Impacts on Early Emotional Development

The area of the world that I decided to focus on is the Eastern and Southern Africa region.  This is a vast, geographically diverse region that stretches from the Red Sea in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south.  I selected this region because I have seen countless commercials asking to sponsor a child living in poverty who has been starving, lack proper medical care and proper education.  Hence I have become really interested in acquiring insights about the conditions and well-being of the children in that region.  

According to the regional overview of this region of the world, some of the countries are politically unstable.  For instance, Somalia has not had political peace since 1991.   Poverty is another prevalent issue in many of the countries.  Families face severe income disparities with incomes ranging from $995 annually on the lower end, to $3,946 annually on the upper end.  The region also suffers from a high mortality rate in children under five.  Maternal care is often lacking as a result of mothers’ death due to complications (UNICEF, 2011).  If a mother dies in childbirth or shortly thereafter, I would think that this may cause some emotional distress for the surviving child.   Many children suffer from severe acute malnutrition. Likewise, children’s growth is also stunted due to a lack of vitamins in their diet.  In some countries, there is poor sanitation therefore the water supply becomes tainted (UNICEF, 2011).    Having poor quality drinking water and a low food supply causes malnourishment and can affect the child for life, and even cause death.  Malaria is another risk factor for children of this region.  Although immunizations are helping improve the lives of children of the region, there are still more than 20 percent left unprotected (UNICEF, 2011).

Young children in Eastern and Southern Africa are also facing challenges that include work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to them and interferes with their schooling (UNICEF, 2011). This region has the highest percentage of children involved in child labour in the world, which is 36 percent of all children between the ages of five and 14. UNICEF defines child labor as work that exceeds a minimum of hours, depending on the child’s age and type of work. A June 2013 report detailed the effects of excessive child labor is hindering the health and well-being of children ages 5 to 17. Domestic workers are the most exploited and abused due to discrimination, exclusion from labor laws, isolation and its hidden nature. The child’s age, lack of awareness of their rights, separation from family, and dependence on the employer are additional risks (UNICEF, 2011).

In these areas of Africa, children with disabilities are the most excluded group.  On the Day of the African Child 2012, UNICEF called on families, communities and governments throughout the continent to protect children with disabilities from discrimination, violence and neglect, and to provide them with access to all the services they need to grow up healthy and live up to their potential (UNICEF, 2012).

Children all over the world, face daily challenges that deprive them of their childhood, their potential and their dignity (UNICEF, 2011).  Living without clean water, adequate sanitation, healthcare and suffering from food insecurity are challenges that affect children’s healthy development and learning (Smidt, 2006). As we know, these early experiences shape children’s social/emotional development. Negative experiences result in impaired development and affect the child’s future outcomes (Trustees of Columbia University, 2010).  Additionally, Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010) are of the view that children who face such adversities may feel shame, self-limitation, and self-hate.  This then can have adverse effects on their emotional development.

Reading on the plight of children in this region of the world had me to do some reflection.  Personally, my heart went out to these children who have to face such adversities on a daily basis at such a tender age.  It had me to think of the little things that we take for granted such as have clean water.  Professionally, this was an eye opener. I could not have fathomed all that these children go through on a daily basis.  It made me sad that so many children are not provided with the mere necessities of life and the education they need to become successful.  I have come to the realization that my calling is not merely to be a teacher, but also to advocate for better conditions and environments for children;  environments in which they can grow and develop to their fullest potential.

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Smidt, S. (2006). The developing child in the 21st century: A global perspective on child development. New York, NY: Routledge.

Trustees of Columbia University, The. (2010). National Center Center for Children Children in Poverty (NCCP). Retrieved from: http://www.nccp.org/publications/pub_882.html

UNICEF  (2011)  Eastern and southern Africa: Fast facts on children.  Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/esaro/factsonchildren_5781.html

UNICEF  (2011.).  Eastern and southern Africa.  Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/esaro/index.html

UNICEF  (2012). Day of the African Child: UNICEF calls for the social inclusion of children with disabilities.  Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/esaro/5440_DAC_2012.html