For all of us, remembering our childhood must be a sublime trip to a happy past, when worries and fantasies were limited to eating, playing and sleeping. However, many people remember their childhood as a sad and painful period because they experienced the deprivations typical of poverty. Extreme poverty is often the culprit.
A study released last week by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank (WB) found that in 2022, there were 35,870 children in El Salvador living in households living in extreme poverty on a daily wage of $2.25. It is shown. That means they don’t have enough income to get the food they need to grow. Of course, if it’s not enough for the food you need, much less for toys, enough clothing, proper housing, and all the necessities of childhood. Children go hungry, without enough food, without entertainment, without a decent roof over their heads, and exposed to all kinds of weather. Some people do not have access to systematic education.
The UNICEF and World Bank report estimates that approximately 911,000 Salvadoran of children are living in poverty. , and upper-middle income (earning $6.85 per day). There are 169,000 children living in low- and middle-income households. And 716,000 people live in upper-middle income households.
When compared to all of Central America in terms of child poverty, it ranks second to last in terms of the number of children living in such conditions, ahead of Panama. The report even details that our country has a better standard of living for children than Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras. Of course, there are demographic differences between countries. The truth is that in El Salvador, the numbers are improving every time, according to the report. This means fewer and fewer children are living in extremely poor conditions. Recall that the calculation of children in poverty in 2022 is based on each country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate.
Of the 1.4 million children living in extreme poverty in Central America, excluding Belize, Honduras has the highest number of young children living in such conditions with 627,990 and Guatemala with 600,670. The UNCEF-WB report should help each of our brother countries implement its own development policies to overcome this infancy.
All policies are aimed at promoting the living environment of children and adolescents, are humanitarian activities, an honest and sincere way to build the homeland and promote the values of society. A fulfilling childhood guarantees a productive population.
In El Salvador, the 35,870 children living in extreme poverty should be a matter of widespread concern for the state, all institutions, and society in general. Children who grow up undernourished, without adequate preparation to enter the productive world, without psychological development for daily adaptation, become marginalized and reproducers of poverty. Alienated from social dynamics. In short, they are children with a fatalistic future.
We all have to fight extreme poverty. Anyone with certain capabilities can do something. Of course, a governing body is needed to determine support policies for the sector, and although its size is relatively small compared to other Central American regions, it requires a supportive and deep evaluation independent of political agendas. If you do, the scale will be extremely overwhelming. .Partisan. As already mentioned, the report shows that 911,000 children are living in poverty. This is because the group includes infants and preadolescents living in lower-moderate and upper-moderate income families. Policies are necessary for everyone. If a pandemic or natural disaster similar to COVID-19 (earthquakes, droughts, floods, etc.) occurs again, as has already happened, it will be too easy to slide from upper-middle poverty to extreme poverty. is.
Reports published by both international organizations show that at all levels and globally, COVID-19 has led to a significant increase in poverty. Conflict, the dire consequences of climate change, and economic disruption. Some of this influence also affected us in El Salvador. In particular, climate change and its famous droughts and heavy rains are causing crop losses, resulting in a lack of jobs in rural areas, which are experiencing extreme poverty and other levels of poverty.
Luis Felipe López Calva, the World Bank’s global director for poverty and equity, said in announcing figures on global child poverty that the data should only serve as a warning to the world’s governments, not governments. He claimed that there was no. There is time to lose as governments need to work hard to reduce poverty levels and the inequalities they create. Children must be protected in all areas, with food, clothing, shelter and access to health, education, wholesome recreation, happy families, healthy communities, safety and well-being. We must recognize each boy and girl as human beings with rights, privileges, and guarantees that stem from their infant status. They do not have to work or suffer the hardships of poverty. Children must be in parks, schools, recreation and/or gambling centers to grow up healthy and active. Children should live their childhood to the fullest, surrounded by love, understanding, and innocent mischief. Let’s challenge and defeat extreme child poverty. It is the duty of the country, of the motherland.
Source: Diario.Elmundo
