Joseph E. Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate in economics and University Professor at Columbia University, is a former chief economist of the World Bank (1997-2000), chair of the US President’s Council of Economic Advisers, and co-chair of the High-Level Commission on Carbon Prices. He is a member of the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation and was lead author of the 1995 IPCC Climate Assessment.
纽约—我们早就知道,儿童是一个特殊群体。他们无法选择父母,更不用说更广义的出生环境了。他们没有如同成人那样的保护或照看自己的能力。因此,国际联盟在1924年通过了日内瓦儿童权利宣言,国际社会也在1989年实施了儿童权利公约。
悲哀的是,美国没有在履行义务。事实上,它甚至没有批准儿童权利公约。美国向来以机会之地的形象自豪,它本应该成为公正、开明地对待儿童的榜样。相反,它却成了失败的象征——为儿童权利在国际经济场上的全球颓势做出了“贡献”。
普通美国儿童也许不是全世界境况最糟糕的,但美国财富和儿童条件之间的反差大到无与伦比。大约14.5%的美国总人口属于穷人,但19.9%的儿童——大概相当于1,500万人——生活在贫困中。在发达国家中,只有罗马尼亚的儿童贫困率更高。美国的儿童贫困率比英国高三分之二,比北欧国家高三倍。某些群体的状况更是恶劣得多:38%的黑人儿童和30%的西班牙裔儿童是穷人。
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