A warning issued by the NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) KidsRights on May 26th has drawn attention to children’s rights being “seriously affected” due to the new coronavirus pandemic. According to the NGO headquartered in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, measures to contain the virus and the economic consequences of Covid-19 will have a major impact on many young people.

An example of this is the cancellation of classes in school, something that has occurred in 188 countries and affected close to 1.5 billion children and teens. According to the NGO, this situation exposes young people to illegal labor. The founder and president of KidsRights, Marc Dulleart, has announced that the “crisis turns back the clock on years of progress made in the wellbeing of children.”

Another worrying factor lies in the health system. Because of the pandemic, several vaccination programs to prevent diseases have been temporarily interrupted. According to the NGO, the suspension of measles vaccination in at least 23 countries has affected more than 78 million children under the age of 9.

In the announcement, Marc Dulleart also highlighted that “giving children the cold shoulder could be disastrous in the short, but more so in the long term, for both the current and the future generations”.

Children’s Rights Around the World
According to a ranking by KidsRights in partnership with Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands, in 2020 Iceland is the top country in regards to children’s rights. Switzerland placed second and Finland third. Brazil came in 102nd place, out of a total of 182 countries. For the survey, the NGO used data from  United Nations (UN) agencies , which included issues such as the right to life, health, education, and protection.

Sources: Estadão, G1, and KidsRights

Questions

1) Which of the statements below is false according to the text?
a) Brazil is ranked 102nd among countries that most respect children’s rights.
b) The new coronavirus pandemic has caused situations that seriously affect children’s rights.
c) Vaccination programs were not affected by the pandemic.
d) Onsite classes have been placed on hold in 188 countries.

2) What do you think needs to be done to protect children’s rights across the world?

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