2020　Novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic of a novel coronavirus infection. The measures taken by countries in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection sometimes limited the rights guaranteed by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. On April 8, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child announced a statement of concern about the impact of the pandemic on children, and on April 16, the UN published a report on the impact of the novel coronavirus, in which Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a video message on the impact on children, stated, “their (Children’s) lives are being totally upended.” He identified “education,” “food,” “safety,” and “health” as fields in which children are particularly affected, and urged governments and leaders to take action. While children's rights are sometimes restricted for the sake of public welfare, the restrictions must be minimal.

One of the impacts on children in the field of education was the closure of schools around the world. In some cases, remote classes were provided, but there were differences in the availability of internet, TV, radio, electricity, and other infrastructure necessary for remote classes in different countries, and many children were left in a situation where they could not attend school. In Japan, the request for the simultaneous closure of all schools was made on March 2, 2020, and children were unable to attend classes at school for a long time.

In the field of “food,” the lockdowns and school closures that have taken place in many countries have resulted in the suspension of school lunches, putting children at risk of malnutrition. In many countries, including Japan, school lunches support children's nutrition and growth. In addition, the economic crisis caused by the pandemic may result in lower incomes, especially in low- and middle-income countries, making it impossible for people to purchase food and other necessities.

In the field of “safety,” concerns were raised about children staying at home more often due to school closures and other factors, becoming victims of domestic violence as a result of increased family stress caused by the pandemic, and the expansion of child labor as a result of growing poverty. A report published by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 2021 estimated that the number of children engaged in child labor in 2020 would increase from 2016, reaching an estimated 160 million. According to the report, this is the first time in 20 years that the number of child laborers, which had been declining year after year, has begun to increase. Other concerns included the increase in sexual exploitation and cyberbullying of children via the Internet as a result of increased Internet usage time.

In the field of “health,” there were concerns about the negative impact on children's health and the lack of access to hand washing with soap and water for many people as household incomes fell and health care and food costs were reduced. In addition, vaccine programs for polio, measles, and other diseases were suspended in many countries, and access to medical care became difficult.

In addition to the above, the April 8 statement by the Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed concern about children's “right to rest, leisure, recreation, and cultural and artistic activities” and called for respect for children's right to express their opinions in pandemic-related decision-making. Even in times of emergency, the “best interests of the child” should be given priority as much as possible, and children's rights should be respected to the fullest extent possible in matters related to children.