In accordance with the new research titled “Childcare in a global crisis: The impact of COVID-19 on work and family life” by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), 22 million children from South Asian countries, including India, have missed out on early childhood education in their pre-school year due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic closure. This report was produced by UNICEF’s Office of Research – Innocenti.

• In the South Asia region, UNICEF covered Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the research.
• At least 40 million children worldwide, of which nearly 22 million are from South Asia, have missed out on early childhood education in their critical pre-school year

• Prolonged school closure and limited access to distant learning have deprived children of their universal right to education.

Key Point:
-Childcare and early childhood education builds a foundation upon which every aspect of children’s development relies. The pandemic is putting that foundation under serious threat.
-Lockdown has left many parents struggling to balance childcare and paid employment, with a disproportionate burden placed on women who, on average, spend more than three times longer on care and housework than men.
-The research recommended social protection systems including cash transfers that reach families working in non-formal employment.
-Governments and employers must play their part to help ensure proper childcare and access to education.
About UNICEF:
Headquarters– New York, United States of America (USA)
Executive Director– Henrietta Holsman Fore

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