COVID-19 and children's rights

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastating short, medium and long-term consequences for children and their rights. It can also have a grave physical, emotional and psychological effect on children, especially in countries which have established mandatory stay-at-home, lockdown or confinement measures and for children in situations of vulnerability.

While children who contract COVID-19 seem to have fewer symptoms and mortality rates than other groups, there are several immediate socio-economic impacts directly affecting children and child protection risks that are emerging daily due to the measures taken to prevent and contain the virus.

Additional information

• Child rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Technical Note: COVID-19 and children deprived of their liberty
• Inter-Agency Working Group on Violence against Children – Agenda for Action