Latest news with #MatinMoradkhan
Economic Times
15-05-2025
- Health
- Economic Times
Canada, one of the world's most developed and richest countries, faces high child mortality rates and youth suicides
TIL Creatives Canada's child well-being ranks low globally, with rising youth suicide rates, bullying, and weak social skills. A new UNICEF report says urgent action is needed to improve mental health support, reduce child mortality, and boost life satisfaction among Canadian children. Canada facing high youth suicide rates and child mortality, UNICEF report warns- Canada is struggling with rising youth suicide rates, child mortality, and a lack of progress in supporting child well-being, according to a new UNICEF report. Despite being one of the wealthiest nations, Canada ranks poorly among high-income countries when it comes to supporting the mental and physical health of its children. The data paints a troubling picture — Canada ranks 33rd in adolescent suicide, 25th in child mortality, and 28th in social skills among youth. UNICEF Canada's CEO, Sevaun Palvetzian, didn't mince words, saying in a statement, 'Canada is barely getting a passing grade.' The report, which ranks 43 OECD and EU countries, places Canada at 19th overall, far below many of its economic peers. Here's a breakdown of what the data reveals and why this should concern us all. The youth suicide rate in Canada was reported at 8.4 per 100,000 adolescents, a slight improvement from 10.1 in 2018. While this is the most significant positive shift for Canada among the report's indicators, the country still ranks 33rd out of 42 countries, highlighting that suicide remains a leading cause of death for Canadian youth. UNICEF Canada youth advocate Matin Moradkhan emphasized the urgent need for accessible and affordable mental health care. 'Mental health care needs to be accessible and affordable for all children when they need it the most,' she told the Toronto Star. She also stressed the importance of mental health education in schools, saying that early intervention is key: 'If children learn about the signs earlier, they can ask for help before it's too late.' While child mortality in Canada has improved since 2018, the progress has been slower than in other countries. Canada ranked 25th out of 43 countries in this category, raising concerns about the country's ability to keep pace with global improvements in child health. Emily Gruenwoldt, CEO of Children's Healthcare Canada, pointed out that Canada's pediatric healthcare systems are undersized and unable to meet the growing demands of a population with more complex medical needs. She warned that this lack of investment results in measurable human and financial costs: 'Investing in our children protects our future workforce and reduces long-term healthcare costs.' The report also shines a light on Canadian children's social skills and their ability to make friends. Canada placed 28th out of 41 countries, with little to no improvement since 2018. This decline in social competence is tied to increased bullying, which remains a widespread issue. UNICEF found that 22% of Canadian children reported being bullied frequently — a statistic that contributes heavily to low life satisfaction, which has dropped three percentage points since 2018. Currently, Canada ranks 13th in overall life satisfaction among youth. UNICEF Canada is calling on governments at all levels to strengthen income benefits, expand parental leave, improve school food programs, and ensure affordable child care. These changes, they argue, can directly improve children's mental health and well-being. 'When families can count on financial support and access to services, it reduces stress at home,' said Palvetzian. She also noted that better family policies aren't just good for children—they're also smart economic policy. According to the OECD, the cost of unmet child well-being needs is equivalent to 2.7% of Canada's GDP annually, due to lost employment, earnings, and poor health outcomes. To address these issues, UNICEF Canada has outlined several key recommendations: Appoint a national commissioner to prioritize children's needs in all policy decisions. Extend the Youth Mental Health Fund to include younger children. Fully implement Jordan's Principle, ensuring First Nations children have access to the same services as other Canadian children. Moradkhan also warned that a growing "polycrisis" — including COVID-19, climate change, digital technology, and global conflict — is shaping childhoods in ways we're only beginning to understand. Even five years after the start of the pandemic, its emotional toll is still deeply felt. 'There's increased anxiety for young people about their future because of all the uncertainty,' she said. The UNICEF Report Card is a wake-up call. Canada, a country known for its prosperity and quality of life, is failing to provide its children with the foundational support they need to thrive. The numbers are clear. A stronger, more unified approach — from federal to municipal governments — is needed to reverse these trends and give every child a fair chance. Q1. Why is the Canada youth suicide rate still high despite recent improvements? Because suicide remains a leading cause of death among teens and mental health care is still not widely accessible. Q2. What does UNICEF Canada recommend to improve child well-being? They suggest better income support, mental health services, affordable child care, and a national children's commissioner.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Canada, one of the world's most developed and richest countries, faces high child mortality rates and youth suicides
