Unravelling Child Discrimination Measuring Global Perceptions on Child Discrimination and Exclusion April 201
Methodology An online survey was conducted using managed consumer panels amongst 1,000 citizens in eighteen countries, with 1,000 citizens taking part in each country. Fieldwork was conducted between March 2, 201 and April 1, 201. Norway Sweden Mexico USA UK Spain Germany Denmark Italy Jordan Kenya India China Philippines Nigeria Indonesia South Africa Australia 2
Table of Content Children Discrimination in Context Self-Reported Experience of Discrimination during Childhood Responsibility for Children Discrimination Performance and Effectiveness in Tackling the Problem Personal Empowerment and Support for Actions to Tackle Children Discrimination
Children Discrimination in Context
High level of concern is shared by around three quarters of respondents on all societal issues, except gender inequality; poor education and poor healthcare for children feature high on the list Societal Problem Most Concerned about, Global Average, 1 Countries, 201 Very concerned Somewhat concerned A little concerned Not at all concerned Terrorism Poor education for children Corruption Poor healthcare for children Unemployment Extreme poverty War / internal conflicts Economic inequality Climate change Refugees Gender inequality 2 7 0 0 7 7 0 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 20 1 1 1 1 1 1 17 Respondents from Europe and the Middle East are least concerned with all issues except refugees, where concern is lowest in the Americas. The gap between Europe / Middle East and other regions is higher for gender inequality (1% vs % or more elsewhere), corruption (% vs or more elsewhere) and poor healthcare for children (% vs % or more elsewhere). Level of concern is similar in Africa, Asia and Americas on all issues. High-income countries are least concerned about most issues compared with middle income countries, particularly gender equality (1% vs 7%), poor healthcare for children (70% vs %) and corruption (70% vs %). The white space represents those who replied Depends, hard to say.
Discrimination against children with disabilities yields the highest level of concern globally, and is much higher than for girls and children with different backgrounds Concern about Child Discrimination, by Group of Children, Global Average, 1 Countries, 201 Very concerned Somewhat concerned A little concerned Not at all concerned Children with physical/mental disabilities 1 2 Children from poor/disadvantaged regions in the country 0 1 Child refugees or children displaced by internal conflicts 1 Girls 1 Children from different ethnic/religious backgrounds 1 Concern about different groups of children being discriminated against is highest in Africa and significantly lower in the Europe / Middle East region. The gap is particularly wide regarding discrimination against girls (% in Europe / Middle East vs 0% or over elsewhere) and child refugees (% vs 0% or more elsewhere). High-income countries show less concern, especially for discrimination against girls (% vs %) and against children from different ethnic / religious backgrounds (2% vs 7%). The white space represents those who replied Depends, hard to say.
Strong majorities in all countries consider children discrimination to be an important issue in their country, except in Norway Perceived Importance of Children Discrimination in Respondent s Country, by Country, 201 Very important Somewhat important Not very important Not at all important Total Philippines Mexico Indonesia South Africa India China Italy Spain Kenya Nigeria USA Australia Sweden Germany UK Denmark Jordan Norway 1 1 7 1 1 2 7 2 0 7 1 20 2 7 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 Fewer respondents from the Europe/ Middle East region consider children discrimination to be an important issue compared with other regions (7% vs 0% or more elsewhere). Fewer participants from high-income countries consider children discrimination to be an important issue (7% vs 0%). 7 The white space represents those who replied Hard to say, not sure.
Globally, there is a nearly equal split between respondents who think that children discrimination has become better in their country and those who think it has become worse Perceived Improvement in Issues of Children Discrimination in Respondents Countries Better vs Worse, by Country, 201 Better (+) About the same Worse (1+2) Don't know Total China Kenya India Jordan Indonesia Nigeria Norway Germany Australia Sweden USA Spain 2 2 0 1 7 17 20 2 2 2 2 20 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 The issue of children discrimination is perceived to have improved nationally amongst nearly half of respondents in Asia and Africa (vs around a third saying it has become worse). The issue is however perceived to have worsened in the Americas (% saying it has become worse vs 2% saying it has improved). UK South Africa Denmark 2 2 2 0 2 Participants are split in Europe and the Middle East. Philippines 1 7 1 Mexico 1 Italy 20 17 2 1
Groups of Children Most Discriminated against Nationally By Country, 201 Child refugees Children from different backgrounds Children with disabilities Children from disadvantaged regions Girls
Self-Reported Experience of Discrimination during Childhood
Almost four in ten globally say they have experienced discrimination when they were a child; of these, one in two report being from a disadvantaged region as the main reason for it, and that their education was most affected by it Personal Experience of Child Discrimination, by Country Reasons for Experiencing Discrimination as a Child, Global Average Total Mentions, Respondents who Felt Discriminated as a Child Yes, often Yes, sometimes Total Jordan Kenya Nigeria Philippines India South Africa China Indonesia Mexico USA Norway Australia Sweden Spain Italy Denmark Germany UK 2 2 1 1 7 22 22 20 20 1 1 1 1 1 2 % % 2% 20% 1% Respondents who felt discriminated as a child, n=700 Aspects of Life Most Affected by Discrimination as a Child, Global Average Total Mentions, Respondents who Felt Discriminated as a Child Education My sense of personal freedom Healthcare My personal safety My general wellbeing Access to public places Basic hygiene My right to practice my religion freely Unsure Respondents who felt discriminated as a child, n=700 1 2
