Approximately 40% of children ages 2-4 do not receive enough meaningful interaction at home (representative)
United Nations, United States:
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said late on Monday that some 400 million children under the age of five – roughly 60 percent of that age group globally – are subjected to physical or psychological violence at home, such as hitting or humiliation.
UNICEF’s new estimates reflect data collected from 100 countries between 2010 and 2023, and cover both “physical punishment” and “psychological aggression.”
For UNICEF, psychological abuse includes shouting at a child or calling them “stupid” or “lazy,” while physical abuse includes shaking, hitting, slapping a child or any other action intended to cause physical pain or discomfort without causing injury.
According to UN agencies, of the roughly 400 million children in the world, around 330 million are subjected to corporal punishment.
Despite an increasing number of countries banning corporal punishment of children, around 500 million children under the age of five have no legal protection from such practices.
According to UNICEF, more than one in four mothers and responsible adults believe that corporal punishment is necessary to properly educate a child.
“When children suffer physical or verbal abuse at home, or are deprived of social and emotional care from loved ones, it can damage their self-esteem and development,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement.
“Loving, playful parenting not only brings joy, it also helps children feel safe, learn, develop skills and navigate the world around them.”
To mark the first International Day of Play on June 11, UNICEF released the findings of its first-ever survey on children’s access to play.
Data from 85 countries shows that one in two four-year-olds has no caregiver at home to play with, and around one in eight children under five has no toys at all.
Approximately 40% of children ages 2 to 4 do not get enough stimulation or meaningful interaction at home.
And one in 10 children are unable to take part in activities “that are important for promoting cognitive, social and emotional development, such as reading, storytelling, singing and drawing,” UNICEF said.
“On this first International Day of Play, we need to come together and recommit ourselves to ending violence against children and promoting positive, nurturing and playful parenting,” Ms Russell said.
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