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UNICEF Report Card 10: Measuring Child Poverty CANADIAN COMPANION (excerpts). Canada: Relative child poverty: 13.3 % C hild poverty rate is 25.1% before taxes and transfers After taxes and transfers, child poverty in Canada is cut by about half, to 13.3 %
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UNICEF Report Card 10: Measuring Child Poverty CANADIAN COMPANION (excerpts)
Canada: • Relative child poverty: 13.3 % • Child poverty rate is 25.1% before taxes and transfers • After taxes and transfers, child poverty in Canada is cut by about half, to 13.3 % • Poverty gap i.e., the depth of child poverty: 23rdamong the35 industrialized countries
The Children Left Behind : measures the gap between the average child (what a country may consider 'normal') and the child near the bottom. • It examines how far children are falling behind in three dimensions of their lives: • material well-being, • educational achievement • physical health • These differences in a country’s performance both within and between countries can be measured and compared. http://www.unicef.ca/en/create-content/press-release/rich-countries-including-canada-letting-poorest-children-fall-behind-sa
Child benefits in Canada’s 2012 budget: $13.2 billion • Elderly benefits: $40.4 billion • Index of intergenerational justice: Canada ranks below the OECD average (Indicators in the index of intergenerational justice : level of national debt, child and pension policies, and investment in research) • Government action is the key to reduce child poverty: • Canada must use two measures of child poverty –relative income poverty measure, and Child Deprivation Index –to guide policy & action to reduce child poverty
Poverty rate in Canada is almost halved while the rate in USA remains almost unchanged • Canada spends about 1.25 percent of GDP on family benefits and tax breaks.
How poverty affects children: • Growing up in poverty limits individual potential, • Reduces country’s economic prosperity and increases social costs for all, e.g., Courts and social protection Health and hospital services Social assistance
OECD countries: • Lowest child poverty: Nordic countries and the Netherlands 7% • Highest : Japan, US & southern and eastern European states • Child poverty rate: Iceland 5% • Romania 25%. • Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom : 10%-15%