In 2018, more than 29 million babies were born in conflict zones; 43 percent of all children under the age of five live in low- and middle-income countries, and many need assistance, including humanitarian aid. Experts from WHO, UNICEF, and partner organizations recommend a number of concrete measures for governments to ensure that these children have the conditions to grow up fully.
In the first years of a child’s life, the foundation for his or her future development is laid; how strong this foundation is depends on whether a person will be able to realize his or her potential. A baby needs appropriate care, proper nutrition, stimulating communication with adults. Not all children born in any country get all this, and in conditions of conflict and poverty it is impossible to speak about a normal life: numerous forced displacements, malnutrition, threats to life and health become the lot of millions.
Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and several other international organizations call on all those who are involved in the fate of the child in one way or another to protect children from the effects of conflict and humanitarian crises as much as possible. “A child learns about himself and the world around him every minute, at feeding time, when an adult plays with him or reads him a book,” says Bernadette Delman, head of the WHO department that deals with children’s health and development.
A baby learns about himself and the world around him every minute, while feeding, when an adult is playing with him or reading him a book
Specialists recommend that adults spend as much time as possible with infants and toddlers, create conditions for their development, and ensure the safety of children. This, of course, does not only apply to conflict zones and poor countries.
The recommendations published today call on all parties concerned to keep children’s development in mind in humanitarian and other crises: to raise public awareness, to respond to emergencies in a child-friendly manner, including the psychological and physical development of each child.
What does this mean in practice? For example, even in the context of a refugee and internally displaced persons camp, it is possible to allocate one tent or adapt some empty room for activities with young children – the main thing is to understand that this is important, that in this way the foundation for the future of any society is being laid. The economic dividend is also immediate: it has been calculated that every dollar invested in early childhood development will yield $6 to $17 in profits for any country in the future.
The new document is part of an ambitious effort by WHO, UNICEF and their partners to create conditions for the development of the world’s youngest citizens.