The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children in Madagascar
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Highlights
Madagascar has nearly 14 million children, of whom 9.4 million were living in multidimensional poverty in 2018, according to the latest Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS-6), and 11.6 million (82.9%) were living below the monetary poverty line. While most children are not directly affected by the COVID-19 virus, they are likely to suffer greatly from the consequences of containment and restrictions, as well as the economic crisis created by the pandemic at the global and national levels.
This note, produced in collaboration with Oxford Policy Management, reviews some of the main effects that are expected in the medium term as a result of the health and economic crisis produced by COVID-19, based on international experience and emerging research on the subject. First, the effects of the economic crisis on child poverty and the role of social protection in mitigating the effects of the crisis are presented. Second, the impact on health and nutrition is shown. Third, the effects on education and child development are considered. Fourth, the impact on child protection and gender is considered. Finally, the multidimensional nature of health, climate and economic shocks is considered. The note proposes concrete recommendations for responding to the crisis in a way that takes into account the needs of children and their families.
