Care informed by data: On children orphaned by the pandemic

News: Some reports have suggested a high increase in COVID-19-associated orphanhood.

Lancet estimates of COVID-19-associated orphanhood put the number at over 19 lakh children orphaned. Globally it estimated 52 lakh children had been rendered orphans by the pandemic. However, Lancet report has been refuted by Indian government.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights data put the number of children orphaned during COVID-19 in India far lower, at 1.53 lakh.

Orphanhood has been defined in the report as the death of one or both parents; or the death of one or both custodial grandparents.

It is time for the government to take some effective measures to dela with the menace of orphanhood.

What are the measures that the government should take?

Orphaned children are vulnerable to poverty, violence, destitution, and lack of access to education and health care. Thus, Government should include childcare into any COVID-19 management program.

Many programs have been launched by the government for children forced into orphanhood by COVID-19. Programs include provisions for adoption, foster care, education, and health care. It is time to update the status of such programs, and information on the number of cases where intervention has occurred, and where it is pending, must be put out in the public realm.

Source: This post is created based on the article “” published in The Hindu on 4^th March 2022.