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China's Economic Orphans
“State Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life…”
U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (ratified by China in 1991)
Human Rights Watch has reported overall annual mortality among institutionalized orphans in China to range from 60 percent to 72.5 percent. This means that most infants who enter into Chinese state run orphanages do not make it into childhood. They pass away in the most squalid of conditions in dying rooms for unwanted, and often disabled children. Some say China's orphan problem is one of the many side effects of the One Child Policy.
In 2006, UNICEF statistics showed that there are over 20 million orphans in China.
China Care Foundation, a US based non-profit provides specialized care for the smallest and weakest infants who are orphaned, life saving medical treatments and surgeries, foster care in loving families as well as encourage and promote adoptions of special needs children.
The majority of the children under the care of China Care fall under the category of 'economic orphans' because as much as these children may be loved, their parents simply cannot afford the medical treatment needed for their child.
July 17, 2008 at 07:31 am by medapt, 452 views, 14 comments







Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (14)
at 07:54 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 08:36 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 09:08 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I had no idea Chinese infant mortality rates were so high. Thanks for sharing this story. Good stuff.
at 09:30 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff. Many of these children are available for adoption in the western world. Here the correction of a cleft palate is a relatively minor surgery.
at 09:39 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff.
An interesting piece - thanks.
at 09:54 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
at 12:02 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, sad news, but good coverage.
at 12:06 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff.
It's just so sad. My aunt went to China two years ago to adopt an orphan. Usually disabled children, or girls get abandoned by their family because of the one child policy. I've heard of many stories where the mother secretly gives birth, and if it turns out to be a girl, they'll have to strangle her or leave her on the sidewalk. The idea that inheritance and the family lineage (family name especially) is passed on to males only doesn't help at all.
at 12:33 on July 17th, 2008
Thanks for posting this.
at 13:52 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff. Thanks. Very informative. It is really sad to see the living conditions and what some of the kids have to go through in China.
at 14:09 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff.
If China will not manage to provide the most elementary needs for its poorest, all other human rights concerns will be paled.
What you can see in terms of human squalor on a morning close to the glitziest boulevards of Shanghai can drive the toughest to tears. China must not leave parts of its population fall victim to certain death out of starvation and the absence of the most elementary health care and sanitaion.
at 14:12 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 14:58 on July 17th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 11:43 on August 4th, 2008
medapt, I like this story. It's good stuff.