UNICEF Report Card 10: Measuring Child Poverty CANADIAN COMPANION (excerpts)

Canada: Relative child poverty: 13.3 % Child poverty rate is 25.1% before taxes and transfers After taxes and transfers, child poverty in Canada is cut by about half, to 13.3 % Poverty gap i.e., the depth of child poverty: 23 rd among the 35 industrialized countries

The Children Left Behind : measures the gap between the average child (what a country may consider 'normal') and the child near the bottom. It examines how far children are falling behind in three dimensions of their lives: 1.material well-being, 2. educational achievement 3.physical health These differences in a country’s performance both within and between countries can be measured and compared. canada-letting-poorest-children-fall-behind-sa

Child benefits in Canada’s 2012 budget: $13.2 billion Elderly benefits: $40.4 billion Index of intergenerational justice: Canada ranks below the OECD average (Indicators in the index of intergenerational justice : level of national debt, child and pension policies, and investment in research) Government action is the key to reduce child poverty: Canada must use two measures of child poverty – relative income poverty measure, and Child Deprivation Index –to guide policy & action to reduce child poverty

Poverty rate in Canada is almost halved while the rate in USA remains almost unchanged Canada spends about 1.25 percent of GDP on family benefits and tax breaks.

How poverty affects children: Growing up in poverty limits individual potential, Reduces country’s economic prosperity and increases social costs for all, e.g., Courts and social protection Health and hospital services Social assistance

OECD countries: Lowest child poverty: Nordic countries and the Netherlands 7% Highest : Japan, US & southern and eastern European states Child poverty rate: Iceland 5% Romania 25%. Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom : 10%-15%