Suffering children

You know that how COVID-19 will affect the mental health and psychological well-being of vast swathes of society.For many children, there’s no school, no meet-ups, no sports activities.Many even have to live through the severe distress of parents losing jobs, getting sick and feeling helpless.Even without an epidemic, 10-20% of youngsters and adolescents worldwide experience psychological disorders, with half beginning by the age of 14.

We know that this pandemic will have a long-lasting, though dangerously invisible, negative impact on children and their families. The longer this outbreak lasts, and therefore the more restrictive response measures are, the deeper the effect is going to be on children’s learning, behaviour and emotional and social development. Now, quite ever, UNICEF is looking for collective action among governments, donors, and practitioners to deal with the complex and ranging mental-health and psychosocial needs of youngsters and families.

This starts with taking note of children’s concerns and prioritising their needs both within the short and future.

Usama Sarfraz

Rawalpindi