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November 11,2021

Andrew Campbell 

An alarming article titled "Nearly 240 million children with disabilities around the world, UNICEF's most comprehensive statistical analysis finds" was published in a UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) press release on November 9. The new UNICEF report reveals the extent of deprivation faced by one in every ten children worldwide with disabilities across several indicators of well-being, including health, education, and protection.

The report includes data from 42 countries that are internationally comparable, and it covers more than 60 indicators of child well-being, ranging from nutrition and health to access to water and sanitation, protection from violence and exploitation, and education. These indicators are broken down by functional difficulty type and severity, gender of the child, economic status, and country. The report outlines the barriers that children with disabilities face in fully participating in their societies, and how this frequently leads to negative health and social outcomes. Globally, the number of disabled children is estimated to be around 240 million.

The analysis aims to increase the inclusion of the one in ten children and young people worldwide with disabilities by ensuring they are counted, consulted, and taken into account in decision-making. The new global estimate for the number of disabled children is higher than previous estimates and is based on a more meaningful and inclusive understanding of disabilities that takes into account difficulties across multiple domains of functioning, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression.

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore stated that the new research confirms what she already knew: children with disabilities face multiple and often compounding challenges in exercising their rights. With the new publication, UNICEF urges governments to provide equal opportunities for children with disabilities.