CAIRO: On Monday, UNICEF launched its annual assessment of the well-being of children worldwide, focusing this year's report on “Children in an Urban World.” It argues that urban areas are inadequately meeting the basic needs of city and town dwelling children. There are huge disparities between individuals living in urban areas, and many fare worse than those in rural settings. Over half of the global population live in urban areas, a figure which is increasing by around 60 million people each year. More than one billion children live in such locations. In Egypt, 43 percent of the population inhabit urban areas, although this is nothing compared to Argentina's 92 percent. Likewise, Belgium and France, with figures of 97 percent and 85 percent, respectively, are representative of the high figures which tend to be present in Western Europe. There are many advantages to living in towns and cities. These areas tend to have more health facilities, schools and playgrounds, yet such benefits rarely reach the entire urban population. Urbanization becomes problematic when disparities in access to education, health, nutrition, protection and sanitation exist. Average statistical figures on these variables tend to mask the situation of the poorest whose standard of living is much lower than the averages suggest. In reality, a substantial proportion of urban children experience lower living standards than those in rural areas, despite their close proximity to services. While urban-dwelling children are theoretically more likely to benefit from greater education opportunities, this is not always the case. Families may struggle to afford school fees, uniforms or supplies. UNICEF's report introduces data from 2005-2006 which claims that 25 percent of children in urban areas of Egypt attend kindergarten, more than double the 12 percent figure obtained from rural areas. Yet, only four percent of the poorest fifth of children from urban households in Egypt attend kindergarten. Urban areas may also exacerbate health problems due to pollution, dangerous traffic and inadequate or unaffordable health care. Slums provide a particular challenge to policymakers as they tend to be unsanitary, lack basic amenities, and exacerbate disease. Slums are often coupled with high child mortality rates which can be significantly greater than respective figures from rural areas. Undernutrition is the cause of over a third of total global deaths of children under the age of five each year. Other problems stem from unsafe water and poor sanitation. While access to potable water in urban areas is high at 96 percent globally compared to 78 percent in rural areas, the simultaneous growth of urban populations puts pressure on sustaining this level of coverage. The economic crisis has placed further strains on urban inhabitants due to high levels of unemployment, and increases in food and fuel prices within certain countries. The urban poor are especially vulnerable to food price increases as they devote a large proportion of their income towards it. With Egypt's high level of debt and requests for loans from the IMF and the World Bank, questions over the practicalities of food and fuel subsidies may ensue. Although significant modifications regarding subsidies are unlikely to occur in such a volatile political environment, the impact upon less wealthy members of society could be considerable if such changes were to take place. Urban poor children in Egypt also face a threat stemming from the violence and political instability surrounding the revolution. Children have not only been injured and detained as a result of predominantly city-based protests, but have also in some cases been killed. Egypt's future prospects are unpredictable, but a rapidly increasing population, environmental degradation and increased urbanization could all lead to detrimental outcomes for its urban population, including children. For instance, a rise in Egypt's sea levels as a result of climate change is a distinct possibility in coming decades. This could force an exodus from coastal cities such as Alexandria, or place greater pressure on existing infrastructure and resources. Yet, many of these issues can be addressed through effective policies and projects. Air quality monitoring devices can address air pollution and resulting respiratory illnesses, sanitation implementation projects may tackle diseases in slums, and the provision of official documentation and rights awarded to children and their families can assist in breaking down barriers which exclude them from the services they require. UNICEF calls for more accurate data and for services to be improved and accessed more widely. The expertise and tools are available. Now they must be implemented to ensure that urban environments worldwide are conducive to the well-being of children of all income brackets. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/LaoRR Tags: Children, Cities, featured, UNICEF, Urba Section: Editor's choice, Egypt, Human Rights, Latest News
