INNOCENTI SOCIAL 2004MONITOR INNOCENTI SOCIAL MONITOR 2004 UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre “Innocenti Social Monitor 2004” reviews recent socio- economic trends in the 27 countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. It examines child poverty in an integrating world from four different perspectives: Economic Growth and Child Poverty looks at children in poverty related to family income and indicates that since the INNOCENTI SOCIAL MONITOR 2004 late 1990s steady economic growth has reduced the proportion of people living in households with incomes below national subsistence minima. Despite years of good Economic growth and child poverty intentions and more recent economic growth, large numbers of children in the region remain trapped in poverty. in the CEE/CIS and the Baltic states Economic Integration, Labour Markets and Children finds that integration into the global economy, as measured by trade and volumes of foreign direct investment, has grown across the region, but is particularly concentrated in the new EU member countries. It shows that conventional market adjustment mechanisms have impoverished children in disadvantaged areas of many countries. Migration Trends and Policy Implications finds that migration has grown greatly in the region since the 1980s; reasons for this upsurge include the fragmentation of nations from eight countries into 27 at the start of the 1990s, causing many people to migrate. The article stresses the need for governments in both originating and receiving countries to better manage migration and increase avenues for legal migration across the region. Young People and Drugs: Increasing Health Risks , investigates the health consequences of the use of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs by children and young people, particularly the links between drug use and young people’s deaths across the region. Additionally, the Statistical Annex covers a broad range of indicators for the years 1989 to 2002-2003,including population trends, births and fertility, mortality, family formation, health, education, child protection, crime, income, as well as a comprehensive statistical profile of each country in the region. Innocenti Social Monitor 2004 is the third in an annual series, the Innocenti Social Monitor, the purpose of which is to analyze the impact of socio-economic trends on children. The text of the Innocenti Social Monitor and the Statistical Annex can be downloaded from the IRC website, at www.unicef.org/irc. The web also contains TransMONEE Database, a menu-driven database, which includes in electronic format more than 100 indicators that are relevant to human welfare in the 27 countries. UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre Economic and Social Policy Research Programme Piazza SS. Annunziata, 12 50122 Florence, Italy Tel.: (+39) 055 203 30 Fax: (+39) 055 244 817 E-mail (general information): [email protected] E-mail (publication orders): [email protected] Website: www.unicef.org/irc 2-SocialMonitor04 08-09-2004 7:39 Pagina i Innocenti Social Monitor INNOCENTI SOCIAL MONITOR 2004 The MONEE Project CEE/CIS/Baltic states 2-SocialMonitor04 08-09-2004 7:39 Pagina ii The MONEE project provides research on children’s social and economic well-being in the 27 countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The project aims to contribute to the international debate on the directions of public policy in countries of the CEE/CIS, drawing attention to emerging issues of importance for children, women and families across the region and keeping the interests of children on the agenda. Innocenti Social Monitor 2004 is the third in an annual series, the Innocenti Social Monitor, the purpose of which is to analyze the impact of socio-economic trends on children. The Innocenti Social Monitor, is published in English and Russian. Innocenti Social Monitor 2004 is also available in Italian thanks to the contribution of the Regione Toscana. The MONEE project likewise produces the annually updated TransMONEE Database, a menu-driven down- loadable database containing a wealth of statistical information covering the period 1989 to the present on social and economic issues relevant to the welfare of children, young people and women. In addition, the project produces Innocenti Working Papers, linked to the themes of the MONEE project. Publications of the MONEE project, including this publication and the TransMONEE Database, can be down- loaded from the UNICEF IRC website: www.unicef.org/irc Besides benefiting from the core funding to UNICEF IRC from the Italian Government, the MONEE project receives financial contributions from the UNICEF Regional Office for CEE/CIS/Baltic states, Development Cooperation Ireland and the World Bank. Readers wishing to cite this publication are asked to use the following reference: UNICEF, Innocenti Social Monitor 2004, Florence: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2004; Innocenti Social Monitor Layout: Bernard & Co, Siena, Italy Printing: ABC Tipografia, Sesto Fiorentino FI, Italy © 2004 United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) ISBN: 88-89129-04-2 ii Social Monitor 2004 2-SocialMonitor04 08-09-2004 7:39 Pagina iii The UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre The UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre in Florence, Italy, was established in 1988 to strengthen the research capa- bility of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and to support its advocacy for children worldwide. The Centre helps to identify and research current and future areas of UNICEF’s work. Its prime objectives are to improve international understanding of issues relating to children’s rights and to help facilitate the full imple- mentation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in industrialized and developing countries. The Centre’s publications are contributions to a global debate on child rights issues and include a wide range of opinions. For this reason, the Centre may produce publications that do not necessarily reflect UNICEF policies or approaches on some topics. These publications are produced by the Centre in order to stimulate further dialogue on child rights. The Centre collaborates with its host institution in Florence, the Istituto degli Innocenti, in selected areas of work. Core funding for the Centre is provided by the Government of Italy, while financial support for specific projects is also provided by other governments, international institutions and private sources, including UNICEF National Committees. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and editors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of UNICEF.The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of the material do not imply on the part of UNICEF the expression of any opinion whatsoever concerning the legal status of any country or territory, or of its authorities, or the delimi- tation of its frontiers. All correspondence should be addressed to: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre Economic and Social Policy Research Programme Piazza SS. Annunziata, 12 50122 Florence, Italy Tel.: (+39) 055 203 30 Fax: (+39) 055 244 817 E-mail (general information): [email protected] (publication orders): [email protected] website: www.unicef.org/irc Social Monitor 2004 iii 2-SocialMonitor04 08-09-2004 7:39 Pagina iv 2-SocialMonitor04 08-09-2004 7:39 Pagina v FOREWORD In May of this year, the governments of Europe and Relatively little is known about how these different Central Asia met in Sarajevo for the conference elements interact. That is why UNICEF is working “Making Europe and Central Asia Fit for Children”. with governments, NGOs and development partners They gathered at a time of considerable optimism to develop a research agenda that analyzes such and opportunity, as economic growth has continued interaction and presents the hard evidence needed in much of the region, and as eight Central and East for effective policy choices, and to define our own European countries joined the European Union. As priorities and strategies for support to children in the conference participants noted, the tools are in the region. place to build a region fit for children: the obliga- tions; the resources, and the goodwill. Yet barriers of The report shows that economic growth alone will disparity, inequality and exclusion still block the way. not fully address poverty, nor ensure human rights, These barriers, highlighted in this year’s Innocenti social justice or human development. Across the Social Monitor, must be removed if we are to reach region, countries are recognising the need for our goal: a world where the highest aspiration of cit- inclusion, for participation and for the redistribu- izenship is to ensure the right of every child to grow tion of the benefits of economic progress. This can to adulthood in peace, health and dignity. No child be seen in many national plans for economic and left out, no child excluded, no exceptions. social development. But these plans need to be rooted in child rights. Under the Convention on the When we look at Central and Eastern Europe and Rights of the Child, and in the perspective of the Central Asia, we see growing disparities between Millennium Development Goals, governments countries. The eight nations that joined the EU in have accepted their obligations to ensure the reali- May are among the ranks of the world’s high- sation of all rights for all children. This is not up for income countries, while the poorest countries of debate. The time has come to move beyond talk of Central Asia