Opinion: Protect Our Children From The Pandemic - by Kailash Satyarthi Opinion: Protect Our Children From The Pandemic - by Kailash Satyarthi
Updated: May 28, 2021 5:15 pm IST
The 74th World Health Assembly commenced on Monday in the backdrop of a raging pandemic that has claimed over 3.5 million lives globally. The World Health Organisation s invitation to me to address their annual Assembly sent a deeply meaningful message to the United Nations, and the rest of the world - the voice of the millions of children of the world cannot go unheard. We cannot heal from the wreckage of the pandemic, without taking with us the most left behind children.
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Orphaned children at an orphanage in India. Photo: Alamy
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NEW DELHI: Speaking at the opening of the 74th World Health Assembly virtually, Nobel Peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi called on countries to take urgent action for the millions of children living in extreme poverty, whose families are suffering devastating impacts of Covid-19. He warned that at least 140 million more children have been pushed into extreme poverty as a result of the pandemic, and the number of children being exploited in child labour is expected to increase for the first time in decades.
The event was attended by UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres and global leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel among others. Satyarthi urged all health ministers to create budgeted action plans and constitute task forces to reach the poorest and most marginalised children through vaccination, pediatric facilities, and social protection schemes.