UN: Pandemic tough on millions of Mideast, North African children

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Posted by: Daniela Socolovschi

News / International

21 Nov. 2020 / 14:55

UN: Pandemic tough on millions of Mideast, North African children

The global pandemic and ensuing lockdown have taken their toll on the mental and physical well-being of millions of kids in the Middle East and North Africa, the UN children’s agency said Friday, AP reports.

In a survey of more than 7,000 households in seven countries in the region covering 13,000 children, UNICEF found that more than 90 percent of respondents believe the coronavirus pandemic has affected their children negatively.

“Restrictions on movement and closure of schools had a severe impact on children’s daily routines, their social interactions, and ultimately on their mental well-being,” Ted Chaiban, UNICEF regional director in the Middle East and North Africa, said in the report. Its release coincided with World Children’s Day.

The agency’s survey shows that more than 50 percent of respondents believe their children have been struggling mentally and emotionally. Anxiety and stress have been on the rise among confined families, the report said, raising the likelihood of domestic violence, of which women and children are usually the prime victims.

Nearly 40 percent of parents and guardians expressed concerns over the education of their children, the survey said. Many have dismissed remote education as “ineffective,” citing lack of resources, limited internet access, a lack of support from adults and a lack of direct access to teachers.

The UNICEF survey was conducted in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Syria and Tunisia between April and July 2020.

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