04/20/2020
Don’t let children be the hidden victims of COVID-19 pandemic—UNICEF
https://www.unicef.org/nepal/press-releases/dont-let-children-be-hidden-victims-covid-19-pandemicunicef
NEW YORK, 19 April 2020 –, “The world is currently united in a shared struggle against an invisible enemy. But while our eyes are firmly focused on how to avoid or treat COVID-19, the serious consequences that will challenge us far beyond the current pandemic – the hidden impacts – are not yet front of mind. This must change. “Not only are children and young people…, health, , COVID-19 has the potential to overwhelm fragile health systems in low- and middle-income countries and undermine many of the gains made in child survival, health, nutrition and development over the last several decades. But too many national healthcare systems were already struggling. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, 32 per cent of children…, nutrition, programmes are disrupted or suspended, as are community programmes for the early detection and treatment of undernourished children. We need to act now to preserve and strengthen health and food systems in every country around the world. “Likewise, protecting ourselves and others through proper handwashing and, hygiene practices, has never been more important. But for many children, basic water, sanitation and hygiene facilities remain out of reach., Globally, 40 per cent of the population, 3 billion people, still lack a basic handwashing facility with soap and water available at home – and this is as high as nearly three quarters of the population of the least developed countries. Let us ensure that every household, school, and health care facility has the means to a hygienic and healthy…, education, , an entire generation of children have seen their education interrupted. Nationwide school closures have disrupted the education of more than 1.57 billion students – 91 per cent – worldwide. We know from previous shutdowns that schoolchildren, and especially girls, who are out of school for extended periods of time are much less likely to return…, socio-economic impact, of COVID-19 will be felt hardest by the world’s most vulnerable children. Many already live in poverty, and the consequences of COVID-19 response measures risk plunging them further into hardship. As millions of parents struggle to maintain their livelihoods and income, governments must scale up social protection measures – providing social safety…, exploitation, ,, violence, and, abuse, when schools are closed, social services are interrupted, and movement is restricted. For example, school closures during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa from 2014 to 2016 resulted in spikes in child labor, neglect, sexual abuse and teenage pregnancies. And the most common form of violence children face takes place in the home. In a majority of…, humanitarian, crises must also not be forgotten during the COVID-19 response. 2020 was already set to be a year with more people than ever before in need of humanitarian assistance, and the vulnerabilities of children in crisis-affected countries will persist and likely be further compounded by the consequences of this pandemic, exposing them to a double…, NOTE TO EDITORS:, In Nepal, UNICEF has been proactively engaging in preparedness and response to COVID-19 in collaboration with the Government of Nepal and other organizations at all levels. As a key measure in the pandemic, UNICEF has strengthened risk communication and community engagement. Over 17 million people received key messages on COVID-19 through…, About the Agenda for Action:, UNICEF spokespeople are available for interviews related to aspects of the agenda: , For general coronavirus, Dr. Carlos Navarro Colorado, Principal Advisor, Public Health Emergencies Contact: Christopher Tidey, Tel: +1 917 340 3017, ctidey@unicef.org , For coordination of humanitarian response:, Manuel Fontaine, Director, Emergency Programmes Contact: Christopher Tidey, Tel: +1 917 340 3017, ctidey@unicef.org , For health, Dr Stefan Swartling Peterson, Associate Director, Health Contact: Sabrina Sidhu, Tel: +1 917 476 1537, ssidhu@unicef.org , For education, Robert Jenkins, Associate Director, Education Contact: Georgina Thompson, Tel: +1 917 238 1559, gthompson@unicef.org , For exploitation, violence and abuse, Cornelius Williams, Associate Director, Child Protection Contact: Helen Wylie, Tel: +1 917 244 2215, hwylie@unicef.org , For handwashing, water and sanitation, Kelly Ann Naylor, Associate Director, WASH Contact: Kurtis Cooper, Tel: +1 917 476 1435, kacooper@unicef.org , For social policy, David Stewart, Chief of Social Inclusion and Policy Contact: Georgina Thompson, Tel: +1 917 238 1559, gthompson@unicef.org , For early childhood development and family-friendly policies, Dr. Pia Rebello Britto, Chief of Early Childhood Development Contact: Georgina Thompson, Tel: +1 917 238 1559, gthompson@unicef.org This image shows a mother and a child UNICEF Nepal
