BY MISBAH IMTIAZ
The world is facing many issues because of the coronavirus pandemic, but what I am going to address here is its effects on children.
Estimates of United Nations show that nearly 42 to 66 million children could face absolute poverty because of this pandemic.
A decline in economic activities has been triggered as a result of social distancing and lockdowns resulting in global financial crisis.
Such shocks in household incomes, although temporary, would have catastrophic effects on poor children. The longer the economies are shut down, the longer it will take them to recover. Poor households may even have to sell their belongings in order to survive.
The global poverty rate of people with disabilities is high. Among the lower social classes, it is found that the consequences of the COVID-19 are potentially more greater. Disabled children who are dependent on training programs, health facilities, education and safety have been deprived of these services because of the lockdown.
Research shows that child labor is linked with financially deprived families and is a result of illnesses, disabilities or unemployment in the family. Many families are not provided financial help to bear the losses, forcing children to work.
Children without proper supervision are vulnerable to cope with the situation and may adapt immoral habits such as swearing and abusing.
There are major threats to children’s mental health and well-being. In this period of heightened stress, children who encounter family clashes are at a risk to lose mental stability and security that they rely on.
According to estimates by UNESCO, as of April 8th., 1.5 billion students in 188 nations were unable to attend schools as a result of COVID-19, which makes 91% percent of the total students in the world.
The longer the schools stay shut, the less likely it is for children to gain basic education. This may also jeopardize their early mental development because of minimal to no socialization.
UNESCO has suggested that countries should “adopt a range of modern, low technology and non-tech approaches in order to ensure that learning is continued.
However, many of the public schools are not even equipped to use online educational platforms. About half of the world has no internet connection.
Youth is our future. If the virus created such serious problems for them, they could too become our problems in future
Home is a source of protection and comfort for most children. The opposite is unfortunately the case, at least for a minority though. Caregiver abuse is the most prevalent form of child abuse.
Such violence is more likely to happen when families are confined to their homes and suffer from extreme stress and anxiety. Around 60 percent of the children worldwide live in countries where there is complete or partial lockdown.
Three-quarters of young children (aged 2-4) face violence or physical abuse, or both at home by parents, according to a study.
Exposure to aggression, particularly at an early age, can affect brain development for children and is associated with lower levels of education and increased stress, anxiety, substance abuse and suicide rates.
Such serious problems are increasing at an alarming rate. The governments should look at these issues as well and take necessary steps.- (Edited by Shiza Riaz)
(The writer is a student of Masters in Mass Communication at National University of Modern Languages Islamabad.)
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