#7
BBC
29 November 2001
Child poverty grips ex-Soviet bloc
By the BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Switzerland

The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) says child poverty is widespread in eastern Europe and the countries of the former Soviet Union.

A new report - looking at the situation in these regions in the 10 years since the end of the Cold War - found that almost 18 million children were living in conditions of extreme poverty, existing on less than $2.15 a day.

A further cause for concern was the increasing numbers of children living in institutions or being put up for adoption.

Unicef says the report - called Decade of Transition, and published in Geneva - is the first comprehensive review of the social effects brought about by 10 years of change.

It points to the growing number of families across the region who have been pushed into poverty as the value of their wages falls.

Unicef also found a growing gap in health conditions among the 27 countries examined.

In Russia and Ukraine, for example, one child in seven is malnourished, while in Albania, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan the figure rises to one in three.

Lack of education

An area of particular concern is the increased number of children now living in institutions or being put up for adoption.

Although the birth rate is falling right across the region, 1.5 million children are living in out-of-home care - that is 150,000 more than 10 years ago.

The report also reveals falling educational standards.

In Central Asian countries less than half of 15- to 18-year olds now attend secondary school. Ten years ago more than two-thirds did attend.

One positive finding from the report though is that levels of child mortality are beginning to fall in some of the countries assessed.

Publishing the report, Unicef calls for a sustained attack on child poverty, including making the issue central to national policy.

The report also calls for regular and independent inspection of institutional childcare facilities and a greater commitment to family support services.

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