NEW DELHI: Inequalities have deepened amid the pandemic and the world’s response in addressing the needs of the marginalised children, observed a report by Kailash Satyarthi Foundation released on Wednesday.
According to the foundation, its analysis showed for the poorest countries, the funding was predominantly through loans rather than aid. It said the US $8.02 trillion financial relief announced till date, less than 1 per cent has been allocated to multilateral Covid-19 appeals for those who have been rendered the most vulnerable in the pandemic-induced economic crisis.
Over 40 million of India's migrant workers faced the brunt of lack of government support system between March 25 and May 31, said the report. The Covid outbreak coupled with unjust economic response to it has left millions to fend for themselves and children will bear a disproportionate brunt of it, said the report ‘A Fair Share for Children Preventing the loss of a generation to Covid-19’.
“For the first time in two decades, we are facing increases in child labour and slavery, poverty, and out-of-school rates. This is a direct consequence of the world’s unequal response to Covid-19," said Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi.
The pandemic has disrupted the progress of child-focussed sustainable development goals. While hunger and poverty are likely to increase among the vulnerable population, deaths of children under five are also likely to go up, the report observed. Quality education will remain a challenge with a significant number of children not having access to online education, it said.
There should be emergency corridors for the transfer of the most vulnerable refugee children to safe countries, and the international community must act immediately to end unlawful barriers against children and families seeking asylum and safety, the report said.