Canada facing high youth suicide rates and child mortality, UNICEF report warns- Canada is struggling with rising youth suicide rates, child mortality, and a lack of progress in supporting child well-being, according to a new UNICEF report. Despite being one of the wealthiest nations, Canada ranks poorly among high-income countries when it comes to supporting the mental and physical health of its children. The data paints a troubling picture — Canada ranks 33rd in adolescent suicide, 25th in child mortality, and 28th in social skills among youth. UNICEF Canada's CEO, Sevaun Palvetzian, didn't mince words, saying in a statement, 'Canada is barely getting a passing grade.' The report, which ranks 43 OECD and EU countries, places Canada at 19th overall, far below many of its economic peers. Here's a breakdown of what the data reveals and why this should concern us all. Why is Canada falling behind in youth suicide rates? The youth suicide rate in Canada was reported at 8.4 per 100,000 adolescents , a slight improvement from 10.1 in 2018. While this is the most significant positive shift for Canada among the report's indicators, the country still ranks 33rd out of 42 countries, highlighting that suicide remains a leading cause of death for Canadian youth. UNICEF Canada youth advocate Matin Moradkhan emphasized the urgent need for accessible and affordable mental health care. 'Mental health care needs to be accessible and affordable for all children when they need it the most,' she told the Toronto Star. She also stressed the importance of mental health education in schools, saying that early intervention is key: 'If children learn about the signs earlier, they can ask for help before it's too late.' Is child mortality in Canada improving fast enough? While child mortality in Canada has improved since 2018, the progress has been slower than in other countries. Canada ranked 25th out of 43 countries in this category, raising concerns about the country's ability to keep pace with global improvements in child health. Live Events Emily Gruenwoldt, CEO of Children's Healthcare Canada, pointed out that Canada's pediatric healthcare systems are undersized and unable to meet the growing demands of a population with more complex medical needs. She warned that this lack of investment results in measurable human and financial costs: 'Investing in our children protects our future workforce and reduces long-term healthcare costs.' How are Canadian children doing socially? The report also shines a light on Canadian children's social skills and their ability to make friends. Canada placed 28th out of 41 countries, with little to no improvement since 2018. This decline in social competence is tied to increased bullying, which remains a widespread issue. UNICEF found that 22% of Canadian children reported being bullied frequently — a statistic that contributes heavily to low life satisfaction, which has dropped three percentage points since 2018. Currently, Canada ranks 13th in overall life satisfaction among youth. Is Canada investing enough in child well-being? UNICEF Canada is calling on governments at all levels to strengthen income benefits, expand parental leave, improve school food programs, and ensure affordable child care. These changes, they argue, can directly improve children's mental health and well-being. 'When families can count on financial support and access to services, it reduces stress at home,' said Palvetzian. She also noted that better family policies aren't just good for children—they're also smart economic policy. According to the OECD, the cost of unmet child well-being needs is equivalent to 2.7% of Canada's GDP annually, due to lost employment, earnings, and poor health outcomes. What are the next steps for Canada? To address these issues, UNICEF Canada has outlined several key recommendations: Appoint a national commissioner to prioritize children's needs in all policy decisions. Extend the Youth Mental Health Fund to include younger children. Fully implement Jordan's Principle, ensuring First Nations children have access to the same services as other Canadian children. Moradkhan also warned that a growing "polycrisis" — including COVID-19, climate change, digital technology, and global conflict — is shaping childhoods in ways we're only beginning to understand. Even five years after the start of the pandemic, its emotional toll is still deeply felt. 'There's increased anxiety for young people about their future because of all the uncertainty,' she said. Can Canada turn things around? The UNICEF Report Card is a wake-up call. Canada, a country known for its prosperity and quality of life, is failing to provide its children with the foundational support they need to thrive. The numbers are clear. A stronger, more unified approach — from federal to municipal governments — is needed to reverse these trends and give every child a fair chance. FAQs: Q1. Why is the Canada youth suicide rate still high despite recent improvements? Because suicide remains a leading cause of death among teens and mental health care is still not widely accessible. Q2. What does UNICEF Canada recommend to improve child well-being? They suggest better income support, mental health services, affordable child care, and a national children's commissioner.
