Eng
October is Children’s Month, and although we would love to talk about the joys of childhood during development, the reality is still far from ideal. Even though conditions have improved in recent years, in Brazil, 28.8 million children and adolescents still live in multidimensional poverty. This is the result of inequalities in different areas—such as health, education, and access to leisure—that directly affect their lives.
It is within this context that we work with hundreds of families so that this number decreases and more children can grow up in a healthy way. Nayara Oliveira, institutional psychologist at Instituto C, emphasizes that the organization is committed to caring for children as a whole, which also includes the well-being of their caregivers: “Addressing childhood inequalities means providing comprehensive care—for children, families, and especially for those who care for them. Our work begins with attentive listening and the strengthening of primary caregivers, who are mostly single mothers and grandmothers responsible for daily care,” she explains.
Just like Instituto C, ChildFund Brasil also works with the purpose of empowering lives and reducing inequalities. Mauricio Cunha, CEO of the organization, reflects on how deeply poverty shapes children’s lives: “Childhood is a decisive period for physical, emotional, and cognitive development, and poverty compromises this process in profound and lasting ways.”
Professionals who work with children daily have an even clearer view of how inequalities affect different areas of their lives. Renata Souza, a psychologist at Instituto C, explains how a lack of resources can affect cognitive development. “Often, when we talk about poverty, we’re talking about children who don’t even have access to school or to adequate food… Which means they won’t be able to concentrate in the spaces they attend,” she explains.
It is essential to listen to what children have to say
One of the most sensitive aspects of working with children in vulnerable situations is addressing topics that affect their lives without diminishing their pain. This is part of Renata’s work, and she explains that she always tries to adapt themes to a child-friendly language so that they can understand and ask questions.
According to Renata, adults tend to normalize many things and stop questioning them, while children remain curious and sensitive. They understand what is fair and unfair, and they grasp the meaning of rights and responsibilities. When discussing topics such as social inequality, the psychologist says it is important to open a dialogue and listen to the stories children share—whether about themselves or their peers.
Education is also undoubtedly one of the most powerful tools for transforming realities. ChildFund understands that education—together with protection and family support—expands horizons and prepares children to break cycles of exclusion and vulnerability. “Education is present in our methodologies not as tutoring or formal instruction, but through activities related to financial education, life skills, play, and the encouragement and practice of reading,” says Mauricio.
Everything begins with public policies
Despite advancements in public policies for families in situations of social vulnerability—such as Bolsa Família and the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC) for people with disabilities—we are still taking slow steps toward eradicating poverty and reducing inequality.
Instituto C understands that accessing rights is one of the key ways to reduce barriers faced by families. Nayara considers that progress has been made in designing protection and income transfer programs, such as the creation of the National Care Policy, which promotes shared social responsibility—and shared responsibility between men and women—in providing care, considering multiple inequalities. But it is still necessary to invest in sustainability and continuous funding for care and social protection policies, so that care ceases to be a private burden and becomes public infrastructure.
For ChildFund, actions such as proper funding for child-focused policies—especially in rural and peripheral areas—the strengthening of social protection networks with a focus on preventing physical, psychological, sexual, and institutional violence, and offering support to families, must be priorities when caring for children.
Furthermore, addressing the inequalities that affect childhood is only possible when public policies recognize care as both a right and a collective responsibility.
The collective responsibility to protect children
Just as Instituto C and ChildFund Brasil work in this mission, many other organizations also dedicate themselves daily to ensuring that children can develop free of barriers—but with collective effort, this mission becomes lighter. The public sector and social organizations play important roles in reducing childhood inequalities, but civil society is also an essential and indispensable ally in guaranteeing children’s rights.
During this Children’s Month, it is important to reinforce the invitation for everyone to take an active role in defending children’s rights—after all, this is a collective responsibility. This mobilization can begin with listening to and involving children and adolescents in discussions, and by valuing childhood as a priority. Only then can we ensure that future generations live in the best way possible.
