Education and health was prominent in the beginning during independence for the ex-Soviet country. Recent reports of declining school enrollment has been recorded even though their education and health level is higher than many higher-income countries. UNICEF has conducted many studies to compare and contrast school enrollment versus none. They have found the majority of children attend school while a mere 2-3% end up dropping out. According to CHIP, the need fro kindergarten has decrease dramatically after independence going from 30% to 6%. Children in 2001, had no access to health care and suffered from malnourishment. Because their was limited or no access to health care children suffered from tuberculosis and other diseases. Health care was limited to families due to it cost and limited availability in the country due lack of funding.
Children affected by poverty grow up working on family farms, or labour work for others and vendors at local markets or ports to help their family to survive (CHIP, n.d.). Poverty creates very serious problems for children because some end up on the street while other may end up in prostitution or child trafficking (CHIP, n.d). Poverty can become a circular path due to repeated patterns. When a child grows up in poverty and remains through their adult life, they will carry that status on to their children who will continue the pattern as well. CHIP is helping to discover is how these cycles are developing over time.
CHIP Policy and Action
NSPR (national Poverty Reduction Strategy) promotes healthy living and economic growth to envision Kyrgyzstan with better living conditions (CHIP, n.d). One of their aims is to help with childhood poverty because too many children are facing those situation every day. NPRS is supported by many organizations that share their visions and want to take on the problems of child poverty in Kyrgyzstan.
After, reading about the issues affected children in Kyrgyzstan, It enlightens me that we should be concerned with child poverty all over the world because our children are vulnerable to life. Children cannot control where they are born and what their parents status may be. Children need to have opportunities to educate themselves and learn about all they can do otherwise they will remain in poverty due to lack of knowledge. I am glad their are organizations that aim to help and protect children. Giving a child an opportunity to grow and develop properly will give them the foundation they need to have a productive adult life.
References
Childhood
Poverty Research and Policy Centre (CHIP). (n.d.). Knowledge for tackling
childhood poverty. Retrieved from http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=chipactivities-nat#17
Hi Natasha,
ReplyDeleteI am glad that to read that there are programs that exist in the country to help reduce poverty. I agree that children have no control over their status, they are there because they were born there. The sad thing is that even when these children grow up and want to better themselves, the opportunities is just not available. I see it happening to so many people every time I go home to the Philippines.
Thank you for sharing what you have learned about poverty in Kyrgystan.
Maria
Hi Natasha!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading you post! I'm happy to hear that there are organizations that help children and families in poverty. As I was researching poverty this week for our assignments I came across an article that said that children who grow up in poverty are more likely to grow up into adults living in poverty. I was saddened when I read this because children living in poverty have less opportnities avaliabale to them.