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LOCAL Wednesday 16 december 2020

United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and

the Caribbean (ECLAC):
Increased risk of domestic violence against

children and adolescents amid COVID-19 crisis

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO — The while the risk of violence has intensified. On the To address violence against children and ado-
document produced jointly by ECLAC, UNICEF one hand, there is a lower capacity to detect lescents within the framework of the response
and the Office of the Special Representative episodes of violence due to physical isolation to the COVID-19 crisis, the document proposes
of the Secretary-General on Violence against and the suspension of in-person activities at ed- the following recommendations for enhancing
Children, recommends concrete actions for ucational institutions and early childhood de- the policies, programs and actions that existed
addressing violence against children and ado- velopment centers; a reduction in States’ social prior to the crisis:
lescents within the framework of the response to coverage; and the economic crisis, which has
the COVID-19 crisis. had a negative impact on household income 1. Put children at the center of policies and
levels. plans for the economic recovery of countries in
In the time of COVID-19, children and adoles- Compounding all this is the fact that there is order to roll back the increase in poverty and
cents in Latin America and the Caribbean have limited internet access and coverage and the eradicate historic inequities that perpetuate
been and continue to be exposed to greater generational gap in knowledge of the digital structural challenges, such as gender-based vi-
risk of becoming victims of violence in the environment limits adults’ adequate supervi- olence and violence against children and ado-
home, while they also enjoy fewer protection sion and guidance of children who spend more lescents, while at the same time rebuilding trust
factors, according to a document published time online now. in democratic institutions.
by ECLAC, the United Nations Children’s Fund Furthermore, the report warns that there has
(UNICEF) and the Office of the Special Repre- been an exacerbation of the risk factors for chil- 2. Optimize resources through the align-
sentative of the Secretary-General on Violence dren and adolescents to become victims of vi- ment of services that, among other things, al-
against Children. olence in the home. These include an increase lows for addressing cases of violence against
The document entitled ‘Violence against chil- in reports of violence against women (which is women, and against children and adolescents,
dren and adolescents in the time of COVID-19’ closely tied to the violence perpetrated against in a coordinated way; that expands the number
warns that recent estimates point to a preva- children and adolescents); heightened stress of recipients of public assistance services; that
lence of 55% of physical aggression and 48% and anxiety; the economic impact on child- provides specific and differentiated treatment
of psychological aggression in child-rearing in hood and adolescence; and the fact that both for populations that were already vulnerable;
Latin America and the Caribbean. children and adolescents, as well as perpetra- and that promotes the care economy and the
It adds that, in the context of containing the tors of sexual violence, are engaged in more balanced distribution of roles and tasks.
pandemic, protection factors have eroded online activity. Continued on Page 10