Youth vs. COVID

            The pandemic has affected all of us one way or another, but in my opinion, it has affected the youth the most in terms of mental health. Children didn’t get to experience childhood the way older people did before. With schools being shut down for a year and a half now, social skills and education in general haven’t been the best among children. This month is focused on children’s rights with the theme: “New Normal Na Walang Iwanan: Karapatan ng Bawat Bata Ating Tutukan!”, meaning every child’s rights should be protected and no child should be left alone.
            Basing off personal experiences and observations, I can say that the pandemic has taken a toll on my mental health and other children as well. Life became boring and tiring because every day seemed the same. Not seeing my friends and getting used to the “new normal” hasn’t been the easiest. Not seeing children on the streets having fun and going to school feels different, as if something is missing. Due to staying home for most of their days, children have a higher chance at facing challenges at home such as abusive families. I myself don’t have an abusive family but the thought of young children being abused and not being able to call for help or escape is terrifying. Staying at home all day being surrounded by toxic people is suffocating and can lead to mental health problems, that’s why we as citizens should protect children’s rights at all cost. Regarding how we can protect them in simple ways, we can do many things such as respecting children and adults equally, focus on a child’s needs, teach them what is right and wrong, check up on your children, help a child in need, donate to charities and orphanages, report offenders to the authorities and most importantly spread awareness. Using your voice can go a long way, it can open people’s eyes to the issue and show interest in the subject.
            For this reason, we should focus more on children’s rights because it is equally as important as any other person’s rights. As Jose Rizal said, “kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan”, meaning “the youth is the hope of the nation” which is true. This gives us more of a reason to protect them. So in participation for this year’s National Children’s Month Celebration, let’s use our voice and protect children’s rights!



Reference:
World Vision: “Integrated”. Uploaded on July 16, 2018. Retrieved on November 26, 2021.
https://www.worldvision.org.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Image-1.png
UNICEF: “UNICEF warns of impact of COVID on mental health of children and young people in Cambodia and globally”. Uploaded Retrieved on November 26, 2021.
https://uni.cf/3I6iIjZ 




Comments

  1. RoanneDecember 9, 2021 at 7:32 PM

    It is crucial that we respect children's rights in the same way that we respect adults' rights, because we are all human beings who deserve to enjoy and live life fully. Children may be missing out on their childhoods as a result of the pandemic. We, on the other hand, have the ability to change and brighten their future by protecting them. Continue to inspire others to work for a better community!

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