Thailand must increase its investment in children, says Unicef
18 Oct 2022 09:06am
United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) - sinar archive
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Kyungsun Kim, Unicef Representative for Thailand, said though the Thai government has taken a series of positive measures to mitigate its impact but the pandemic has laid bare vulnerabilities and exacerbated inequalities.
She said families with children have been hit hardest and were more likely to face a higher cost of living and loss of income.
Higher food and energy prices are worsening the situation and slowing down the gains that Thailand has made in its poverty reduction and human capital investment.
"Investing in children is no longer an option. There is no choice to be made between long-term economic growth and supporting children, because providing a decent start for the children of Thailand is the best investment in securing a prosperous future for generations to come.
"Tackling childhood poverty is a pressing priority for Thailand not only because the pandemic has pushed thousands below the poverty line but also because its population is rapidly ageing,” she said in a statement in conjunction of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Monday.
Kim said this requires a policy response that focuses on the needs of children and the most vulnerable to ensure an inclusive and sustainable recovery.
"Beyond quick-impact economic growth, we must also turn our attention to building human capital for long-term growth and prosperity,” she said.
According to the National Economic and Development Council, in 2021 the poverty rate among children stood at 9.9 per cent which is significantly higher than that of the overall population at 6.3 per cent.
Thailand has made remarkable progress in poverty reduction over the past decades, with people living below the poverty line decreasing from 67 per cent in 1986 to 6.3 per cent in 2021.
She said government policies have effectively curbed the negative impacts of Covid-19 right from the start.
"Studies have shown that without the social protection measures taken at the early stages of the pandemic, such as the emergency top-up of the Child Support Grant, the poverty rate in Thailand would have increased by several folds,” she said.
With its impressive track record, she added that Thailand must continue to tackle child poverty through continued investment and action for the most vulnerable. - BERNAMA
