Decline in Child Welfare Observed Post-Pandemic; Romania Fares Well in Mental Health Yet Lags Behind in Physical Health (As Per UNICEF Report)
Rewritten Article:
Covid-19 Pandemic's Devastating Impact on Children's Well-being in Wealthy Countries, Including Romania, Unveiled in UNICEF Report
The mental, physical, and academic well-being of children in some of the globe's wealthiest nations, including Romania, has taken a massive hit since the Covid-19 pandemic, as per a new report by UNICEF Innocenti - Global Office of Research and Foresight. Top places include the Netherlands, Denmark, and France, while Romania makes an appearance at number 16 in the rankings, boasting strong mental health but battling physical health concerns.
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Every edition of the UNICEF Innocenti Report Card series offers a league table comparing nations based on their performance in areas such as mental well-being, physical health, and skills.
The most recent edition, titled Report Card 19: Child Well-being in an Unpredictable World, compares data from 2018 and 2022 to gauge the impact of the pandemic and global disruptions on children in 43 OECD and EU countries. The findings reveal a concerning decline in academic performance, mental health, and physical health for many nations in the five years since the last comparable report.
The top three countries are the Netherlands, Denmark, and France, leading not only in mental health, physical health, and skills, but also in overall well-being.
Romania comes in 16th position out of 36 high-income countries featured in the study. The nation performs exceptionally well in mental health, landing in fifth place, but struggles in physical health and skills, ranking 32nd and 26th respectively.
The percentage of Romanian 15-year-olds expressing satisfaction with life decreased from 85% in 2018 to 81% in 2022. During the same time frame, the frequency of bullying among these young individuals dropped from 33.8% to 24.6%. However, the rate of overweight children aged 5 to 19 rose from 21% to 23%.
The report estimates that approximately 8 million 15-year-olds - roughly half of this age group - lack basic proficiency in reading and mathematics across the 43 nations examined. This figure represents an increase of 4 percentage points compared to 2018, with Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, and Mexico recording the highest proportions, with more than two-thirds of 15-year-olds struggling.
UNICEF attributes school closures during the pandemic, which could last from three to twelve months, as a key factor in the drop in academic performance. Many children were forced to rely on remote learning, leading to an average learning loss of seven months to a year, with children from disadvantaged backgrounds hit hardest.
The report also indicates a worrisome decline in life satisfaction among children in 15 of 32 countries with available data. Japan is the only country that showed a significant increase in this area.
Overweight and obesity rates surged in 14 countries, reinforcing a long-term trend in child physical health.
UNICEF issues a caution about the vulnerability of hard-won gains in child well-being in high-income countries, even those affected by climate change. The organization calls on governments to take immediate, cohesive action across multiple policy areas to reverse the decline, particularly for children who were left behind during the pandemic.
Recommended strategies include strengthening core skills such as literacy, numeracy, digital, social, and emotional competencies; improving mental health through prevention, promotion, and specialized services; promoting physical health through access to nutritious food and tighter regulation of unhealthy food marketing; and actively involving children in decision-making processes.
irina.marica@our website
(Photo source: Oksun70*/Dreamstime.com*)
Key Enrichment Insights:
- The report, Report Card 19: Child Well-being in an Unpredictable World, reveals a concerning global decline in child well-being due to the pandemic.
- Countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, and Slovakia excel in mental health but struggle with physical health and skills.
- UNICEF's recommendations for improving child well-being in high-income countries include strengthening core skills, improving mental health services, promoting physical health, and involving children in decision-making processes.
- The UNICEF Innocenti Report Card series highlights the decline in education and personal growth, as well as mental and physical health, among children in high-income countries since the Covid-19 pandemic, based on data from 2018 and 2022.
- The report shows that Romania excels in mental health, but faces challenges in education and self-development, as well as physical health, among 15-year-old students.
- To address the concerning decline in child well-being, UNICEF recommends strengthening core skills such as literacy, numeracy, and digital competencies, improving mental health services, promoting physical health through nutritious food and tight regulation of unhealthy food marketing, and actively involving children in decision-making processes for a more holistic approach to education and wellness.
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