The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed that lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed no fewer than 1.6bn children out of school.
This was contained in a report to mark the agency’s 75th anniversary, which explained that schools were closed worldwide for almost 80 per cent of the in-person instruction during the first year of the pandemic.
In the report titled, ‘COVID-19 ‘biggest global crisis for children in our 75-year history’ – UNICEF’, the agency described the pandemic as one of its biggest crises since its inception.
UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said, ‘Throughout our history, UNICEF has helped to shape healthier and safer environments for children across the globe, with great results for millions.
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‘These gains are now at risk. The COVID-19 pandemic has been the biggest threat to progress for children in our 75-year history.
‘While the number of children who are hungry, out of school, abused, living in poverty or forced into marriage is going up, the number of children with access to health care, vaccines, sufficient food, and essential services is going down. In a year in which we should be looking forward, we are going backward.’
The report also noted that mental health conditions affected more than 13 per cent of adolescents aged 10–19 worldwide. By October 2020, the pandemic had disrupted or halted critical mental health services in 93 per cent of countries worldwide.
In a response to the report, UNICEF called for more investment in social protection, ensuring quality education for every child, children’s protection from crises, and an end to the pandemic.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK