UNICEF made a statement on Tuesday, in which it appealed to donors for a total of USD 1.6 billion, stating the amount as a requirement to provide an adequate humanitarian response to the children impacted worldwide, by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is a vastly increased amount compared to the USD 651.6 million requested in a similar appeal during March. As per UNICEF, this raise shows the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic and the increasing needs of vulnerable families.
This health crisis is quickly turning into a child rights crisis, stated UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.
“Schools are closed, parents are out of work and families are under growing strain", said Fore.
"As we begin to reimagine what a post-COVID world would look like, these funds will help us respond to the crisis, recover from its aftermath, and protect children from its knock-on effects.”
UNICEF's statement highlighted that with millions of children's access to essential services such as health care and routine immunization already being compromised, it could lead to a significant increase in child mortality.
Additionally, due to restricted movement, closure of schools and isolation were set to intensify already high levels of stress, particularly for children in vulnerable conditions.
An analysis done by UNICEF shows that about 77 percent of children under the age of 18 are living in 132 countries with some form of movement restrictions in place due to COVID-19.
This increases the risk factors for violence, abuse and neglect in households with restricted movement and socio-economic decline as per UNICEF. Also, this increases this risk of gender-based violence towards girls and women as well.
“We have seen what the pandemic is doing to countries with developed health systems and we are concerned about what it would do to countries with weaker systems and fewer available resources,” said Fore.
UNICEF is targeting its response to the pandemic towards countries with a preexisting humanitarian crisis. They are working to prevent transmission as well as mitigate the collateral impacts on children, women and vulnerable populations, particularly around excess to health, nutrition, water and sanitation, education and protection.
Until now, UNICEF revealed that they have received USD 215 million to support its response towards COVID-19.
- Over 1.67 billion people reached with COVID-19 prevention messaging around hand washing and cough and sneeze hygiene;
- Over 12 million people reached with critical water, sanitation and hygiene supplies;
- UNICEF has shipped more than 6.6 million gloves, 1.3 million surgical masks, 428,000 N95 respirators, 291,000 gowns, 13,000 goggles, 63,500 face shields, 200 oxygen concentrators and 34,500 diagnostic tests for COVID-19, in support of 52 countries as they respond to the pandemic;
- Nearly 80 million children reached with distance or home-based learning;
- Over 10.9 million children and women receiving essential healthcare services in UNICEF supported facilities; and
- Over 830,000 children, parents and caregivers provided with community-based mental health and psychosocial support.
On March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.
The new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 4.35 million people and claimed over 293,000 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, 1.6 million people have recovered.
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