JSM - Edition Two

C hallenges A nd O pportunities L ocally A nd G lobally - continued

Where does this issue exist? There are many childhood diseases found worldwide and the prevalence of each disease varies from country to country. Many children who contract serious preventable diseases like Polio, Measles and Diphtheria live in villages in Asia and Africa and they find it difficult to access good healthcare because of their remote location, poor hygiene standards or few hospitals nearby. Some diseases are more prevalent is areas because of their location. Malaria is very common in Sub-Saharan Regions of south Africa because there are a lot of mosquitoes in this area and the countries there are very poor so they can’t afford to take preventa- tive measures. Other diseases are common in certain countries because of genetics or the fact that they are inherited characteristics passed from one generation to the next, for example cystic fibrosis. Looking particularly at HIV and Tuberculosis incidence across the world, both are seen more commonly in third world countries than in developed first world countries. Furthermore, if you have HIV you are 20 to 30 times more likely to get Tuberculosis.

What are the rights of the child and why were they created? UNICEF created the rights of the child so that every child can be equal and every child can get an education, have good health, be cared for and be safe. UNICEF stands for United Nations International Children Emergency Fund; they are an organisation around the world to help children. UNICEF was created after World War 2 to help children that have lost their parents or are starving and provided them with someone who could look after them. UNICEF was also created so that adults know what the needs of children are. This includes their need to play, their necessity for food and clean water and their need to be educated.

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JSM Edition Two