UNICEF - The Times Of Central Asia

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Air Pollution Linked to One in Five Infant Deaths in Central Asia

According to a report by UNICEF, an estimated 6,441 children and teenagers died from causes attributable to air pollution in 23 countries across Europe and Central Asia in 2021. Statistics show that 85% of the children died in the first year of their lives, and one in five infant deaths were linked to air pollution. As stated in the report, “Most deaths were attributed to ambient and household fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5). And all of these deaths were preventable." In 2021, the region's children and teenagers lost more than 580,000 years of healthy life (DALYs) as a result of premature death and disability caused by air pollution. Compared to other environmental factors, including high temperatures, unsafe water, and poor sanitation, polluted air has been found, by far, the most life-threatening. Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution is also associated with higher rates of miscarriage, early fetal loss, preterm birth, and low birth weight and in pregnant women, increases the risk of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and postpartum depression. By restricting fetal growth, air pollution can significantly increase the risk of disease, heart defects, pneumonia, asthma, eczema, allergies, and high blood pressure. Even before birth, air pollution can harms a child’s lungs, brain, and organs, affecting cognitive development and raising the risk of respiratory diseases throughout the child's life. Since children breathe more air relative to their body weight, they absorb more pollutants than adults, and for this reason, newborns are especially vulnerable to pneumonia, a leading cause of infant death. Air pollution in Europe and Central Asia, especially from PM2.5 and PM10 particles, is mainly caused by the use of fossil fuels in homes, businesses, and institutions. Coal is especially harmful to children’s health. Energy sources vary between and within countries depending on power supplies and infrastructure. High levels of air pollution from the use of coal for residential heating in winter, coupled with the interaction of ambient air pollution with indoor air pollution in homes, schools, health care facilities, etc., are cited by UNICEF as the primary sources of exposure for children. UNICEF notes the importance of the region's governments and institutions focusing more attention and resources to air pollution prevention, energy efficiency, clean energy use, supporting clean air measures, and protecting children from exposure. The organization also emphasizes the need to develop air quality warning systems and corresponding action plans for schools and kindergartens in Europe and Central Asia. Last but not least, as a measure to improve air quality, UNICEF recommends enhancing data collection to better understand local pollution, campaigns promoting clean energy and energy efficiency in homes, and a strict smoking bans in indoor public spaces. High levels of air pollution observed in Central Asian countries is ongoing and the subject of several articles previously covered by The Times of Central Asia.

Legislation Migrants UNICEF Children Rights

Kyrgyzstan Wants to Fine Emigrants Who Leave Their Children at Home

Kyrgyzstan has proposed introducing liability for parents who go to work abroad and leave their children without proper custody. The bill was initiated by the Ministry of Labor and has been submitted for public discussion. It is planned to introduce the concept of “children of migrant workers” into the Children's Code. According to the Ministry of Labor, in the first quarter of this year, about 85,000 children were identified, half of whom are with relatives without legal guardianship. The Ministry emphasizes that parents' absence leads to a lack of love and care; many are forced to work and do not attend school. The new bill proposes fines of 15,000 KGS ($181) for parents who leave their children in the care of relatives, neighbors, children, or acquaintances without notifying the guardianship authorities. Similar measures to protect migrant children exist in other countries. For example, in Uzbekistan, a project was launched in 2018 to support children left behind by parents who go to work abroad. The project is supported by UNICEF and funded by the European Union. It aims to provide social and legal assistance to children without officially appointed guardians. According to the research data, many children are left with relatives without legal guardianship, leading to various social problems that require state support.

law Legislation Government UNICEF Children Rights Violence

Tajikistan Bans Corporal Punishment for Children

Tajikistan has become the 67th country to ban corporal punishment of children. This law, enacted in June, protects the country's 4 million children from any violent discipline at home or school. “These new policy changes represent a remarkable advancement in child protection in Tajikistan and demonstrate the Government’s strong commitment to respecting children's dignity and physical integrity. The legislative changes are a major step forward. Still, much work remains to ensure that these measures lead to positive change in every child’s life,” said Arthur van Diesen, UNICEF Representative for Tajikistan. Corporal punishment affects approximately 330 million children worldwide, and has severe consequences for their health, development, and emotional wellbeing. This can impair the development of the brain and nervous system, leading to long-term behavioral and mental health problems. The economic cost of child abuse is $7 trillion a year, or about 8% of global GDP. Tajikistan will take part in the upcoming Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children, which will be held on November 7-8, in Bogota, Colombia.

