It is surprising that these 11 countries with the highest rates of orphans in the world have all got a similar type of controllable problems and yet these nations continue to suffer.
We live in a world where it is getting harder and harder to survive, especially for those who are poor. With the global rise in inflation, it has become extremely difficult for an individual to afford everyday living. Things can get worse when you have to face the world at a very young age. It is probably one of the most difficult things when your parents are dead and you have to deal with all, by yourself.
Poverty is one of the major issues our world is facing today. Poverty, quality of health, and orphans are linked in many ways and it is not surprising that not even one name on our list of “The World’s 15 Healthiest Countries” is among the names on this list. There are over 2 billion children in the world right now out of which 150 to 200 million are orphans. These kids are on their own with no one to look after them. Regions with the highest number of orphans include Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa. Countries under war or economic crisis are facing an increase in the number of orphans. For example due to the crisis in Syria, about 70,000 families took refuge and out of these many were helpless children – 4,000 of them to be exact. Imagine living a life with no guidance, no love and no direction. It is bound to be tough!
ambrozinio/Shutterstock.com
Children who are left alone after their parents have died due to poverty, war, illness, invasion, natural disaster… find it hard to cope with life since they are young and unaware of how to deal with the tough situations that come across early in the life. The situation can get worse if these kids are in poor countries as there are no proper rehabilitation centers for kids there. They are usually left at the mercy of their fate and as a result of that they end up becoming victims of human trafficking, child labor, prostitution, drug abuse, criminal gangs, organ mafia, etc. From 1987 to 2007, organ mafia kidnapped about a million children.
Different NGOs and organizations are working towards providing shelter and education to these children. These NGOs are mainly covering 46 of the most affected regions. Here they provide help to orphans on a daily basis. These regions include Afghanistan, Arakan, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq Haiti, Patani, Lebanon, and Palestine. Their efforts are indeed making a difference, but it is certainly not enough. More and more initiatives are required in order to eradicate the exploitation of children at young age.
We have gathered information from different regions and have come up with 11 countries with the highest rates of orphans in the world.
11. Kenya
According to the stats of 2013 Kenya has over 44 million people and number of orphans is up to 2.3 million.
Pal Teravagimov / Shutterstock.com
10. South Africa
Although the country is pretty famous for tourism, it is also known for having a large number of orphans. With a population of over 50 million, the country has 3.4 million orphans.
9. Brazil
Brazil is at number nine in our list of 11countries with the highest rates of orphans in the World. Out of 200 million people, 4 million are orphans.
8. Pakistan
Located in the continent of Asia, Pakistan is facing problems like terrorism and poverty. A large number of orphans is also one of the major problems that the government of Pakistan is dealing with. In a country of 182 million people, 4.1 million are orphans.
7. Congo
Number seven on our list is Congo. The country has over 65 million people out of which 4.2 million are orphans.
6. Indonesia
Indonesia might be famous for its holiday resorts and beautiful beaches but the country has one of the highest rates of orphans. There are about 4.7 million children on their own with no one to look after them.
5. Ethiopia
Ethiopia is the second largest country in Africa in terms of population. The country is not only suffering from poverty but there are also many orphans (4.8 million). Out of these 4.8 million, the majority is living with no access to proper healthcare and education.
4. Bangladesh
With a population of over 156 million people, the country has 4.8 million orphans. Bangladesh is also facing other serious issues like unemployment and political unrest.
3. Nigeria
Yet another country from Africa, Nigeria is home to 173 million people out which 7 – 8 million are orphans.
2. China
Despite all the development and economic growth, the country is still facing the issue of orphans with over 10 million children without parents.
1. India
Number one on our list of 11 countries with the highest rates of orphans in the World is India. The country is home to about 1.25 billion people out of which over 20 million children are orphans.
