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Statistical Snapshots:
Russia's Children at Risk
Orphans and orphanages
- Over 700,000 orphans live
in Russia, increasing at the
rate of 113,000 per year. UNICEF
estimates that 95% of these children
are social orphans, meaning that
they have at least one living parent
who has given them up to the state.
- In 2003,
parental rights were revoked
for approximately 51,000 citizens
of Russia. In 2005, this number
increased to 70,000.
- 2,176 orphanages
exist in Russia as of today. The number of orphanages
has increased by more than 100% in the last decade.
- Statistics on orphans graduating
from orphanages/institutions compiled
by the Russian Ministry of Education
are as follows:
- Approximately 15,000
children leave Russian orphanages
each year, usually at the age of 16 or 17 years
of age
- 50% of orphans after graduation fall into a high-risk
category
- 40% become involved in crime
- 10% commit suicide
- 33% stay unemployed
- 20% become homeless
- Only 4% are admitted to universities
Population
- 2.5
million children are homeless,
according to the Ministry of Internal
Affairs. Over 5% of children born
in Russia in 2001 became homeless.
- 50% of children in Russia
are born into poverty-stricken families.
- During
the last 10 years, the number
of children in Russia has decreased
by 4 million.
- Russia's population
shrank by 348,700 people in the first
six months of 2006, down to 142.4
million. If today's
demographic situation continues in
the same path, by the year 2025 Russia's
population could drop to 125 million;
by the year 2100, the population
could be as low as 64 million.
Health issues
- 617,000
Russian children are disabled.
- Every day in Russia, some
20 babies are born to HIV-positive mothers.
Two of those, on average, are abandoned
at birth. According to UNICEF,
more than 50,000 children in Russia
have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
- The
Russian Health Ministry reports that a
stunning 60% of the country's youth
are in poor physical or psychological
health.
- Approximately 70%
of medical equipment in Russian hospitals
is outdated, in ill repair or
simply broken down.
- Only 15-20% of newborn
Russian children are considered healthy.
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Russian