Top 10 Threats to Childhood

Let’s talk about the things that are making childhood tough in Canada. Back in 1991, Canada signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. In case you need a refresher, it’s like a big agreement about the rights that kids should have around the world. But despite that, the state of childhood in Canada has been declining.

According to a report from Children First Canada in 2023, here are the top 10 threats to childhood in Canada:

1. Unintentional and preventable injuries 

These are accidents that happen by mistake and could have been avoided. Things like falls, drowning, choking, and traffic accidents are the top causes of injuries for kids in Canada.

Rights from UNCRC:

6 Life, survival, development

19 Protection from violence
24 Health, water, food, environment

2. Poor mental health

Mental health is all about how we think, feel, and act towards ourselves and others. When mental health isn’t great, it can mean feeling down, struggling with emotions, and finding it hard to cope with stress. It can result from challenging circumstances, and without the right support, it can lead to really tough times and even suicide. Indigenous communities, in particular, face high rates of youth suicide due to difficult experiences caused by things like colonization.

Rights:

6 Life, survival, development

17 Access to information

24 Health, water, food, environment

27 Food, clothing, a safe home

3. Violence against children and youth

This includes different types of maltreatment. Non-physical child maltreatment can be emotional neglect, like when a parent repeatedly ignores their child’s sadness. It might also involve things like witnessing violence at home. Meanwhile, physical child maltreatment includes physical abuse, like hitting, and sexual abuse, involving non-consensual sexual touch. Violence is a big problem for kids, both in person and online.

Remember: it’s never acceptable to harm others, and it’s never the victim’s fault. Speaking up to a “safe person” – who is a trusted individual like a parent, sibling, teacher, or coach – is immensely courageous and much needed.

Rights:

19 Protection from violence

34 Protection from harmful abuse

39 Recovery and reintegration

4. Vaccine-preventable illness

Vaccinations are important for protecting ourselves and others from diseases. In Canada, we have access to free vaccinations starting at two months old, with a 95% vaccination rate needed to ensure community health. However, not enough kids are getting vaccinated, with only 75% of Canadians getting the recommended childhood vaccines. This can put everyone at risk, especially vulnerable populations.

Rights:

24 Heal, water, food, environment

27 Food, clothing, a safe home

5. Systemic racism and discrimination

At a young age, biases in society shape how we see people of colour. Without even realizing it, this leads to the unfair treatment of people of colour. These biases show up in society as systemic racism and discrimination, creating inequities in things like school, health care, jobs, and support.

Now, let’s introduce a term you might be familiar with: BIPOC, which stands for Black, Indigenous, and people of colour. For BIPOC children, systemic discrimination results in their overrepresentation in school, justice, and child welfare issues. To give BIPOC kids fair chances, we need more than just community support; we need the eradication of systemic discrimination within existing systems.

Rights:

2 No discrimination

30 Minority culture, language, and religion

6. Poverty 

Poverty occurs when people struggle to afford basic needs like food and housing. This can make life really hard for kids, leaving them hungry, living in unsafe conditions, and dealing with lots of stress. The roots of poverty are diverse, ranging from job limitations and education costs to physical injuries and mental health challenges. 1 in 5 children in Canada live in poverty.

Rights:

27 Food, clothing, a safe home

7. Infant mortality

Babies can die because their families don’t have access to the right resources or because of health issues. Oftentimes, this can be prevented. Indigenous communities are especially affected by this due to limited access to resources and the impact of colonialism. The leading causes of infant deaths are immaturity, birth defects, lack of oxygen, infection, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also known as SIDS.

Rights:

6 Life, survival, and development

24 Health, water, food, environment

8. Bullying 

When someone hurts or scares another person on purpose, that’s bullying. It’s not just in person – it happens online too, and it can really hurt. Bullying negatively impacts the mental health of both the victim and the perpetrator.

Rights:

2 No discrimination

9. Limited physical activity and active play

Kids need at least an hour of daily physical activity to keep their overall health in top-notch shape – but sometimes they don’t get enough chances to do that. This can be because of things like not having enough time, space, or opportunities.

Rights:

31 Rest, play, culture, arts 

10. Climate change

Extreme weather and pollution caused by climate change can harm kids in lots of ways. This can mean contaminated water, poor air quality, losing homes, and even death. It also makes kids more likely to get sick. With climate change, kids feel super stressed about what’s going to happen. They worry about what their future will be like when the planet seems so unstable. Children often feel overlooked in decisions surrounding climate change, despite parents’ growing demands for action. Indigenous communities feel the effects of climate change even more.

Rights:
6 Life, survival, development

24 Health, water, food, environment

27 Food, clothing, safe home

All of these things are making it tough to be a kid in Canada. But we can work together to build a safer and healthier environment for all kids now and in the future.