Cision Canada
14-05-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Canada barely getting a passing grade in UNICEF's latest Report Card on child well-being Français
UNICEF Report Card 19 reveals troubling mental health trends for children and young people across Canada. TORONTO, May 13, 2025 /CNW/ - When it comes to places to grow up in, Canada is barely getting a passing grade. UNICEF Report Card 19, which looks at the state of child and youth well-being across high-income countries, ranks Canada 19th out of 36 countries, far below the top tier expected of one of the world's the wealthiest nations. Even as Canada's national wealth has risen over the past 25 years, it's progress on indicators of child well-being has largely stalled, with mental health of particular concern. To dive further into Canada's performance, UNICEF Canada is also publishing Childhood Interrupted: How Canada's Child Well-Being Compares to Other Wealthy Countries, a companion summary report for Report Card 19. It warns that Canadian children today are less happy than 10 years ago. In fact, one in five children report experiencing frequent bullying and just as many have reported loneliness at school. Canada received mixed results in other key areas of the report: One in four children have difficulty making friends; ranking 28 th Despite progress, Canada maintains a high rate of adolescent suicide; ranking 33 rd Canada ranks in the top 10 countries in only one area: academic skills; ranking 6 th Life satisfaction among children saw a decline from 83% in 2010 to just under 76% in 2022; ranking 13 th Countries with less wealth than Canada like Portugal and Spain showed better child outcomes, ranking 4 th and 7 th respectively. The Netherlands, Denmark and France topped the list taking podium positions. "Canada is standing at an important crossroads as a nation. We have big choices to make that will define the quality of life for generations of children," said Sevaun Palvetzian, President and CEO of UNICEF Canada. " This report puts a spotlight on the areas we need prioritized for our children and youth: their health, safety, education, and happiness. Resting on our laurels will not take us into the future we need – or that our children deserve." The report warns that children and young people today are facing a 'polycrisis' of stresses – from the lingering impacts of the most severe pandemic in a century, to the fastest price inflation in a generation, to the increased risk of exposure to harm and bullying on social media. "As a young person and mental health advocate, I'm deeply disappointed by how the life satisfaction of children and youth in Canada is falling. Good mental health is the foundation for childhood, yet it continues to be overlooked," said UNICEF Canada's Youth Advocate Matin Moradkhan. "We are calling for fundamental policy change to our education, funding, and healthcare system, so every child and young person has the opportunity to thrive." Canada's performance compared to its peer countries demonstrates that public policies are not yet sufficient to nurture children's potential and protect them from the economic, social, technological and environmental disruptions. UNICEF Canada is calling on all levels of government to: Strengthen income benefits, parental leave, school food programs and affordable child care to give children the best start in life. Establish a National Commissioner who ensures children's needs stay in focus through every government decision. Ensure children can access the mental health support they need, starting by including younger children in the federal Youth Mental Health Fund. Implement Jordan's Principle to ensure equitable access for First Nations children to all government services and support. Download Report Card 19 here, and the Canadian Companion summary here. A more extensive version of the Canadian Companion will be available in the coming weeks. About UNICEF's Report Card Series As the world's knowledge leader for children, UNICEF is committed to collecting and sharing critical information on the situation of children around the world. For more than 25 years, UNICEF has published a Report Card series on the well-being of children in high-income countries. By making this data and analysis publicly available, parliamentarians and policy-makers have the information they need to make decisions in the best interest of every child, and all Canadians, including those working in the child well-being sector, will have the tools they need to be a part of the solution. About UNICEF UNICEF is the world's leading humanitarian organization focused on children. We work in the most challenging areas to provide protection, healthcare and immunizations, education, safe water and sanitation and nutrition. As part of the United Nations, our unrivalled reach spans more than 190 countries and territories, ensuring we are on the ground to help the most disadvantaged children. While part of the UN system, UNICEF relies entirely on voluntary donations to finance our life-saving work. Please visit and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Canada barely getting a passing grade in UNICEF's latest Report Card on child well-being
