OUR CHILDREN MUST NOT PAY THE PRICE OF HIDDEN PANDEMIC FALLOUT
THE world is currently grappling with an invisible enemy and containing the spread of this enemy is every national government’s priority. However, there are serious consequences emerging that will challenge our societies far beyond the current pandemic – the hidden impacts.
Children and their rights have not been the first concerns that come to mind when news reports mention the coronavirus. Thankfully, it appears that children are largely spared from the direct health effects of the virus, although it is early days yet, and there are some worrying reports of a link to the Kawasaki disease.
Ireland, unlike much of Europe, continues to have a growing population of children, albeit with smaller family units. The number of children in Ireland under the age of four is over 330,000 and between the ages of five and 12 it is greater than 548,000. Many children are feeling the profound impacts of the virus on their lives.
Clearly a return to school is hugely desirable, provided safety is assured for all. However, it will not be school as usual. The changes in routine that will be needed in schools will have to be adapted to by children. Even as the spread of the virus seems to be slowing in many countries, its social toll is coming fast and hard.
The disproportionate effects that Covid-19 will have on children must be addressed, particularly for those living in crisis and conflict. Measures should be explored on how to combat the ways in which Covid-19 is likely to aggravate the already existing social, political and economic inequalities for children across Europe and around the world.
According to a recently published UN policy brief, ‘The Impact of Covid-19 on Children’, an estimated 42- to 66million children could fall into extreme poverty as a result of the crisis this year, adding to the estimated 386million children already in extreme poverty in 2019. Shocking figures to read in 2020.
We must also ensure that progress made in Ireland in reducing the numbers of children in poverty is not diminished by the current crisis.
The UN also highlights that 188 countries have imposed countrywide school closures, affecting more than 1.5billion children and young people.
The potential losses that may be incurred in learning and development for today’s youth are incalculable. More than two-thirds
of countries have introduced distance or remote learning but the more marginalised are excluded here too.
The economic hardship experienced by families as a result of the global economic slowdown could result in hundreds of thousands of additional child deaths in 2020, reversing the last two to three years of progress in reducing infant mortality within a single year.
Unless we act now to address the pandemic’s impacts on children, the echoes of Covid-19 will be heard for generations to come. Lockdowns and restrictions on movement come with a heightened risk of children witnessing or suffering violence and abuse. Children’s reliance on online platforms for distance learning has also increased their risk of exposure to inappropriate content, a worrying thought for all parents.
CHILDREN facing acute deprivation in nutrition, protection or education, or experiencing prolonged exposure to stress, during the critical window of early childhood development are likely to experience lifelong difficulties. Children who experience family breakdowns during this period of heightened stress, risk losing the sense of support and security on which children’s wellbeing depends. We have been told to stay home but we must remember that for many women and children, home is not a safe place.
There have been many difficulties and obstacles in providing childcare during this crisis, nevertheless accessible and quality childcare must be central in advancing our society. There is a need for a quantum leap forward by Government, that sees a comprehensive approach to providing childcare. The Government must champion a whole of life approach to care, from childcare to eldercare that is rights-based.
At this time it is imperative that we uphold the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children. As the State’s first Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I know the importance of prioritising children’s rights at a family, community and governmental level. Any stagnation or fragmentation of children’s rights at this time will have a detrimental effect on future generations to come.
We must act as a voice for those children who cannot speak. We must protect our children and their rights by helping to stem the devastating consequences of the coronavirus. Children are the future and they must be protected. Without urgent action at national, European and a global level, this health crisis risks becoming a child-rights pandemic. As the whole world struggles economically and socially let us remain alert to the challenges children face around the world.