UNICEF coming to Vancouver to talk rising inequality for children

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – UNICEF Canada will be making a presentation on Hastings Street tomorrow about the rising inequality for children in Canada.

According to the organization’s report cards, Canada is falling behind other countries.

While we can look at developing countries and know we are on more equal grounds, David Morely with UNICEF Canada says when we look at other first world nations we are not where we should be.

“When we look at income inequality and how that affects children, looking at the poorest children with the children in the middle — not even children at the top — we see that Canada’s children are falling behind,” says Morely, who adds being among the poorest children can have real impacts.

“Usually it means that those children are less involved in things like physical activity which really matters, of course, to children. And we say ‘physical activity’, that’s just play too for a lot of kids.”

He adds educational achievement and healthy eating can also be added to the problems poorer children face not to mention mental health issues.

Morley says while we often like to reassure ourselves by comparing our results to developing countries, when we look at first world countries we are lagging behind.

“We’re not going to come and say, ‘Canada, you have to do this’. But what we can say is, ‘Here’s what’s working in other countries’.”

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