Responsibility for Children Discrimination Performance and Effectiveness in Tackling the Problem
Aggregating different types of children discrimination, about three quarters of respondents think that the government and family/communities are responsible for these situations Responsibility for Children Discrimination, Government vs Family/Community Very and Somewhat Responsible, Global Average, 201 Aggregate responsibility 7 77 Children with disabilities missing out on education 1 0 Children living in disadvantaged areas of the country missing out on school Children from different backgrounds missing out on healthcare Children fleeing conflict and growing up in a refugee camp 1 7 77 77 7 71 Government Family/community Adolescent girls who get married to older men 1 1
For all institutions or groups rated, a large gap exists between perceived current performance and potential effectiveness to address children discrimination Current vs Potential Effectiveness of Institutions/Groups in Tackling Children Discrimination By Type of Institution/Group, Global Average, 201 Current performance Possible effectiveness A very good job A good job A poor job A very poor job Very effective Somewhat effective Not very effective Not effective at all NGOs / civil society 1 Communities / families affected 1 1 Religious groups 1 2 1 People like me 2 1 2 17 Government authorities 2 1 2 1 7 Business / private sector 20 2 1 1 1 The white space represents those who replied Neither poor nor good and Don t know for Q and Depends, hard to say for Q.
Personal Empowerment Support for Actions to Tackle Children Discrimination
Globally, respondents are divided between those who feel empowered to tackle children discrimination and those who do not. Over half of participants in the South feel empowered, compared with under a third in the North Perceived Personal Empowerment to Tackle Children Discrimination, by Country, 201 Total Kenya Nigeria India Jordan Mexico Philippines South Africa Indonesia USA Norway China Germany Australia Denmark UK Italy Spain Sweden 1 1 1 Very much Somewhat A little Not at all 22 1 1 1 22 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 17 1 1 1 2 1 2 7 20 2 1 2 2 20 2 17 1 20 20 1 1 1 1 2 2 Two thirds of Africans think that they can personally help fight against children discrimination, a particularly high percentage compared with other regions, especially Europe / Middle East (2%). Significantly more participants from middle-income countries think that they can personally help fight against children discrimination compared with those from high-income countries (% vs 2%). 1 The white space represents those who replied Depends, hard to say.
Global opinion is divided regarding children discrimination always being an issue in their country; however, optimism is shared about possibility to make significant progress to address the problem Perceptions of Possible Future Improvement of Children Discrimination, Total and by Country, 201 Total Mexico Kenya South Africa India Spain Sweden Nigeria Italy USA Denmark Indonesia UK Australia China Philippines Norway Germany Jordan Significant progress can be made in the next 1 years 1 7 7 72 71 71 71 7 2 0 7 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 Total Nigeria Jordan India USA Kenya South Africa Indonesia UK Australia Philippines Denmark Mexico China Sweden Norway Germany Italy Spain There will always be children discrimination in this country 0 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 22 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 A significantly higher proportion of Africans believe that progress can be made to address children discrimination (7%), although nearly half think that the issue will always exist in their country. The Europe / Middle East region has the fewest participants who think that progress has been made (2%), but also has the fewest participants who think that there will always be discrimination against children (%). Two-thirds among middle income country respondents think that progress can be made, but per cent think that there will always be discrimination against children in their country. The trend is reversed amongst high-income country respondents, with per cent thinking that progress can be made, but 2 per cent saying that there will always be discrimination. 17 The white space represents those who replied Neither agree nor disagree.
Support for action is by far highest for the imposition of an international ban on child marriage, and for putting international pressure on countries that deny equal opportunities to children from marginalised groups Support for Collective Actions to Tackle Children Discrimination, Global Average, by Type of Action, 201 Strongly support Somewhat support Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose Imposing an international ban on child marriage for girls aged under 1 years old 1 International pressure on countries that deny equal opportunities to children from marginalised ethnic/religious groups in their country 2 1 Tax increases to improve public infrastructure/facilities to provide children with a disability with the same access opportunities than as non-disabled children 17 2 1 1 Tax increases to support government action in favour of children living in poor/disadvantaged regions in this country 1 1 1 Increasing the number of child refugees fleeing conflicts that settle in this country 1 2 1 1 1 1 Africans support all collective actions to tackle children discrimination significantly more than respondents from other regions, except for the imposition of an international ban on child marriage, which is most supported in Europe / Middle East. Apart from this issue, and for increasing the number of child refugees that settle in the country, which is most supported in the Americas. Europeans / Middle Easterners tend to support all issues the least. Similarly, support for all actions is highest in middle-income countries except for the ban on child marriage. The white space represents those who replied Undecided.
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