DEVELOPMENT-ASIA: Economic Disparity Spells Disaster for Children

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

A. D. McKenzie

SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Mar 28 2005 (IPS) - The East Asia-Pacific region has experienced unprecedented economic growth in the past 14 years, despite several crises, but the increasing disparity between and within countries means that not everyone is sharing in the prosperity. Those being left behind include the most vulnerable – the region’s 600 million children.

The growing gaps in society threaten many of them with malnutrition, exclusion from education, ill-health and exploitation.

”Disparity is one of the major issues for children in this region,” says Carol Bellamy, executive director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). ”And it’s increasing, not decreasing.”

Recognising the problem, representatives from 26 East Asia and Pacific countries pledged late last Friday to focus on reducing disparities and inequity, promoting adolescent development and improving child survival and development.

The pledges came at the end of the three-day 7th East Asia and Pacific Ministerial Consultation here, held under the banner of "A Region Where Every Child Counts". The MINCON, as it’s called, is the only high-level gathering of this type dedicated exclusively to children. Sponsored by UNICEF, and hosted by Cambodia this year, the meeting was launched in 1991, and has been held every two years ever since.

”We recognise that the survival, growth and development of our children is a national public good that will guarantee the future success of our societies, and that, as such, it is worthy of a significant investment of public funds and resources,” the countries said in the Siem Reap- Angkor Declaration.

”The implications for children of disparity and inequity can be severe: increased vulnerability to trafficking and other forms of exploitation, lack of access to and utilisation of services necessary for survival and development,” continued the declaration. ”Prolonged and unaddressed disparities can cause or inflame latent social tensions leading to instability.”

One glaring example of disparity within countries involves China, where cities such as Shanghai are surging ahead of other areas.

As for the region as a whole, pacific countries such as Papua New Guinea face problems that are less of an issue in Japan, for instance: high child mortality rates, violence, and a lack of adequate healthcare services.

Dr. Jimmie Rodgers, senior deputy director general of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, stressed during the MINCON that Pacific countries face additional problems related to geographic isolation as well as the growing divide between a still very traditional older generation and a younger generation that is embracing new attitudes and lifestyles.

But disparity is not the only problem facing the region. UNICEF has identified other issues including HIV/AIDS, maternal and neonatal health, and secondary school education.

While the incidence of HIV/AIDS is low in comparison to sub-Saharan Africa, the total numbers are relatively high because of the huge population in the region, said Bellamy. China, where the disease is a growing worry, has a population of 1.2 billion, for example, dwarfing that of South Africa’s 36.7 million. South Africa has the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the world.

The Siem-Reap Angkor Declaration reiterated the East Asia-Pacific countries’ commitment to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Two years ago, the 6th MINCON in Bali called for greater action by the region’s government to combat the disease, which has killed many children among its victims, and led to a high number of orphans in countries such as Thailand.

But most infant and child deaths are linked to poor nutrition and the MINCON participants pledged to work at increasing preventive measures, including the promotion of breastfeeding for the first six months.

The delegates also agreed to do more to ”increase protection mechanisms against exploitation, increase enrolment in secondary schools and reduce dropouts, as well as strengthen drug and substance abuse prevention.”

Meanwhile, an alliance of non-governmental organisations urged the region’s countries to address the issue of violence against children and to increase their participation in the on- going United Nations study on the issue. That study is due for release next year.

”A violence-free childhood can lead to a violence-free world,” said one NGO representative.

Young people from 19 of the region’s countries, who participated in a UNICEF-sponsored Young People’s Forum from Mar. 20 to 23 here, also demanded a larger role in decisions affecting their welfare.

”We can help in finding solutions, so our voices should be heard,” said Giovani Equator Alves Olsa, a 16-year-old representative from East Timor – the world’s newest nation.

Throughout the MINCON, government representatives as well as NGOs said they welcomed the participation of young people. A total of 26 regional countries, from Australia, Brunei, Cambodia and China to Samoa, Thailand, Vanuatu and Vietnam endorsed the Siem Reap- Angkor Declaration.