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Uncertain times -

Despite dramatic improvements in survival, nutrition, and education over recent decades, today's children face an uncertain future. This bleak forecast is issued by UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund.

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A global issue -

Climate change, ecological degradation, migrating populations, conflict, pervasive inequalities, and predatory commercial practices threaten the health and future of children in every country, UNICEF warns.

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Childhood is a critical time -

Early childhood experiences from birth to age eight affect the development of the brain's architecture, which provides the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health.

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Life's building blocks -

In addition, healthy development in the early years provides the building blocks for strong communities and successful parenting of the next generation.

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Benefits of a good education -

Youngsters at the beginning of their learning stage, who receive a high-quality education, reap enormous dividends for the rest of their lives.

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Higher academic performance -

Receiving a good education at an early age invariably leads to higher academic performance in later stages, and increases chances of attending college or university.

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Being professional -

Children with high academic acumen are likely to secure a professional position after graduating, and achieve higher lifetime earnings.

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Less likely to offend -

And youngsters who benefit from a high-quality education are, for the most part, less inclined to engage in criminal activity.

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Safe and happy -

Every child deserves to be valued and cherished. And growing up in a safe and loving environment serves as the foundation for a happy and productive childhood. Unfortunately, this is far from the norm for many youngsters.

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Sustainable Development Goals -

In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were formulated by the United Nations General Assembly. Its mission statement reads: "A shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future." 

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Objectives not met -

Sadly, five years later, few countries had recorded much progress towards achieving these goals, objectives that include no poverty, zero hunger, quality education, and gender equality.

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Putting children first -

It was then that the UK's Lancet Commissions stepped in to present the case for placing children, aged 0–18 years, at the center of the SDGs: in effect at the heart of the concept of sustainability and the shared human endeavor.

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Securing children's rights -

The Commission urges governments to "harness coalitions across sectors to overcome ecological and commercial pressures to ensure children receive their rights and entitlements now and a liveable planet in the years to come."

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Hunger and poverty -

Successful societies invest in their children and protect their rights, notes the Commission. But even in rich nations, many children go hungry or live in conditions of absolute poverty.

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Feeling marginalized -

This is especially so regarding those belonging to marginalized social groups—including indigenous populations and ethnic minorities.

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Exposure to violence -

According to the US Department of Justice, in 2020 60% of American children were exposed to violence, crime, or abuse in their homes, schools, and communities.

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Excluded from care -

Meanwhile on the global stage, millions of children grow up scarred by war or insecurity, excluded from receiving the most basic health, educational, and developmental services, says the Lancet Commissions. So, what's being done to reverse the situation?

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Children's Awareness Month -

In 1996, the US government proclaimed June as Children's Awareness Month. And it's an apt month. The word "June" relates to children. It is derived from the Latin word juvenis, which translates to "young," or "youth."

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Working together -

The initiative recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect.

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Child support -

Children's Awareness Month aims to encourage, support, and educate children while prioritizing their health and well-being.

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Survive and thrive -

These aims mirror those of the UN's SDGs—ensuring children and adolescents survive and thrive from the ages of 0–18 years, today and in the future. But that's not the whole story.

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Protecting the environment -

In order to secure a future for today's children, a concerted effort must be made to protect the planet.

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The role climate change plays -

Climate change and the effect it's having on the next generation is a highly charged global issue, underlines the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Children have suffered and died due to extreme weather events—floods, cyclones, heatwaves, and consequent wildfires, for example.

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Dried-up solutions -

The BMJ notes that, currently, 920 million children suffer from water scarcity, with numbers rising.

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Malnutrition -

Furthermore, by 2030 there may be more than 100,000 additional deaths in children under five due to malnutrition attributable to climate change.

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Childhood, interrupted -

Equally worrying is the fact that climate change is now a leading cause of forced migration, disrupting children's home and family lives, education, and healthcare.

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Child protection -

The onus is on this generation to protect and preserve the planet for the next generation, urges the BMJ. Child protection is everyone's business, and climate protection is child protection.

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Empowering children -

And grown-ups, you can do your bit at a grass roots level by empowering children to be aware and grow to greater heights. This way their confidence and self-esteem is boosted, which makes them happy and comfortable.

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Fostering better learners -

It's also important for children to understand that they are powerful creators in their own world. Realizing so advances their learning skills and makes them effective pupils.

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Psychological development -

And don't underestimate the need in a child for psychological development. It's as important as physical and mental progress, and instills in young minds a crucial basis for decision making, forming ideologies, and enhancing personal abilities.

Sources: (UNICEF) (Harvard University) (The Lancet) (U.S. Department of Justice) (The BMJ)

See also: Are you teaching your children these essential life skills?

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