There are plenty of reasons to use statistics sparingly when communicating about orphans (see this 2009 post on the topic).  Even so, those who care about orphans still would do well to know the latest global orphan numbers and what they means.

Unfortunately, orphan statistics are often misquoted and misunderstood.  This has created a wide range of often-conflicting information—both regarding the numbers and what those numbers really mean.  To address this issue, the Christian Alliance for Orphans is releasing the White Paper, “On Understanding Orphan Statistics.”  This paper explains the current statistics and their key implications.

As the paper’s introduction describes:  If we are to communicate with humility, credibility, and integrity, Christian orphan advocates must both accurately understand and carefully present orphan-related statistics.  Failure to do so undermines the strength of our advocacy and can misguide the actions that organizations, churches and individuals take on behalf of orphans.   Meanwhile, an accurate grasp and communication of the true nature of the need provides a strong foundation for an effective, well-focused response.

Read “On Understanding Orphan Statistics” here.