November 20th: Universal Children's Day

Stefania Sotelo
Nov 20, 2015
2 min read

When we think of the developing world, we tend to group individuals into a general population; faceless people who we have never met. For this reason, I would like to draw attention to the smallest members of the world, not smallest in terms of numbers, but the 'smallest' as in children. November 20th marks Universal Children's Day which was founded by the United Nations. For over 60 years this day has been observed by countries to promote and celebrate children's rights.

According to UNICEF, "16,000 children die every day, mainly from preventable or treatable causes". It is important to raise awareness on this topic especially since children make up almost half of our world's population. In fact, in a recent UNICEF press release, Executive Director Anthony Lake reported that nearly 250 million children live in conflict-torn countries.

Check out some interesting stats on from UNICEF's 2015 report on The Promise of Equity

Health: In 2015, 5.9 million children died before reaching 5 years of age.
HIV/ Aids: 2.6 million children under age 15 were living with HIV as of 2014.
Nutrition: In 2014, 50 million children under age 5 suffered from wasting; and16 million of them were severely wasted.
Education: In 2013, about 59 million children have no access to primary school education.
Child Protection: Worldwide, 92% of children live without full legal protection; and currently 15 million girls under 18 are married.

So, how can you help alleviate these issues faced by children in the developing world? You can help by raising awareness in your community or raising funds. You can find information on NGOs and charities before donating by visiting Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.

If you go to U Ottawa I encourage you to support your local World Vision campus chapter. You should also check out World Vision's child sponsorship program. It aims to help and support children, their families, and the communities they live in. The sponsorship funds can serve to fund vaccinations, school books, and payments of school fees.

I understand that we are students and most of us are pretty broke at this point in our lives, but it is through our networks, whether social or porfessional, that we can bring these children into our reality by expressing our concerns and pushing for change.Talk to your family, friends and coworkers about putting money together to sponsor a child or an NGO of your choice.

Having a healthy population is important for the development of any country. Children in poverty need special attention from donors because they are the future of those countries. Health, education, and access to food and security are human rights, but unfortunately they are not readily available. It is through aid and raising awareness that we can help kids in hopes of breaking the cycle of underdevelopment. In doing so, healthy children can grow to become adults who will be able to work and provide for their families. Educated children can develop to become professionals and leaders of tommorrow. Lastly, children who grow in a safe and secure environment can look forward to a better tomorrow.