While it acknowledges the efforts put in place by the Philippine government to control the recent surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) cautioned against the possible impact of keeping minors in lockdown.

The Metro Manila Council (MMC) prohibited minors in all 17 local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) from going out starting March 17 in a bid to contain the transmission of the virus.

However, UNICEF - in a statement on March 19 - said that to “explicitly prohibit” minors from going outside for a period of two weeks can be “considered an infringement of children’s rights.”

UNICEF noted that while efforts to contain the spread of infections require public health and social measures, “these measures should consider the highest level of acceptability and feasibility, proven effectiveness and should minimize the negative consequences on health and well-being of all members of society.”

These measures, UNICEF added, should also respond to the “best interest of the child; should not cause further harm; and should always consider the preservation of the child’s well-being and dignity.”   

UNICEF said that as the pandemic enters its second year, the impact on children and young people’s psycho-social well-being and mental health risks is “taking a toll.”

“Due to the restrictive containment measures adopted since the onset of the pandemic, children have lived away from members of their extended families, teachers and friends,” UNICEF said. “They have been learning from home, often confronting incredibly challenging circumstances for those experiencing violence, neglect or abuse at home, lockdowns left them stranded with abusers and without the required support,” it added.

UNICEF also noted that as the pandemic continues to affect communities, there is a need to find better ways to manage it together.

“Children and their communities should be consulted and an evidence-based rationale for measures that affect them, should be developed and communicated transparently,” UNICEF said. “We need to take into full account the needs and rights of children, while we continue to protect them and all members of the public, from the increased risk of COVID-19 infections,” it added.

Meanwhile, UNICEF pointed out that “Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines” issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), “clearly spell out that children of all age groups may exercise and perform non-contact sport activities, provided that the minimum public health standards such as the wearing of masks and the maintenance of social distancing protocols, and no sharing of equipment where applicable, are duly observed.”

In line with this, UNICEF urged the MMC to issue a resolution to all LGUs in NCR specifying that in “order to take the best interest of the child into account, children of all age groups can be allowed to play and conduct sport and physical exercise in outdoor areas, as long as the required public health measures (social distancing and wearing of masks) are strictly complied with.”