Racism and discrimination against children is rampant in countries around the world, says UNICEF

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The report examines the impact of discrimination on children and shows how racism and discrimination affect their education, their health, access to a registered birth and a fair and just justice system.

It highlights widespread disparities between minority and ethnic groups.

A life of pain

Systemic racism and discrimination put children at risk of deprivation and exclusion that can last a lifetime, said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. It hurts us all. Protecting the rights of every child, whoever they are, wherever they come from, is the surest way to build a more peaceful, prosperous and just world for all.

The report shows that children from marginalized ethnic, linguistic and religious groups, from 22 low- and middle-income countries analyzed, lag far behind their peers when it comes to reading skills.

Fall behind

On average, students aged 7 to 14 in the most advantaged group are more than twice as likely to have basic reading skills as those in the least advantaged group.

An analysis of data on the number of children registered at birth, a prerequisite for access to basic rights, revealed significant disparities between children of different religious and ethnic groups.

For example, in Lao PDR, 59% of children under five from the Mon-Khmer ethnic minority group are registered at birth, compared to 80% in the Lao-Tai ethnic group.

Discrimination and exclusion aggravate intergenerational deprivation and poverty and result in poorer health, nutrition and learning outcomes for children, higher likelihood of incarceration, higher pregnancy rates among adolescent girls and lower rates of employment and earnings in adulthood.

Girls from an indigenous community read outdoors at Ban Pho Primary School in Bac Han District, remote Lao Cai Province, Viet Nam.

Long term model

As COVID-19 has revealed deep injustices and discrimination across the world, and the impacts of climate change and conflict continue to reveal inequalities in many countries, the report highlights how discrimination and exclusion have long persisted for millions of children from ethnic and minority groups, including access to immunization, water and sanitation services and a fair justice system.

On Universal Children’s Day and every day, every child has the right to be included, to be protected and to have an equal opportunity to reach their full potential, said Catherine Russell. We all have the power to fight discrimination against children in our countries, our communities, our schools, our homes and our own hearts. We must use this power.

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