The Hindu : National : Millions of children lead invisible lives: report

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 15, 2005

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National

Millions of children lead invisible lives: report

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Hundreds of millions of children suffer from severe exploitation and discrimination and have virtually become invisible to the world, according to a United Nations Children's Fund report on the State of the World's Children 2006.

The report, "Excluded and Invisible," released on Wednesday, says millions of children disappear from view when trafficked or forced to work in domestic servitude. Others, such as street children, live in plain sight but are excluded from fundamental services and protections.

The report finds that children who lack vital services are more vulnerable to exploitation. Every year, over half of all births in the developing world (excluding China) go unregistered, denying more than 50 million children a basic birthright and recognition as a citizen. Street children's plight

An estimated 143 million children in the developing world — one in every 13 — have suffered the death of at least one parent. For children in deep poverty, the loss of even one parent, especially the mother, can take a lasting toll on their health and education. More than one million children live in detention, the vast majority awaiting trial for minor offences. Many of these children suffer gross neglect, violence and trauma.

The report points out that hundreds of thousands of children are caught up in armed conflict.

In spite of laws against early marriage in many countries, over 80 million girls across the developing world will be married before they turn 18. Close to 8.4 million children work in the worst forms of child labour, including prostitution and debt bondage.Nearly two million children are used in the commercial sex trade.

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