Launch of Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on children

“With the pandemic placing so many of the world’s children in jeopardy, I reiterate my urgent appeal: let us protect our children and safeguard their well-being.”

– UNSG, Mr. António Guterres.

Although children are not the face of this pandemic, they risk being among its biggest victims. From socio-economic impacts to physical and mental effects due to mitigation efforts, the coronavirus pandemic is a universal crisis , that for some children, the impact will be lifelong.

There are three main channels through which children are affected by this crisis:

• infection with the virus itself;
• the immediate socioeconomic impacts of measures to stop transmission of the virus and end the pandemic;
• the potential longer-term effects of delayed implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The crisis affects children in different ways: food, education, health and safety; thus the brief proposes progress on three fronts:

• More information to know more about the unknowns.
• More solidarity to allow the world to focus together on the true fight – against COVID-19.
• More action by Governments around the world to contain and mitigate the pandemic, accompanied by additional steps to counter unintended effects on children to ensure children’s well-being both during the pandemic and after it ends.