Sri Lanka and UNICEF focus on urban children

Too many children living in cities across the world are excluded from vital services, UNICEF states in a report launched jointly with the Sri Lankan government.

International Monetary Cooperation Senior Minister Dr Sarath Amunugama and UNICEF Sri Lanka representative Reza Hossaini explained recently how disparities in health and education opportunities can be at their widest in cities.

Addressing the joint launch of State of the World's Childrens Report 2012 at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Dr Amunugama said, "While many children enjoy the advantages of urban life too many children are excluded.

"These children are deprived of the chance to reach their full potential. It denies their societies of the economic benefits of having a well-educated, healthy urban population."

"Children need to enjoy their rights and quality services if they are to develop as creative and productive individuals.

We have to improve our understanding of urban poverty and that means better data and analysis to pinpoint problems," Hossaini said.

The report entitled 'Children in an Urban World' says that in a few years, the majority of children will grow up in towns or cities rather than in rural areas. Children born in cities already account for 60 per cent of the increase in urban population.

The deprivation endured by children in poor urban communities are often obscured by broad statistical averages that lump together all city dwellers, rich and poor alike. When averages such as these are used in making urban policy and allocating resources, the needs of the poorest can be overlooked.

UNICEF urges governments to put children at the heart of urban planning and to extend and improve services for all. To start, more focused, accurate data are needed to help identify disparities among children in urban areas and how to bridge them.

The shortage of such data is evidence of the neglect of these issues.

A focus on equity is crucial, one in which priority is given to the most disadvantaged children wherever they live.

The shortage of such data is evidence of the neglect of these issues. While governments at all levels can do more, community-based action is also a key to success. The report calls for greater recognition of community-based efforts to tackle urban poverty and gives examples of effective partnerships with the urban poor, including children and adolescents.