances of begging, trafficking and sexual abuse.
• Leads to feelings of failure and hopelessness and consequently,
mental health problems like depression.

7. Child Labour

8. Statistics:
• 152 million children, (about 1 in 10), are in child labour globally.
• 73 million children are in hazardous work.
• Over 82 lakh child labourers (5– 14 years) in India. [Census data].
• In poor countries around 1 in 4 children engaged in child labor. [UNICEF].
What does child-labour do to children?
• Endangers their health, safety, mental and moral development.
• Deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to
attend school.
• Mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful.
• Children often separated from their families; left to fend for themselves.
• Enslaved and exploited.

9. Violence

10. Statistics:
• Around 1.7 billion children experience some form of violence and
abuse over the course of a year.
What does violence do to children?
• Violence in childhood impacts lifelong health and well-being.
• Results in aggression in children (bullying; ill treatment of animals).
• Adverse social and inter-personal skills.
• Adverse psychological and emotional development.

11. Lack of Education

12. Statistics:
• 263 million children and youth (1 in 5) are out of school. [UNESCO].
• 61 million primary-school-age children are out of school; 53% of
them are girls. [UNICEF].
What does lack of education do to children?
• Illiteracy
• Results in poor health, gender inequality and poverty.
• Instances of addiction and crime related to illiteracy.
• Poor emotional, social, mental and moral development.
• Poor future employment opportunities and low productivity.

13. Lack of Family Support

14. Statistics:
• About 153 million orphans worldwide. Every day, an estimated
5,700 more children become orphans. [UNICEF].
What does lack of family support do to children?
• Emotional and behavioral problems.
• Improper upbringing and training.
• Exposure to abuse, exploitation, neglect, lack of love and care.
• Likely to be emotionally needy, insecure, and poor.
• Major behavioral problems.
• Affected by malnutrition, neglect and abuse.

15. Conflicts and War

16. Statistics:
• 420 million children are forced to grow up in the midst of armed
conflicts and war.
What does conflicts and war do to children?
• Negative effect on mental health of children, including feelings of
fear, anxiety and depression.
• Lost opportunities.
• Exploitation and abuse.

17. You have much to be grateful for
• Loving and caring families
• Proper upbringing and training
• Access to education
• Shelter, food and clothing
• Stable and protected life
• Access to health support
• Entertainment
• National identity
And lots more. . .

18. So, on this Children’s Day. . .
Let us be grateful to our parents and other care-
givers for all that they have provided and done
for us.
And above all, let us offer our thanks to the
Almighty God for all His blessings, and for
favoring us to be among the more privileged
children of the world.

19. Happy Children’s Day