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Children
bear the brunt of a collapsing social structure
in Mongolia.
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Children, social problems and health
Social problems like alcoholism, violence and
crime are affecting children. Malnutrition is widespread. Food is scarce
and lacking nutrition and vitamins. TB is on the increase, rickets is
extensive, as are chest/respiratory diseases, lung, liver and renal problems.
Lack of sanitation, poor hygiene,
no running water and air pollution are all contributory factors. The poorest
people are single mothers with children. Most cannot find work, and so
cannot afford warm clothes or food, vital to enable children to attend
school in sub- zero temperatures.
In these circumstances children are
likely to drift onto the street, where they are vulnerable, hungry and
open to exploitation. Street children are a rapidly growing problem in
Mongolia.
This is exacerbated by the harsh
winter temperatures, usually around -30 and sometimes as low as -40 degrees.
The difficulties can be imagined if one considers that the average household
freezer is -12 degrees.
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