A Global Imperative

ByJESUTOROMOMI MARY FADIPE

Mother Teresa of Calcutta 1910-1997

The problem of orphans has remained a major global challenge.

In 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria revealed that 7.3 million out of the 17.5 million children in Nigeria were orphans – a heartbreaking figure.

This presentation aims at viewing the global problem of orphans with Nigeria as our main focus.

“A child who has lost one or both parents.”

UNICEF and Global Partners

2007 report from UNICEF shows that

there are between 143 and 210 million

orphans worldwide.

Each passing day, about 5,760 more

children become orphans.

In Africa alone, it is estimated that

about 2,102,400 more children become

orphans each year.

One major cause of the rise of orphans in Nigeria is HIV/AIDS. The reality is that many orphans shown in the picture above come from homes where parents have either died of AIDS or are incapacitated by the sickness. Some of these children are also HIV positive.

In every 15 seconds, another child in Africa

becomes an AIDS orphan.

It is estimated that there are about 14

million AIDS orphans in Sub-Saharan

Africa.

It is estimated that 8 out of 10 children

orphaned by AIDS lives in Sub-Saharan

Africa.

High rate of maternal death

Lack of appropriate birth control

programs

Irresponsible parenting

High rate of teenage pregnancy

Unemployment

Poverty

Country Percent Survey

Swaziland 41 DHS 2006

Kenya 21 AIS 2007

Malawi 19 MICS 2006

Uganda 11 DHS 2006

Cameroon 9 MICS 2006

Guinea-Bissau 8 MICS 2006

Burkina- Faso 7 MICS 2006

NIGERIA 6 DHS 2006

Togo 6 DHS 2006

Increasing number of homeless children

Increasing number of children exposed

to the problem of child labor.

Increasing number of cases related to

child trafficking.

Increasing number of youth who

become a menace to the society like

armed robbers, murderers, etc.

Ensuring a national assess to essential services

Increase in HIV/AIDS awareness Increase in aids for HIV/AIDS patients More education on birth control More education on responsible parenting Educating the youth on how to overcome

teenage pregnancy Improving the living conditions of citizens

http://www.google.nl/search?q=pictures+of+orphans+in+nigeria&hl=nl&biw=1366&bih=673&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=zrIjTvu9BY2fOsH_nfEO&sqi=2&ved=0CBsQsAQ

http://skywardjourney.wordpress.com/orphan-statistics/

http://www.unicef.org/media/media_45279.html