COVID-19 and Impact on Children

In News

The National Commission for Child Rights (NCPCR) submits data from states to the Supreme Court (SC) which shows over 9,000 children are affected by the pandemic.

About

• The SC had directed the States and Union Territories to upload data on the number of affected children since March 2020 in the ‘Bal Swaraj’ portal set up by NCPCR.
• A total of 1,742 children were orphaned, 140 abandoned and 7,464 children have lost one parent because of the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020.
• These children, 9,346 in total, are in need of care and 3,711 children are in the 8-13 age group.
• State-wise Data: Leading the tally is Uttar Pradesh with 2,110 children in need of protection, 270 orphaned, 10 abandoned and 1,830 who lost a parent. 
• Bihar is second with 1,327 children in need of protection, 292 orphaned and 1,035 children who had lost one parent.
• Orphaned: Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of orphaned children, 318, followed by Bihar with 292, UP with 270 and Telangana with 123.

Impact of pandemic on children 

• Educational Impact: The pandemic has created the most severe disruption in the world’s education systems in history and is threatening a loss of learning that may stretch beyond one generation of students. UNESCO has made projections whereby 24 million learners from pre-primary to tertiary education risk not finding their way back to their studies in 2020 following the COVID-19-induced closures. 
• Psychological Impact: The stress Children are subjected to directly impacts their mental health on account of increased anxiety, changes in their diets and in school dynamics, fear or even failing to scale the problem. Social isolation stress can induce neuroimmunoendocrine changes during early life.
• Social Impact: There is an unprecedented change in the social and daily routine of Children. They are greatly impacted by the abrupt withdrawal from school, social life and outdoor activities. Some of them also experienced domestic violence growing. 
• Uncertain Future: The longer the crisis persists, the deeper its impact on children’s education, health, nutrition and well-being. The future of an entire generation is at risk.

Government’s Measures

• The PM announced a number of benefits to children impacted by the current COVID Pandemic.
• All children who have lost both parents or surviving parents or legal guardian/adoptive parents due to Covid 19 will be supported under ‘PM-CARES for Children’ scheme.
• Fixed Deposit in the name of the child:
  • PM CARES will contribute through a specially designed scheme to create a corpus of Rs 10 lakh for each child when he or she reaches 18 years of age. This corpus:
  • Will be used to give a monthly financial support/ stipend from 18 years of age, for the next five years to take care of his or her personal requirements during the period of higher education and
  • On reaching the age of 23 years, he or she will get the corpus amount as one lump-sum for personal and professional use.
• School Education: For children under 10 years
  • The child will be given admission in the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya or in a private school as a day scholar.
  • If the child is admitted in a private school, the fees as per the RTE norms will be given from the PM CARES.
  • PM-CARES will also pay for expenditure on uniforms, textbooks and notebooks.
• School Education: for children between 11-18 years:
  • The child will be given admission in any Central Government residential school such as Sainik School, Navodaya Vidyalaya etc.
  • In case the child is to be continued under the care of Guardian/ grandparents/ extended family, then he or she will be given admission in the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya or in a private school as a day scholar.
  • If the child is admitted in a private school, the fees as per the RTE norms will be given from the PM CARES.
  • PM CARES will also pay for expenditure on uniforms, textbooks and notebooks.
• Support for Higher Education:
  • The child will be assisted in obtaining an education loan for Professional courses / Higher Education in India as per the existing Education Loan norms. The interest on this loan will be paid by the PM CARES.
  • As an alternative, scholarships equivalent to the tuition fees / course fees for undergraduate/ vocational courses as per Government norms will be provided to such children under Central or State Government Schemes. For children who are not eligible under the existing scholarship schemes, PM CARES will provide an equivalent scholarship.
• Health Insurance
  • All children will be enrolled as a beneficiary under Ayushman Bharat Scheme (PM-JAY) with a health insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakhs.
  • The premium amount for these children till the age of 18 years will be paid by PM CARES.

Suggestions

• Benefits of Government Schemes: The children who have lost either of the parents to Covid-19 and have been placed with the surviving single parent can be entitled to implemented Government schemes and therefore, the benefit of the government schemes be also extended to them.
• Financial Assistance: The financial assistance would ensure that the child could continue his or her education while continuing to live in the same environment, which is essential for the mental health of the child, who is already trying to cope up with that loss of a parent. 
• Mapping of trafficking: The NCPCR has initiated action and pilot launch mapping of Children & Families vulnerable to child trafficking and matching them with benefits under various Schemes of Government of India and State Governments.
• Such extensive mapping is to be undertaken in all the Districts of all the States within the country which are potential “Source”, “Transit” and “Destination” Hotspots of Child Trafficking, as per the information available with Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau).
• Preparation for third wave: The steps should be taken for preparation of the anticipated third Covid-19 wave. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) must develop comprehensive protocols/guidelines for treatment and clinical management of children who test positive for the virus. 
• Emergency Transport: To prepare for neonatal and children emergency situations, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare should issue necessary directions for emergency transport services/ambulances suitable for children and neonatal.
• Technical assistance: The  technical assistance has to be sought from the Indian Academy of Pediatrics on preventive aspects to be undertaken to monitor and mitigate the risk factors for children.
• Tackle Illegal adoption: The growing problem of illegal adoption during the second surge of COVID-19 needs to be addressed and the children are advised to be produced before the Child Welfare Committees, so that necessary action can be taken in the best interest of those children.

International Advice

• To respond to this crisis, UNICEF has calling on governments and partners to:
  • Ensure all children learn, including by closing the digital divide.
  • Guarantee access to nutrition and health services and make vaccines affordable and available to every child.
  • Support and protect the mental health of children and young people and bring an end to abuse, gender-based violence and neglect in childhood.
  • Increase access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene and address environmental degradation and climate change.
  • Reverse the rise in child poverty and ensure an inclusive recovery for all.
  • Redouble efforts to protect and support children and their families living through conflict, disaster and displacement.

Conclusion

• The children represent the future of the country and the country must do everything possible to support and protect the children so that they develop as strong citizens.
• In such trying times it is our duty, as a society, to care for our children and instil hope for a bright future.

Source: IE