TODAY IS CHILDREN’S DAY
From a teenager’s statement: “The life you thought was boring, is the life you’re hoping to get back to right now.”[i]
Today is the Children’s day. On this day, we are all reminded of the need to respect the rights of the child.
This year, when our children are in a new situation of pandemic and forced isolation, this reminder is particularly relevant. “We are in the midst of an historic event that will change many aspects of our world. There will be major impacts on the global economy, geopolitics and our societies. It is clear that these global impacts and risks are highly interdependent and are changing the current and future global risk landscape, a fact highlighted in the World Economic Forum’s recently published COVID-19 Risks Outlook report.”[ii] The economic crisis and the resulting increase in unemployment and poverty among parents undoubtedly have negative social and psychological consequences for children and create significant problems in the field of education and employment.
According to the World Economic Forum, youth employment in developed countries has only recently returned to the level of the financial crisis that existed before 2008. In developing countries, youth unemployment is steadily increasing. Currently, 80% of the world’s students – more than 1.6 billion young people-do not attend school. Many students from socially vulnerable families do not have the necessary technical means to access online courses or face difficulties working from home. The consequences of such inequality in education will put them at a disadvantage in the labor markets in the future[iii].
Isolation, lack of opportunities to changing environments and communication with peers, lead to a violation of socialization. While at home, children are at increased risk of anxiety and fear, which negatively affects their mental health and well-being[iv]. In these conditions, there is an increasing need to organize a system of training of medical and non-medical specialists, as well as parents who will be able to provide assistance for children and adolescents.
[i] What risks does COVID-19 pose to society in the long-term? John Scott, Head of Sustainability Risk, Zurich Insurance Group
