Unicef releases damning child welfare report
New Zealand frequently sits at the top when it comes to international rankings in tourism and economics. A new Unicef report has ranked us number one in another global measure. This is not one to celebrate.
New Zealand has topped the global teen suicide rankings, again.
Our position in the world was cemented on Thursday by a Unicef report that called into question the wellbeing of Kiwi kids.
The Innocenti Report found New Zealand’s rate for teen suicides (15-19) was the highest of the 41 OECD and EU countries included. We also came in 38th out of 41 countries when it came to overall health and wellbeing of our young people.
Meanwhile, Portugal topped the list at the right end, with a teen suicide rate of 1.7 per 100,000. Italy and Spain were close behind.
The report put New Zealand’s teen suicide rate of 15.6 people per 100,000, based on data from 2010. The rate had dropped slightly from the previous comparable report that used 2005 data but more recent figures show we were now headed in the other direction.
Provisional suicide statistics released by the Coroner’s Office, show 51 (16.02 per 100,000) people in the age group died by suicide in the year to June 2016 and 52 (16.41 per 100,000) the previous year..
In an average week two young people would kill themselves, and about 20 young people would be hospitalised for self-harm, according to Youthline.
Unicef NZ chief executive Vivien Maidaborn says the rates don’t stand in isolation – a range of societal shortfalls are exacerbating the problem.
‘WE’VE CREATED WHAT WE HAVE’
For Full Report by Laura Walters including statistics:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/93705446/unicef-releases-damning-child-welfare-report
Leave a Reply