Coronavirus pandemic unleashed unprecedented socio-economic crisis (File)
The United Nations:
The number of children living in poor households in low- and middle-income countries could increase by 86 million to 672 million by the end of 2020 due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new study.
The deadly virus has so far infected 5,695,290 people and claimed 355,692 lives worldwide, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University.
“The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic could push up to 86 million more children into household poverty by the end of 2020, an increase of 15%,” said the joint study. by UNICEF and the humanitarian organization Save the Children.
Analysis pointed out that without urgent action to protect families from financial hardship caused by the pandemic, the total number of children living below the national poverty line in low- and middle-income countries could reach 672 million by the end of the year.
Almost two-thirds of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and the countries of Europe and Central Asia may experience the largest increase, up to 44% in the region. Latin America and the Caribbean could see an increase of 22%.
“The coronavirus pandemic has unleashed an unprecedented socio-economic crisis that is draining the resources of families around the world,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore in a statement.
“The scale and breadth of families’ financial hardship threatens to roll back years of progress in reducing child poverty and leave children without essential services. Without concerted action, families that barely get out of it could be pushed into poverty and the poorest families could face levels of deprivation that have not been observed in decades, “said Fore.
Organizations warned that the impact of the global economic crisis caused by the pandemic and related containment policies was twofold – the immediate loss of income meant that families were less able to afford the basic necessities, including food and water, less likely to access health care or education, and more at risk of child marriage, violence, exploitation and abuse.
Save the Children International CEO Inger Ashing said that “the shocking impacts on poverty of the COVID-19 pandemic will hit children hard.”
“Children are very vulnerable to even brief periods of hunger and malnutrition, which can affect them for the rest of their lives. If we act decisively now, we can prevent and contain the threat of a pandemic that confronts children. poorest countries and some of the most vulnerable children. This The Report should be a wake-up call to the world. Poverty is not inevitable for children, “said Inger Ashing.
Agencies said hundreds of millions of children remain multidimensionally poor – which means they lack access to health care, education, adequate nutrition or adequate housing – which reflects often unfair government investments in social services.
To address and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on children in poor households, Save the Children and UNICEF call for rapid and large-scale expansion of social protection systems and programs, including cash transfers , school feeding and family allowances – all essential investments that meet immediate financial needs and lay the foundation for countries to prepare for future shocks.
“Governments must also invest in other forms of social protection, tax policies, employment and labor market interventions to support families. This includes expanding universal access to quality health care and other services; and invest in family-friendly policies, such as paid time off and childcare, “they said.
