This past May UNICEF once again published its annual report card comparing child poverty in 35 industrialized countries only to reveal that Canada could be doing so much more to protect its children.
“The face of poverty in Canada is a child’s face,” says UNICEF Canada’s Executive Director David Morley and he called on Canada to make children a priority when planning budgets and spending the nation’s resources despite tough economic times.
Looking at the numbers more specifically, the report showed how Canada’s child poverty rate is actually higher than the country’s overall poverty rate.
An interesting fact to come out of this report was that while there are around 30 million children in 35 industrialized countries growing up poor, child poverty is not inevitable in these countries but significantly affected by government policy.
UNICEF’s recommendation for Canada: to better prioritize the country’s children. The report suggested improving child benefits and tax credits and establishing a national poverty reduction strategy with a focus on children.
For more info: www.unicef.ca/irc10
