The Silent Pandemic

The mental health and wellbeing of children living in conflict-affected countries is dangerously deteriorating as they struggle to cope with the socio-economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To better comprehend this alarming, underreported global situation, World Vision and War Child Holland spoke to 220 children, 245 adolescents and young people, 287 parents and carers and 44 child protection experts and community leaders in six conflict-affected countries: Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory and South Sudan.

We found that more than half (57%) of children living in fragile and conflict-affected countries expressed a need for mental health and psychosocial support as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.This finding could indicate that 456 million children worldwide are currently likely to need mental health and psychosocial support.

The global implications are clear: Unless this hidden crisis is urgently addressed, a generation of the world’s most vulnerable children will likely suffer devastating lifelong and potentially life-threatening consequences.