This short white paper by CAFO seeks to help readers accurately understand and carefully present orphan-related statistics. The estimated number of orphans globally currently reported by UNICEF and the World Health Organization include: 150 million children worldwide who have lost at least one parent (“single orphan”), with 17.6 million of those children having lost both parents (“double orphan”). However, there are many inherent limitations to any data that claims to be truly “global” in nature. While such data can help gain a clearer picture of the size and scope of need, it can also be misleading. One of the greatest weaknesses in these global orphan estimates is that they include only orphans that are currently living in homes. They do not count the estimated 2 to 8 million children living in institutions, nor the vast number of children who are living on the streets, exploited for labor, victims of trafficking, or participating in armed conflict. In addition, sweeping statistics reveal nothing about the distinct needs of each individual child. This document further discusses the implications of the orphanhood data.
Lee el informe en español aquí.
