Decades of abandoned children reveal persistent education gap, expert warns

A seasoned child welfare professional has drawn attention to a troubling pattern underlying cases of infanticide and abandoned children across the region, arguing that systemic failures in education continue to be overlooked despite mounting evidence.

The advocate, who has spent years recovering abandoned babies and tracing mothers through complex circumstances, emphasises that these tragedies share a common underlying cause—one that policymakers and society have repeatedly refused to acknowledge or address directly.

Through personal interventions including family reunifications and adoption, the expert has gained insight into the circumstances surrounding these cases, pointing to gaps in comprehensive education as a critical factor. The refusal to name and confront this root cause has prolonged cycles of vulnerability and crisis, the advocate contends.

Child welfare organisations across South and Southeast Asia have increasingly highlighted the need for holistic approaches addressing not only crisis intervention but also preventive measures through education reform. Experts argue that acknowledging underlying causes is essential to developing effective long-term solutions to reduce infanticide rates and the number of foundlings requiring state intervention.