Uneasy Fate of Asian Children
Very dynamic demographics underpinned by the traditional model of family makes Asia full of children. Their laugh can be heard everywhere around and their honest smiles is something extremely rewarding while travelling across Asia. Although happy and cheerful as only children can be they very often have much more reasons to sorrow. Across Asia and Pacific vast number of children continue to experience grave violations to their rights and safety.
Asia enjoys a reputation as a vibrant economic zone, but it is also home to more working children than any other region in the world. An estimated 120 million children aged 5-14 years are compelled to work for their survival. Millions are not enrolled in school at all.
Other common form of rights violation are child marriages, defined as a formal marriage or informal union before age of 18. It is a reality for both boys and girls, although girls are disproportionately the most affected, while they are less likely to remain in school and more likely to experience domestic violence. The highest rate of child marriage is in Bangladesh, where two out of every three girls marry before age of 18, followed by India, Nepal and Afghanistan.
The fate of Asian children is improving every year but there is still a lot to do to protect them, secure their rights, and do not limit their chances for a prospective future.