UNICEF Report Card 19 reveals troubling mental health trends for children and young people across Canada. TORONTO, May 13, 2025 /CNW/ - When it comes to places to grow up in, Canada is barely getting a passing grade. UNICEF Report Card 19, which looks at the state of child and youth well-being across high-income countries, ranks Canada 19th out of 36 countries, far below the top tier expected of one of the world's the wealthiest nations. Even as Canada's national wealth has risen over the past 25 years, it's progress on indicators of child well-being has largely stalled, with mental health of particular concern. To dive further into Canada's performance, UNICEF Canada is also publishing Childhood Interrupted: How Canada's Child Well-Being Compares to Other Wealthy Countries, a companion summary report for Report Card 19. It warns that Canadian children today are less happy than 10 years ago. In fact, one in five children report experiencing frequent bullying and just as many have reported loneliness at school. Canada received mixed results in other key areas of the report: One in four children have difficulty making friends; ranking 28th Despite progress, Canada maintains a high rate of adolescent suicide; ranking 33rd Canada ranks in the top 10 countries in only one area: academic skills; ranking 6th Life satisfaction among children saw a decline from 83% in 2010 to just under 76% in 2022; ranking 13th Countries with less wealth than Canada like Portugal and Spain showed better child outcomes, ranking 4th and 7th respectively. The Netherlands, Denmark and France topped the list taking podium positions. "Canada is standing at an important crossroads as a nation. We have big choices to make that will define the quality of life for generations of children," said Sevaun Palvetzian, President and CEO of UNICEF Canada. "This report puts a spotlight on the areas we need prioritized for our children and youth: their health, safety, education, and happiness. Resting on our laurels will not take us into the future we need – or that our children deserve." The report warns that children and young people today are facing a 'polycrisis' of stresses – from the lingering impacts of the most severe pandemic in a century, to the fastest price inflation in a generation, to the increased risk of exposure to harm and bullying on social media. "As a young person and mental health advocate, I'm deeply disappointed by how the life satisfaction of children and youth in Canada is falling. Good mental health is the foundation for childhood, yet it continues to be overlooked," said UNICEF Canada's Youth Advocate Matin Moradkhan. "We are calling for fundamental policy change to our education, funding, and healthcare system, so every child and young person has the opportunity to thrive." Canada's performance compared to its peer countries demonstrates that public policies are not yet sufficient to nurture children's potential and protect them from the economic, social, technological and environmental disruptions. UNICEF Canada is calling on all levels of government to: Strengthen income benefits, parental leave, school food programs and affordable child care to give children the best start in life. Establish a National Commissioner who ensures children's needs stay in focus through every government decision. Ensure children can access the mental health support they need, starting by including younger children in the federal Youth Mental Health Fund. Implement Jordan's Principle to ensure equitable access for First Nations children to all government services and support. Download Report Card 19 here, and the Canadian Companion summary here. A more extensive version of the Canadian Companion will be available in the coming weeks. About UNICEF's Report Card Series As the world's knowledge leader for children, UNICEF is committed to collecting and sharing critical information on the situation of children around the world. For more than 25 years, UNICEF has published a Report Card series on the well-being of children in high-income countries. By making this data and analysis publicly available, parliamentarians and policy-makers have the information they need to make decisions in the best interest of every child, and all Canadians, including those working in the child well-being sector, will have the tools they need to be a part of the solution. About UNICEF UNICEF is the world's leading humanitarian organization focused on children. We work in the most challenging areas to provide protection, healthcare and immunizations, education, safe water and sanitation and nutrition. As part of the United Nations, our unrivalled reach spans more than 190 countries and territories, ensuring we are on the ground to help the most disadvantaged children. While part of the UN system, UNICEF relies entirely on voluntary donations to finance our life-saving work. Please visit and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. SOURCE UNICEF Canada View original content to download multimedia:
