Children

This chapter focuses on the impact of social injustice on children, primarily in the United States, emphasizing children’s rights in a legal context. It begins with a discussion of the legal status of children in society, citing international standards and U.S. law. It describes how social injustice affects the health needs of children. It describes how poverty, environmental hazards, public policies related to civil and human rights, and other factors threaten the health of children. It analyzes the underlying factors and roots of social injustice that affect children, including maldistribution of income and failure to invest in the neediest families. The chapter concludes with a discussion of what needs to be done and the roles of health workers in addressing social injustice that affects children. A text box describes how the United States compares with other high-income countries in addressing the needs of children. Another text box focuses on saving children’s lives in low-income countries.