Orphans

An orphan is a child who has lost one or both parents. In common usage the term refers to someone under the age of majority whose mother or father is deceased. A double orphan has no living parents, while a single orphan has lost one parent. Some distinctions also describe “social orphans” — children who are separated from parental care due to poverty, neglect, or institutionalization, even if a parent remains alive. Definitions vary by country and organization, and the label can carry different social implications in different contexts.

Causes include death from illness, natural disasters, accidents, and conflict, as well as parental abandonment, migration, or inability to care for a child. In several regions, epidemics such as HIV/AIDS and ongoing armed conflict have produced large numbers of orphans. Displacement and disrupted family structures can leave children without formal guardians, increasing vulnerability to poverty, abuse, and exploitation.

Care and protection: International human rights instruments oblige states to protect the rights of orphans and other children in need. Caring arrangements include extended family or kinship care, foster families, adoption, and, when necessary, institutional care while seeking family reunification. There is a global shift toward family-based alternatives and safeguards to prevent disruption of schooling and health services, with emphasis on the child’s best interests.

Statistics on orphans vary by definition and data source, but the number is substantial in many low- and middle-income countries. Efforts by governments, international agencies, and NGOs focus on prevention, support for caregivers, access to education and healthcare, and the removal of stigma that can accompany the label of orphan.