Impact of pandemic on children

The pandemic has had a profound impact on children in India across various dimensions:

1. Educational Disruptions:
   • Census 2011 indicates over 42.7 million children were already out of school.
   • Loss of livelihood due to COVID-19 may lead to increased school dropouts, especially among children of migrant workers.
2. Child Abuse and Exploitation:
   • Economic hardships and lockdown measures contribute to child abuse and exploitation.
   • CHILDLINE India reported 92,000 distress calls on child abuse in the early days of the nationwide lockdown.
3. Child Labour and Vulnerability:
   • Economic challenges may force children into labor to support family income.
   • Increased risk of sexual and physical abuse, particularly for girls, as household responsibilities rise.
4. Child Marriage and Trafficking:
   • Lockdown-related hardships may result in a surge in child marriage and trafficking.
   • Access to safe reporting mechanisms for affected children is limited.
5. Impact on Child Nutrition and Health:
   • Essential childcare services disrupted during the lockdown.
   • Limited access to nutrition and immunization services.
   • Hindered access to daily mid-day meals, worsening hunger and poverty.
6. Vulnerability to Diseases:
   • Lockdown measures may increase children’s vulnerability to COVID-19 and other diseases.
   • Children in government institutions, slums, and informal settlements are at higher risk.
7. Mental Health Challenges:
   • Early closure and uncertainty around school reopening affect children’s mental health.
   • Increased cases of anxiety, nervousness, and stress among children, exacerbated by the pandemic.
   • Parental job loss and domestic violence contribute to tense home environments affecting children’s emotional well-being.
8. Parental Loss and Social Impact:
   • Parental loss adversely affects children’s social, emotional, and cognitive growth.
   • Induces anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and may lead to poorer academic performance and school dropouts.
9. Risks of Substance Abuse:
   • Increased risk of substance abuse among school dropouts and adolescents who lose parents.
   • Complicated situations, such as sexual abuse, emerge among poorer sections of society.
10. Compounded Challenges:
    • The pandemic exacerbates existing challenges, leaving vulnerable children at heightened risk.
    • Cases of sexual abuse in slums highlight the multifaceted impact on children in disadvantaged communities.