Around 10.8 million children in Europe and Central Asia live with a disability – 1 in 17 children across the region. Their ability to live fulfilling lives and participate fully and equitably in society depends on the support and acceptance they receive at home, at school and in their communities.
The exclusion of people with disabilities comes at great cost to individuals, families and society. The World Bank estimates that one in five of the world’s poorest people may have a disability. Families raising children with disabilities are more likely to fall into poverty because of the costs associated with the disability and the lost income opportunities that come with having to care for a child.
Children with disabilities have higher rates of multidimensional poverty than children without disabilities: around 38% of 2-4 year old children with one or more functional difficulties experience 3-5 poverty, compared with 12% of children without functional difficulties.
Globally, children with disabilities are almost four times more likely to experience violence and up to 17 times more likely to be institutionalized. This is mainly due to inadequate support for families, additional costs and lack of access to education and other essential services. Insufficient social protection to cover the additional costs of support increases their risk of poverty.
This International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, UNICEF calls for comprehensive social protection for children with disabilities.