Child Poverty- endangering Yemen’s Youth, holding back development

Poverty and underdevelopment take their toll on children in many ways. Poor nutrition robs children of good health and slows their physical and mental development. Poor education closes possible avenues of economic advancement. But often overlooked is how the lack of economic options can lead children into lives of brutality, sexual exploitation, and unending menial labor.

Yemen is one of the world’s least developed countries, ranking 150 out of 177 on the 2006 UNDP Human Development Index, and remains the poorest and most underdeveloped country in the Middle East. An estimated 42 percent are poor and one in five Yemeni’s are malnourished. Poverty is endemic, particularly in the more remote and less accessible areas.

The 2007 Poverty Assessment for Yemen concluded that poverty had declined from 40 percent in 1998 to 34 percent in 2005-2006. Nonetheless, it is becoming apparent that the deprivation of the basic human needs of food, safe-drinking water, sanitation facilities are an important measure of poverty. 

Through studies of child poverty, UNICEF is supporting national authorities in examining child poverty and disparities in nutrition, health, education and protection. By focusing on children in specific groups- especially girls and boys in rural areas who are neither enjoying their rights nor benefiting from national efforts to reach the MDGs, and by revealing which policies are failing, the poverty analysis will do a great deal to advance gender equality and promote human rights.

The ultimate aim is to place children at the heart of the poverty reduction agenda. Therefore, it aims to create a broader understanding of opportunities and constraints related to reducing child poverty and disparities at all levels, while also re-orienting the national-level policy focus towards a dynamic debate on solutions.  

“People must know that young people are the basis of development in any country. 52 percent of the Yemeni population is under the age of 18, thus, it should pay particular attention to reasons behind child poverty,” stated Aboudou Adjibade the UNICEF representative. We must find ways to help provide all children, particularly girls with essential social services.  

“Poverty is an international matter, and we cannot abolish this phenomenon in a short time- concerned bodies need time to combat poverty” said Hisham Sharaf from the Ministry of Planning and International cooperation. He said that real and effective strategies- must be devised and implemented. 

“Increasing recognition of the importance of eradicating child poverty and imporving social justice… but much more is needed to affect policies,” said Alberto Minujin, member of the faculty of International Affairs. He added “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” 

Minujin wondered why children are invisible in the policy agenda, and child poverty is a pervasive global problem and a denial of justice.  Every man is rich or poor according to the degree to which he can afford to enjoy the necessities, conveniences and amusements of human life.”  

Children understand poverty as a deeply physical, emotional and social experience, stated Minujin. This experience is felt acutely from an early age. ”It is important to be aware that children should take part in thinking of solutions of the problem. They are part of the society; they may be the major reasons for changes. Children are not passive recipients of experience but active contributors to their own well-being and development.” 

In 2007, UN General Assembly recognized that children living in poverty are deprived of nutrition, water and sanitation facilities, access to basic health-care services, shelter, education, participation and protection. Though this affects many adults, it is most harmful to children, leaving them unable to reach their full potential.

A report, conducted by SCMC 2006, stated that “48.8 per cent of Yemeni families live below the poverty line, and 17.6 per cent of families live with food poverty. Poverty is mainly found among the young, and 53 percent of poor people are children under 15.

Poverty, illiteracy and tough social conditions for many families exacerbate the problem, the report said. It added that in cases of child trafficking, children are also at risk of being detained, beaten or sexually abused.  According to aid agencies, factors leading to increased poverty in Yemen are low income, unstable economic growth, low level of human resources development, rapid population growth, lack of jobs, poor water resources, rising goods prices and weak social protection. 

The Effects of Poverty on Children
Child labor “My family was very poor. Three of my sisters ran away due to poverty. When I was 9 years old, my father pushed me to the streets to work. I used to sell sweepers while seeing my peers going to schools. He used to take the money and gave me nothing- I never feel comfortable; either at home or in the streets.” This story was published in a book entitled “our voices” produced by Shawthab Foundation for Childhood and Development (SFCD) in cooperation with UNICEF. 

