COVID-19 is the worst crisis for children worldwide that UNICEF has seen in its 75-year history, according to the agency’s report released on December 9.

The Preventing a lost decade: Urgent action to reverse the devastating impact of COVID-19 on children and young people [2] report highlights the various ways COVID-19 is challenging decades of progress on key childhood challenges such as poverty, health, access to education, nutrition, child protection and mental well-being.

Almost two years into the pandemic, the report warns that the widespread impact of COVID-19 continues to increase poverty, entrench inequality and threaten the rights of children at previously unseen levels.

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.

“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, she said.

“In a year in which we should be looking forward, we are going backward.”

UNICEF Pacific Representative, Jonathan Veitch said all children have rights to education, water and sanitation, good health, to be protected and to be heard.

“However, COVID-19 has pushed us back and the Pacific region is no exception where children represent 50 per cent of the population. Children need to be prioritised right now in every Pacific Island country if their rights are to be realised.”

Prior to the pandemic, around 1 billion children worldwide suffered at least one severe deprivation, without access to education, health, housing, nutrition, sanitation, or water.

This number is now rising as the unequal recovery contributing to growing divides between wealthy and poor children, with the most marginalized and vulnerable hurt the most.

Education

According to the report, nationwide shutdowns, meant more than 1.6 billion students were out of school, and schools were closed worldwide for almost 80 percent of in-person instruction in the first year of the crisis.

In Fiji, schools were closed for three months in 2020, and closed again in April 2021 with the second wave of COVID-19. They remain closed except for children in years 12 and 13 as of December 2021, with plans to re-open so all children can learn in classrooms again.

Health

The pandemic also disrupted or halted critical mental health services in 93 per cent of countries worldwide by October 2020. Mental health conditions affect more than 13 per cent of adolescents aged 10–19 worldwide.

In addition, the pandemic’s impact on children’s diets, nutrition services and feeding practices could see an extra 9 million children added to the 50 million children that suffer from wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition.

The report also warns of other threats to children’s rights. Nearly half of the world’s children live in countries, including the Pacific Island nations, that are extremely high-risk to the impacts of climate change.

Recovery

UNICEF is calling for more investment in social protection, human capital and spending for an inclusive and resilient recovery.

This includes ending the pandemic and reversing the alarming rollback in child health and nutrition by leveraging on COVID-19 vaccine distribution, ensuring quality education, protection, and good mental health, and building resilience to better prevent, respond to, and protect children from crises.

“In an era of a global pandemic, growing conflicts, and worsening climate change, never has a child-first approach been more critical than today,” said Henrietta Fore.

“We are at a crossroads. As we work with governments, donors and other organizations to begin charting our collective path for the next 75 years, we must keep children first in line for investment and last in line for cuts. The promise of our future is set in the priorities we make in our present.”