A report from UNICEF is exposing the depth of deprivation experienced by the 1 in 10 children with disabilities worldwide.
The report includes internationally comparable data from 42 countries and covers more than 60 indicators of child well-being – from nutrition and health, to access to water and sanitation, protection from violence and exploitation, and education.
Here are some of the highlights:
“This new research confirms what we already knew: Children with disabilities face multiple and often compounding challenges in realizing their rights." - Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, UNICEF
There are nearly 240 million kids with disabilities.
Disabled kids are 49% more likely to never have attended school, compared with children without disabilities
Disabled kids are 51% less likely to feel happy, compared with children without disabilities
Disabled kids are 41% more likely to feel discriminated against, compared with children without disabilities
Disabled kids are 32% more likely to experience severe corporal punishment, compared with children without disabilities
“Children with disabilities are less likely to be included or heard on almost every measure. All too often, children with disabilities are simply being left behind." - Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, UNICEF
UNICEF is now calling on governments to:
Provide disabled children with equal opportunities — working to eliminate physical, communication, and attitudinal barriers that keep them out of society
Consult disabled people and consider the full range of disabilities, as well as the specific needs of children and their families
“Exclusion is often the consequence of invisibility. We have not had reliable data on the number of children with disabilities for the longest time. When we fail to count, consider and consult with these children, we are failing to help them reach their vast potential.” - Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, UNICEF
