For the sake of our children

Context: The foremost victims of the COVID-19 induced humanitarian crisis are the children. Urgent steps need to be taken in order to protect and support underprivileged families.

Impact of COVID-19 on children:

• Economic Hardships: 

• Poverty: The number of people facing extreme poverty could increase to 40 to 60 million this year. (“COVID-19 and Child Labour”, released by UNICEF and ILO)

• Lost Jobs: Monthly employment rate increased to 23.49% in May from 8.74% in March. (CMIE).

• Around 70% relied on past savings and 40% availed loans or sold assets. (Survey conducted by Save The Children)

• Child Labour and Abuse: Reduced employment opportunities in the labour market for parents will force children to work in exploitative and hazardous work.
• 22% of the households had children working at or outside their homes, more in urban regions.
• “CHILDLINE 1098” received 9385 calls relayed to child labour, trafficking, abuse, and child marriage.

• Domino effect on Health and Nutrition: Presently, 37.9 % of children (under the age of 5) are stunted and 20.8% are wasted.

• No Mid-day meal: Direct fallout of the preventive lockdown has been on the nutritional health of the 368.5 million school children in 143 countries (UN Policy brief- “The impact of Covid-19 on Children”)
• Only 17% of the households were able to access Take-Home-Rations (THR).
• 43% were deprived of the mandated mid-day meal under the Integrated Child Development Scheme.
• “CHILDLINE 1098” received 30% of the calls related to pandemic induced food shortage.

• Low Awareness: The Survey shows that only 26% of the respondents knew about social distancing norms, risking their children's health primarily.

• Neglect of WASH: Over 50% of the households admit not cleaning their hands before feeding their child, while 5% resorted to unhygienic hand-washing.

• Food Security: 72% of the households had partial/no access to essential food items during lockdown

• Literacy: Limited access to high-speed internet and sparse power supply are the biggest deterrents to distance learning, impacting their literacy rate.

Way forward: 

• Put money in the hands of the impoverished people.
• Tighten the implementation of critical schemes related to nutrition, food security, and healthcare.
• The decision to extend Ayushman Bharat is a laudable step.
• More focus on primary healthcare should be ensured.
• Civil society must innovate and allow the less privileged equal access to education.
• The common public should be more compassionate to their problems and offer solutions.