Posts
I
chose to look into the West and Central Africa region on the unicef webiste, as
this is an area I am not very familiar with, but have been interested since my
sister teaches at a school with many children whose families come from this
region.
According
to Unicef (n.d.) children in this region are subject to sexual exploitation,
abuse, child labor, poverty, HIV/AIDS, and other diseases. Nearly 2 out of 10
children do not survive to their fifth birthday. Even school programs (of which
40% of children do not attend, in some areas) are not safe from violence and
abuse. Civil wars separate families and children are recruited into armies. The
rapid growth of towns and cities put pressure on social services that to the
point that they cannot keep up with the need. Child protection services are
grossly underfunded and mismanaged, as traditionally child protection has
fallen under families’ purview.
These
experiences have negative effects on chidlren’s emotional wellbeing and
development to the extent that, according to Unicef (n.d.), are long lasting
but as yet unkown in regards to particulars. It is already known that chronic
stress negatively impacts child development. Toxic stress at an early age (such
as that caused by extreme poverty, violence, or other traumatic events) changes
the architecture of the brain, thus affecting children’s learning, behavior,
and health (National Symposium of Early Childhood Science and Policy, 2008).
Improvement of education in this region is slow, as schools are dangerous
places, teachers are not compensated fairly, and there are so many obstacles to
overcome.
As
I read through the Unicef website, I see how fortunate we are that education is
valued, and that we live in an industrialized country whose actions and
resources reflect children’s rights. As an early childhood professional, I feel
frustration that education is so slow and hampered to change by civil unrest
and politics. There are some countries in this region that have undertaken the
responsibility to help others in providing education and resources for
children, but it is a drop in the bucket. Learning about this region firms my
belief that children are a global responsibility, and their welfare should not
be confined to what can only be done in their own country, as it is an
injustice. Children are at the mercy of the their circumstances, and lack the
control or resources to change their own situation. If we are to instill the
philosophy of equality and social justice, we must strive to set an example
that all people are responsible for all children.
References:
National Symposium on Early Childhood Science and Policy.
(2008). The InBrief series: The science of early childhood development. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php?cID=135
Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI also chose to explore a region in Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa. It seems as if the children in both regions are dealing with the same challenges. It is difficult to hear the horrific experiences children are dealing with in these regions as well as the lack of educational opportunities. Like you, I am thankful that we live in a nation that values education. It's hard to read about a region of the world that is out of reach, a place where it is difficult for us to make a positive impact.
Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting that the aweful HIV crisis was used by politicians to promote a pro-life agenda. During the Bush era, countries accessed HIV funds from the US on the condition that they simultaneously limited access to birth control. Overpopulation stresses limited resources.
No easy solutions unless we somehow manage to separate humanitarian goals from political goals.
Caroline,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information. It makes me sick to hear about the conditions those young children are growing up in. I am thankful everyday I was born and raised in a country that values children and education. Thank you for your post.