Mobile Creches (MC) — an NGO working for the rights of vulnerable children for quality Early Childhood Development — on Thursday said as a part of the COVID-19 emergency relief response, governments are not adequately addressing the needs of children such as care, balanced nutrition, health and hygiene. Also, early learning has taken a backseat, the NGO stated.
“The risks of increasing malnutrition levels is very high as a result of increased hunger among children during the pandemic,” the organisation said and called for the implementation of a Supreme Court order of March 18 that had said: “the schemes for providing nutritious food to the children and nursing and lactating mothers are not adversely affected” during the restrictions imposed due to COVID-19.
Sumitra Mishra, executive director, MC said thousands of people, including young children are living across construction sites, labour camps, temporary shelters, urban slums without access to basic food, health, safety and protection systems.
