Series title:
Working papers in early childhood development, 50
Download:
In 2005, an estimated 48 million children aged 0-18 years - 12 percent of all children in sub-Saharan Africa - were orphans, and that number is expected to rise to 53 million by 2010. One quarter of all orphans are orphaned because of AIDS, and about 2.6 million children are currently infected with HIV. Untreated, most children born with HIV will die before their fourth birthday, most likely in the first two years of life. UNICEF concludes that, although they represent a smaller percentage of all orphans, the youngest orphans are the least resilient and have the greatest need for physical care and emotional nurturing.