(PRESS RELEASE) COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – UNICEF and Pandora announced another initiative in their strategic collaboration, as Pandora pledged a significant donation to the new #Reimagine campaign. Through the campaign, UNICEF is issuing an urgent appeal to governments, the public, donors and the private sector to join UNICEF as it seeks to respond, recover and reimagine a world currently besieged by the coronavirus. Focusing on the most vulnerable children – such as those affected by poverty, exclusion or family violence – UNICEF is working to stop the disease spreading further, address the damage already inflicted, mitigate the knock-on effects on children and lay the groundwork for building back a better world.
Children Vulnerable to COVID-19
An additional 6,000 children could die every day from preventable causes over the next six months as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to weaken health systems and disrupt routine services, according to UNICEF. The estimate is based on an analysis by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, newly published in the Lancet Global Health Journal. Based on the worst of three scenarios in 118 low- and middle-income countries, the analysis estimates that an additional 1.2 million under-five deaths could occur in just six months, due to reductions in routine health service coverage levels and an increase in child wasting. Some 56,700 additional maternal deaths could also occur in just six months.
“Children are extremely vulnerable to the domino effects of COVID-19, like school closures, food shortages, limited access to basic healthcare, and disruptions to medical supply chains,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “If we are going to protect a generation of children, we need everyone to step up. I am thankful to Pandora for supporting our new #Reimagine campaign and helping us reimagine a new tomorrow.”
“UNICEF’s efforts to protect the most vulnerable from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis are indispensable. The pandemic must not become a lasting crisis for children. We are very proud to support this campaign to save the lives of children and their families and help build a better day after the virus. This is a cause that deserves global attention,” said Alexander Lacik, CEO of Pandora.
Knock-On Effects of the Pandemic
In addition to the estimated potential rise in under-five and maternal deaths described in the Lancet Global Health Journal analysis, UNICEF is deeply alarmed by the other knock-on effects of the pandemic on children:
- An estimated 77 per cent of children under the age of 18 worldwide – 1.80 billion out of 2.35 billion – were living in one of the 132 countries with stay-at-home policies, as of early May.
- Nearly 1.3 billion students – over 72 per cent – are out of school as a result of nationwide school closures in 177 countries.
- 40 per cent of the world’s population are not able to wash their hands with soap and water at home.
- Nearly 370 million children across 143 countries who normally rely on school meals for a reliable source of daily nutrition must now look to other sources as schools are shuttered.
- As of 14 April, over 117 million children in 37 countries may miss out on their measles vaccination as the pandemic causes immunization campaigns to stop to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
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