Six million
children under the age of five died last year mostly from easily
treatable diseases. Most of the deaths have been from pneumonia,
malaria, or diarrhea. Over 70% of these deaths have occurred in Africa
and South-East Asia. Nearly half of all under five deaths occur in five
countries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, China, India, Nigeria
and Pakistan.
The women and children of the Congo have
had to endure two decades of warfare, hundreds of thousands of
displaced refugees and systematic rape and other atrocities committed
against the women and girls by both government soldiers and rebels. This
system is propped up by foreign mining of rare earth minerals for cell
phones and other electronics. Western governments and capitalism props
up this system of abuse and violence.
Nigeria accounts for more than 30% of
early childhood deaths for malaria and 20% for HIV/AIDS. According to
the UN Nigeria accounts for one in every eight child death, this is a
trend that must be combated.
Other regions where the situation has been dire for tens of thousands of children are Cambodia, Guinea, Mozambique and Nepal.
Angola and Namibia are experiencing
their worst drought in 30 years leaving more than 100,000 children
without food according to UNICEF.
There has been some progress, a two
thirds reduction in child mortality in Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi and
Tanzania. Much of it from the work done by UNICEF, OXFAM, Save the
Children and Doctors Without Borders.
Another factor that can have a direct
effect on people's well being is climate change. The size and severity
of floods in West Africa and droughts in East Africa. In President Obama's first inaugural
address he said "To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work along
side you to make your farms flourish and let clean water flow."
taken from here
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