A new report published by United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) in commemoration of this year’s World Children’s Day has stated that discrimination against children based on ethnicity, language, and religion have greatly impacted their education, health and access to government resources.
The reports highlighted the issues such as Rights denied them. It explained that the impact of discrimination on children shows the extent to which racism and discrimination have had negative impact on children’s education, health, access to a registered birth.
Adding that a fair and equal justice system, highlights the widespread disparities among minority and ethnic groups.
UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell said: “Systemic racism and discrimination put children at risk of deprivation and exclusion that can last a lifetime. This hurts us all.
“Protecting the rights of every child – whoever they are, wherever they come from – is the surest way to build a more peaceful, prosperous, and just world for everyone.”
Russell said among the new findings, the report shows that children from marginalized ethnic, language and religious groups taking cursory look at 22 countries analysized indicated they lagged far behind their peers in reading skills.
On average, it was disclosed, students aged 7-14 from the most advantaged group are more than twice as likely to have foundational reading skills than those from the least advantaged group.
She said Nigeria has 18.3 million children who are not in school, and a high number of children attending schools but not getting a solid education that can translate into good prospects for their future.
While this crisis affects children across the country, Catherine Russell said girls, children with disabilities, children from the poorest households, street children, and children affected by displacement or emergencies are affected more.
According to the UNICEF Executive Director, “Discrimination and exclusion deepen intergenerational deprivation and poverty and result in poorer health, nutrition, and among learning outcomes for children, a higher likelihood of incarceration, higher rates of pregnancy, adolescent girls, and lower employment rates and earnings in adulthood”.
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