Study says coronavirus pandemic puts 86m children at risk of poverty

As many as 86 million more children could face poverty by the end of 2020 due to the economic crisis resulted from coronavirus pandemic. A joined study by Save the Children and UNICEF discovered the fact.

The study is based on World Bank and International Monetary Fund projections as well as population data from some 100 countries.

According to the international news agency, the total number of children affected by poverty would be increased by 15percent worldwide over last year. A total of the number of children would reach 672 million. The two aid agencies say that around two-thirds of those children would be from Sub-Saharan Arica and South Africa.

However, the study says that pandemic-driven increase is likely to happen mainly in Europe and Central Asia.
UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore stated, “The scale and depth of financial hardship among families threatens to roll back years of progress in reducing child poverty and to leave children deprived of essential services,”

Save the Children head Inger Ashing said, “We can prevent and contain the pandemic threat facing the poorest countries and some of the most vulnerable children,” with immediate steps.
She also threatened that they are “highly vulnerable to even short periods of hunger and malnutrition — potentially affecting them for their whole life,”

Save the Children and UNICEF urged the governments to expand their social security systems ad school feedings so the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic can be controlled. They have also urged the governments to spend money on social protection, economic policies, policies, employment, and labor market interventions to support families.

WHO warns disinfectants pose risk to health