Childhood figures give Dominican Republic a failing grade

Santo Domingo-. Every day 13 newborns die before their 28thday in the Dominican Republic, and 7,000 others die each year before the age of5, while a poor infant’s possibility of dying at that age is twice that of arich one.

The infant mortality rate is 25 per 1,000 live births.

The figures place the country among Latin America’s worst,surpassed only by Haiti and Guyana.

The data is in the report released by UNICEF) on Tuesday, basedon the results of the Enhogar-Mics 2014 household survey, with 33,000households polled across the country.

The report also notes that 323,000 Dominican children arevictims of child labor, and 6 out of 10 are victims of physical orpsychological punishment.

At least 26.8 percent are out of high school, 175,300children under 5 aren’t declared; 21.2% of girls aged 15 to 19 have beenpregnant; 20,558 girls under 15 has already had one child and 11.7% havealready been married or with a partner before the age of 15, which increasesthe cycle of poverty, the report said.

Faced with this reality, local UNICEF representative RosaElcarte demanded greater equity and investment in child care, while recognizingthe efforts made by the country.

The report also cites the global state of childhood, whichwarns that 69 million children will die between 2016 and 2030.