Inequality – what’s it doing to children? Warning for NZ

United Nations Children’s Fund

Media Release

Inequality – what’s it doing to children? Warning for New Zealand

3 Dec 2010: A report released today by UNICEF (The United Nations Children’s Fund) is a strong warning signal for New Zealand, says UNICEF NZ executive director Dennis McKinlay.

RC 9: The Children Left Behind, by UNICEF’s Innocenti research centre in Italy has found that children in many wealthy European nations and the United States suffer much greater inequality than children in neighbouring OECD countries.

The report shows there is considerable variation in how well wealthy countries allow disparities between what is considered a ‘normal’ standard of child wellbeing and children who are at the “bottom end” of the disparity ranking.

The report states that many of these children risk being left behind – neither included nor protected - by the wealthy societies in which they live.

It argues that the consequences of “falling behind” are very damaging for children, as they are for the economy and societies.

“The Children Left Behind” is the 9th Report Card in the Innocenti series that examines the situation of children in the OECD countries – or the “rich world”.

New Zealand implications

Data from New Zealand was not sufficient for the measure - so does not feature as one of the 24 countries rated in the overall league table. “But despite this, the implications of allowing disparities to increase is clear” said Dennis McKinlay.

The report suggests that disparity gaps are not inevitable but are a matter of policy choice, evidenced by what some OECD countries have already achieved for children.

The possibility of reducing “bottom end inequality” exists not just as an abstract goal but against a standard of what best-performing countries (such as Denmark, Finland, Switzerland and the Netherlands) have achieved in limiting inequality.

The data from 24 OECD countries was examined according to a new approach of “bottom end inequality”. The inequality gap between children at the median position and those at the bottom-end was measured to determine how far behind those children are being allowed to fall.

The report considers three dimensions of childhood inequality - material wellbeing, education and health.

“We know that there has been a big increase in levels of income inequality within New Zealand contrasted with 20 years ago. The global economic crisis and subsequent rise in unemployment are likely to have aggravated that situation,” he said. “We are concerned that everything possible is done to protect the most vulnerable children from the negative impact of those influences.”

The report’s premise is that the children are not responsible for their own situation and it is unjust and unacceptable that disparities have been allowed to increase in many OECD nations. The larger the relative gap, the higher a child’s risk of exclusion and of being far from the standards of the society where the child lives.

Its common theme is that protecting all children during their vital, vulnerable years of growth is the means of building a better future both for the individual and for society.

The report acknowledges considerable debate on the subject about increased inequality in OECD countries over the last 30 years - but argues that any justification of inequality as a reflection of merit or effort can not reasonably be applied to children.

It is inarguable that children’s early circumstances are beyond their control yet have a profound effect on their present lives and future prospects. Children are not responsible for the circumstances of their birth, upbringing nor for the opportunities that will enable them to contribute in a meaningful and productive way to society, when they become adults.

It is worth noting that eight out of the ten countries at the top of the league table for greater equity have populations of fewer than 10 million.

“New Zealand is among the countries with levels of child poverty (based on the measure in this report of below 50% of the national median household incomes) equal to or higher than 15%.

Fifteen year olds in the study were asked about access to basic educational possessions, such as whether they had access to a desk and a quiet place at home for their study, an internet connection, computer software, a calculator, a dictionary and textbooks. Here New Zealand was near the bottom, alongside Turkey, Mexico, Greece and the United Kingdom.

“This leads us to conclude that we are low down the table for material well being – 22% against an OECD average of 15%.”

New Zealand displayed intermediate levels of bottom end equality for reading, maths and science literacy, close to the OECD average.

No information from New Zealand about housing living space was included in RC9 but a report to the Minister of Health in May of this year showed that 31% of New Zealand children live in overcrowded conditions. (The Best Start to Life – report to the Minister of Health PHAC, May 2010)

Data on the dimension for inequality in child health was taken from a study involving children in Europe and North America so New Zealand did not feature in the table.

But Mr McKinlay points to New Zealand’s low ranking out of 30 OECD countries for preventable, infectious diseases and the serious long term health consequences for children affected by poverty-related diseases such as rheumatic fever – 14 times the OECD average.

Mr McKinlay referred to comment in RC9 that “bottom-end inequality” is no longer a concern only of the political left. David Cameron - Conservative Prime Minister in the UK has argued it is important to close the gap between the bottom and the middle “not because it is an easy thing to do, but because it is the most important thing to do.”

“The consequences of allowing our most vulnerable children to fall further behind is a critical issue, not just for all those children, but for the economic and social future of this nation.”

“If we fail to ensure all children have full opportunity to realise their potential, regardless of the circumstances of their birth and material environment, there is no doubt that our society will bear the heavy burden of cost and despair in the future.”

“Twenty five percent of New Zealand’s current population is under 18, higher than the average OECD country. Conditions for them to grow and achieve well are in the interests of all sectors of New Zealand society”.

Mr McKinlay pointed out the need for more regular, consistent and robust data to be collated and made available on the well-being, or otherwise, of New Zealand’s children. He urges politicians, policy makers, academics, influencers and all people concerned about children to consider what Report Card 9 has to say.

Report Card 9 maintains that when a child suffers avoidable setbacks in the most formative stages of development, it is a breach of the most basic tenet of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“It is unfair and unjust to hold children responsible for the circumstances into which they are born. It calls on Governments to close the gaps to give all children the same, best opportunities in life.

“We are at the top of the OECD league for economic security for our senior citizens - through policy supported across political parties. That’s a wonderful thing, but it’s unquestionably time we did the same for children,” said Mr McKinlay.

“This challenges everyone in New Zealand, including business interests - and currently the Welfare Working Group - to give particular consideration to the needs and rights of children when it makes its recommendations to the Government on welfare reform.”

“Any review of efficiency in government spending must put children’s welfare, their best interests and their right to a secure and healthy start to life at the centre” he said.

UNICEF NZ supports the introduction of Child Impact Assessments to ensure that children are not negatively affected and that their rights are protected in any new or amended legislation.

ENDS

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