Just over one fifth of children aged 5 of 14 are involved in child labor, according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) developed by UNICEF.  MICS stated that of the 59 percent of children 5-14 years of age attending school, 23 percent are also involved in child labor. On the other hand, out of 23 percent of the children classified as child laborers, 60 percent of them are also attending school. 

The relationship between poverty and child labor is very close as choices of children and the poor are generally minimal, said a study carried out by Trade Khalid Rajeh Sheikh.  

Street children
Street children in Yemen is a new problem, but can be traced back to the economic crisis of the early 1990s. The number of children on the streets today is rapidly increasing, and includes children from the Akhdam , and children of poor families living in Sana’a city or coming from different governorates. 

There are approximately 35.108 street children aged 5 to 18. This 2005 UN Human Rights Report indicates that 29 percent of street children are in Hodeida governorate, and 15.2 percent in Sana’a, 10.5 percent in Hadhramout and 8 percent in Taiz. Other reports indicate that the number of working children in Yemen is 326.008, of whom 60 percent work and sleep on the streets, while the remaining 40 percent return to some kind of makeshift home at night. 

Education 
Education among poor has improved; the number of those not attending school has decreased from 86.8 percent in 1998 to 78.3 percent in 2006. 

Drop-outs:
Inability to adapt to formal education and the remoteness of schools are problematic. The high cost of education, low qualification of teachers, corporal punishment and poor relations between teachers and their students also contribute to drop-out rates. 

Studies show that the primary reason for the problem is poverty. A report released by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor stated that illiteracy in Yemen is 78 percent, and five million children in the country are illiterate. The major reason behind this is poverty, according to the report.  

Child trafficking
Driven by poverty and greed, the trade exposes children violence, sexual abuse and exploitation. Worldwide, UNICEF says about 1.2 million children are trafficked annually. But it is clear that hundreds, if not thousands, leave Yemen every year, voluntarily or not. In 2004, 9,815 Yemeni children were expelled from Saudi Arabia, according to official statistics. In 2005, 370 children entered Unicef’s reception center in the Haradh region alone. “Poverty, lack of education and lack of employment are the causes of sending these children,” Naseem-Ur-Rehman, UNICEF’s Chief of Communication and Information Section told Reuters. He said children were victims of the poverty, which erodes Yemen’s social fabric as population growth outstrips resources. 

“These kids have amazing potential and an ability to survive despite woeful tales,” he said. “We are working with families to persuade them not to push their children into darkness. 

Health and Nutrition 
Health can have a devastating affect on such diverse areas as cognitive ability and scholastic achievement. Poor children experience increased rates of low birth weight and elevated blood lead levels compared with non poor children.  
Children’s nutritional status is a reflection of their overall health. When children are not exposed to illnesses and well cared for with access to a varied food supply, they have a better chance of reaching their growth potential. 

Yemen’s nutrition crisis may be off the world’s radar, but the numbers are striking. Half of all children are underweight, and half are stunted. Malnourished children have a greater risk of diseases, long-term mental disability and untimely death, reported UNICEF.

“Three quarter of poor children from 2-5 suffer from illness due to malnutrition. Government health services do not pay attention to poor; they are not offered health services at public centers,” stated Eman. 

Ultimately, it is family and schools that carry the biggest responsibility. A drastic overhaul of the education system and continued campaigns for parental information is required to allow the talents of children to bloom. 

Poverty was cited by the participants as the main cause of child labor. Factors causing poverty include social and educational difficulties, wars, natural disasters, migration, and rapid population growth. When children enter the labor market, they often lose their legal, social and cultural rights. In the long run, this results in increasing unemployment, a change in the social structure, and harm to their health. A final factor is family size, which also contributes to the problem. The average number of people in a poor family in the country is 8.2, creating a huge financial burden. 

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