Editorial

The general well-being of our country as well as its future happiness lie in the well-being and happiness of the younger generation. For a variety of reasons there have been signs of a certain deterioration in that area, or at least of a vast amount of change having overtaken the family.

But how was one to know or to measure the kind of change that was taking place? There was some feedback from educators and church people, but it remained difficult to address possibly existing problems without proper scientific research.

Fortunately for us, that research has now taken place and has been published in book form for all to study and decide what remedies to apply.

Not only has the research highlighted many difficult areas, but it has persuaded the government to come out with an immediate response which cannot but benefit our children enormously.

Social Policy Minister Lawrence Gonzi has announced that the cabinet has accepted the ministry's proposal to have a Commissioner for Children. The Attorney General is already drafting the bill on the appointment of a commissioner, and Dr Gonzi is keeping his fingers crossed, together with the rest of us, that the law will soon be enacted.

The minister was speaking at the launch of the National Statistics Office publication, Children, a thematic collection of statistical data. The book is a collection of data that not only show how deep are the changes in Maltese society, but put a finger on the areas that need addressing without delay.

Much as parents are the main benefactors of their children, they are, when things go wrong, also the main perpetrators of evil. The reports show that child abusers reported to Agenzija Appogg between 1993 and 2000 were mainly parents.

Safeguarding children from their own parents is by no means an easy proposition. As the Maltese family loses some of its wonted strength, we can only expect more of the same, and there is every reason for keeping a sharp lookout.

Quite rightly, Dr Gonzi described the statistics - gathered together for the first time ever - as a "Fantastic tool for politicians". But they also, as he quite reasonably noted, lend a voice to children. They show how the composition of the Maltese family has changed already, together with its needs and priorities.

The Labour Party's spokesman for social affairs, Marie Louise Coleiro, highlighted the less positive picture that emerged from the data, such as problems of absenteeism and the difference between the success rates of students at private and government schools, questioning whether these issues were being tackled.

The 145-page publication is composed of eight main sections: demographics; children in education; children in society; children and health; children in households; children and parents; children at risk; and children and crime.

The rationale for the statistical collection revolves around three aspects: to make children visible in statistics; to illustrate how focusing on children provides an entirely different perspective; to give ideas of the kind of information that throws light on the state of children in developing societies.