UNICEF Report Says Children Still Remain Most Vulnerable in Georgia
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, June 13
The UNICEF’s Welfare Monitoring Study reads that despite some progress for children, the protraction the group still remains as the most valuable in Georgia.
In the report released on Tuesday UNICEF says that due to absence of kindergartens, around 14, 000 children still do not attend preschool services.
“Children remain as the most vulnerable group in Georgia,” said Laila Omar Gad, UNICEF Representative in Georgia. “
“A comprehensive social protection system is necessary for reducing child poverty. Child benefits should be expanded in amount and in coverage. At the same time family support services and child care needs to be enhanced in Georgia to support families with children”, she added.
The major findings of the Welfare Monitoring Study include:
General poverty rates in the country increased and a lack of strong and inclusive economic growth, unemployment and increased consumer prices are likely the reasons for the increased rates.
The average of pocket expenditure on health increased and purchase of medicines remains as the main component of healthcare spending.
To cope with economic hardships more families resort to borrowing. Use of financial instruments (banks and pawn shops) considerably increased in poor families.
The gap for the preschool attendance decreased for both urban/rural areas as well as for rich and poor.
6 out of 10 children aged 3-5 from poor families have no or insufficient access to children’s books.
Every fifth child aged 15-18 doesn’t have access to education.
UNICEF’S Welfare Monitoring Study is a biennial household survey covering all the government-controlled regions of Georgia.
The results from 2017 examined the prevalence and distribution of consumption poverty, material deprivation, subjective poverty and social exclusion.