Karakalpakstan Aral Sea FAO Climate Change Adaptation Strategy UNICEF UNDP Healthcare UN

UN Launches Projects to Improve Health and Environment in the Aral Sea Region

The UN has launched two new projects to address environmental and health issues in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. These projects are “Enhancing Climate-Resilient and Safe Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Health Services for the Most Affected Communities in Four Districts of Karakalpakstan,” and the joint project between its development programme (UNDP) and its food and agriculture organization (FAO), "Building Knowledge and Skills of Local Partners and Communities to Address Environmental Insecurities through Innovative Air, Land, and Water Management Solutions in the Aral Sea Region.” “The launch of these projects marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to address the Aral Sea Region's profound environmental and health challenges," said Sabine Machl, the UN's Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan. "By fostering resilience through innovative solutions in water management, health services, and community empowerment, we are laying the groundwork for a sustainable future in Karakalpakstan.” The project between the UNDP and FAO aims to increase the knowledge and skills needed by local partners and communities to solve environmental security problems. It also aims to develop practical solutions for managing air, land and water, enabling communities to adapt to and mitigate climate change. In addition, within the project's framework, special attention will be paid to introducing new approaches to water treatment, forest restoration, and soil stabilization in the region. These activities have the potential to directly benefit over 376,000 residents of the three northern districts of Moynaq, Kungrad, and Takhtakupir in Karakalpakstan, particularly women in at-risk communities. The indirect impact will extend to 200,000 more people and build on the results of the previous projects. On 16 August, the UN programme “Laying the Foundations for People-Centered, Climate-Resilient Primary Health Care and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Practices at Healthcare Facilities and Schools” was officially completed. During his visit to Karakalpakstan on August 19, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the establishment of the Aral Sea Region International Innovation Center to improve the ecosystem and create new varieties and seeds in a saline, water-less environment. $80 million will be allocated to mitigate the consequences of climate change in the Aral Sea region. The Times of Central Asia has published several articles about the problems arising from the drying up the Aral Sea and the work being done to combat this.

Education Central Asia Healthcare UN Society Family Children UNICEF

UNICEF: Central Asia Must Work To Keep Children Out Of Alternative Care

About 60,000 children across the five Central Asian countries remain in alternative, care despite the known and devastating effects of family separation and child institutionalization, according to a new policy report released by UNICEF. Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, highlighted the dire and lifelong consequences of institutionalization for children and stressed the need for more investment in family support services. “We have seen progress in recent years in reducing the number of children in alternative care – including the closure of institutions. We must continue this work so that no child is ever placed in alternative care because of poverty, disability or challenging behavior, or because their family lacks access to services they need to care for their child at home,” she said. The report states that 203 children per 100,000 in the region live in care institutions, nearly double the world average of 105 per 100,000. While progress has been made in reducing the overall number of children in institutions, the report notes that children with disabilities are disproportionately represented in these homes. Between 2015 and 2021, the proportion of children with disabilities in residential institutions increased in all Central Asian countries except Kazakhstan, indicating persistent social norms and a lack of social services for these children. UNICEF emphasizes the need to close institutions and support families to prevent unnecessary placement of children in residential care. The organization offers a comprehensive approach to ensure that all children, regardless of their circumstances, grow up in a family environment: 1. Implement effective childcare reforms to keep children with their families where possible, including planning to close large-scale institutions and develop a comprehensive continuum of child and family support and protection services. 2. Investment in a range of child and family support services, including statutory family support services and a strong social service workforce, for the early identification of and intervention in situations when children are at risk of separation. 3. Securing family-based alternative care, including stronger support for extended family members who care for children and strategies to keep siblings together where possible. 4. Protecting children who are already in alternative care against violence, neglect, and abuse through robust safeguarding policies and practices. 5. Investing in more and better data on children who are at risk of family separation, in alternative care, or who have left care. 6. Raising public awareness of the benefits of keeping families together and the urgent need to prioritize family-based care. 7. Ensuring that children have a voice in the decisions that affect them and are consulted when new policies and practices are developed to meet their needs and rights. UNICEF works with governments and partners in Central Asia to keep and support families and community-based care. This also includes implementing deinstitutionalization policies, expanding family support services to prevent separation, а family reunification, and facilitating safe transitions to independent living.

UNICEF Healthcare

UNICEF Donates Vehicles to Distribute Vaccines in Kyrgyzstan

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) and UNICEF have donated 16 vaccine transport vehicles to Kyrgyzstan. The special cars were provided to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Health to increase immunization rates across the country. The vehicles will help improve the distribution of vaccines from regional to district storage facilities, ensuring their timely availability in remote regions of the country. “Vaccines against dangerous diseases such as measles, rubella, or pertussis require special storage and transportation conditions to be safe and effective. Therefore, improving this infrastructure directly affects the availability of life-saving vaccines for every child in Kyrgyzstan,” said UNICEF's acting representative in Kyrgyzstan Cristina Bruggiolo. Akchabar reports that this is the first batch of 26 vehicles that the ministry will receive. The remaining ten cars will arrive in the country by the end of July.