Country Profile: Latvia
Total Population: 1.9 million
Total Children under the age of 18: 375,500
The situation of children in Latvia
The Challenges:
- There are more than 6,000 children who are orphaned in Latvia. Less than 700 are in orphanages.
- 44% of all children in Latvia face poverty.
- Most of the children who are taken into institutional care have parents who, for various reasons, are unable to look after them.
- The recent economic hardships have forced some parents to move abroad in search of work. The children are left in the care of neighbors, relatives, or older siblings who cannot look after them.
- Children who are at risk of losing parental care are also at risk of being victims of other offenses against children, such as cruelty and abuse, theft, sexual exploitation, and rape.
- 10% of children by the age of 15 have already suffered from sexual abuse.
- Children of minorities, like the Roma, Russian speakers, children with disabilities, or those living in rural areas lack access to health and education facilities.
Other Information about Orphaned and Vulnerable Children and Family Care in Latvia
Better Care Network Information on Family-Based Care in Latvia
More information for prayer at Operation World
"Source: UNICEF, Humanium, SOS Children's Villages International".