What the children tell us: the COVID-19 pandemic and how the world should respond

Abstract

While the COVID-19 pandemic and associated mitigation measures have had a devastating impact on children and youth (CY), they were rarely consulted or their views incorporated into the approaches to address the pandemic.The main objective of this review is to present the voices and opinions of CY relative to the impact of the first year of the pandemic, on their lives and the lives of their families, and to present their recommendations as a call to action to adults and governments.The origin of this review was an iterative consultation process involving an international collective of Child Health professionals specialising in Child Rights. The recruitment of articles began by soliciting articles written or recommended by members of our international Child Health professional organisation. We then developed search strategies which were conducted in two phases, with the assistance of medical librarians. We limited our search to articles that sought the direct perspectives and experiences of CY in regard to the first year of COVID-19, and published between February 2020 and February 2021.Two phases of searches identified 8131 studies for screening. Following removal of irrelevant literature, 28 studies were included for the final analysis.CY articulate the detrimental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to their health, education, protection and basic needs, clearly and intelligently. They make specific recommendations to address the issues they elucidate. They state a need for accurate information that is targeted for them. They ask for recognition as stakeholders and social actors in the pandemic response planning and implementation processes.We assert that the recognition of CY as stakeholders in response planning for COVID-19 and other emerging crises such as climate change, must become a statutory requirement for local, national and international policy-makers. Evidence of CY participation should specifically be reported to and tracked by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Diálogo deliberativo sobre eutanasia en niñas, niños y adolescentes. Precuela del Cabildo Ciudadano llevado a cabo en Colombia

“…Despite the significance of the research findings, they were not embraced by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, which demonstrated limited political will and interest in both the Deliberative dialogue and the Cabildo Ciudadano (Citizen Council). This rejection is believed to stem from a divide between academia and the public sector and the limited recognition given to subaltern, experiential, and transrational knowledge 19 as well as the public management model and elements of the political culture of the country, such as the tendency to discontinue support for strategies established by prior governments 5 .…”

“…This document serves as a supplement to previous publications regarding the deliberation on euthanasia in children and adolescents in Colombia 2 , 3 , 4 and aims to enhance understanding of the emergence of the Cabildo methodology. The Cabildo methodology is characterized by its emphasis on transdisciplinarity and the inclusion of historically marginalized groups, - such as children and adolescents - 5 in deliberative processes that pertain to their interests. Additionally, the Cabildo methodology is defined by its interest in exploring an epistemology of emotions 6 in order to contribute to the advancement of social participation in health in Colombia and throughout Latin America.…”

“…Additionally, this critique extends to the inclusion of children and adolescents as valid interlocutors and citizens, and the consideration of their experiences and interests in decision-making processes. 5 , 20…”

“…Como complemento a publicaciones previas acerca de la deliberación sobre la eutanasia en NNA en Colombia 2 , 3 , 4 , este documento contribuye a comprender el advenimiento del Cabildo: su marcado interés por la transdisciplinariedad, y la participación de sujetos históricamente marginalizados en procesos deliberativos de su interés -como lo son los NNA- 5 ; y su preocupación por ahondar en una epistemología de las emociones 6 . Todo lo anterior en miras a aportar a la construcción de la participación social en salud tanto en Colombia como en Latinoamérica.…”

“Just Standing Still”: A Qualitative Study on Adolescents’ Experiences of School Closures Due to Emerging COVID-19 in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau

“…Children’s rights regarding the preventive responses to the COVID-19 pandemic include keeping them visible and listening to their voices [ 7 , 38 , 52 ]. Collaborators identified adolescents who fulfilled the study criteria in the five urban areas.…”