We call for a whole child and whole of life approach to ensure solutions are holistic, child and youth - centered, and address their intersecting needs. We recognize that young people have an important role in our future and are often the best champions for change.
There are myriad issues affecting healthy development and outcomes and many strong advocacy coalitions and foundations leading related efforts, such as:
A Whole Child lens requires multi-sectoral approach that explores gaps and opportunities and enables a holistic effort that benefits the “whole child.” The whole child approach is based on the understanding that progress and setbacks in any one sector impacts progress and setbacks in other sectors.
The Children’s Policy and Funding Initiative seeks to:
- Ending sexual exploitation and abuse, including online exploitation and human trafficking
- Ending gender-based violence, including child, early and forced marriage
- Strengthening family and community-based support for children and youth facing orphanhood
- Increasing early childhood development and expanding supports through the life cycle
- Providing equal access to quality education and a path for productive employment and livelihood
- Supporting healthy adolescent development for all
- Creating an enabling environment for full participation of marginalized communities, including persons with disabilities
- Achieving anti-discrimination where every person’s rights, dignity, and value are respected
- Providing food, water, physical and mental health services, shelter, and security
- Delivering human rights and humanitarian assistance that protects and supports everyone
A Whole Child lens requires multi-sectoral approach that explores gaps and opportunities and enables a holistic effort that benefits the “whole child.” The whole child approach is based on the understanding that progress and setbacks in any one sector impacts progress and setbacks in other sectors.
The Children’s Policy and Funding Initiative seeks to:
- Influence the U.S. Government to make children and youth globally a top priority in US diplomacy and foreign assistance
- Elevate critical issues affecting children and adolescents globally
Global Context
Children and youth around the world are experiencing increased violence, food insecurity, learning loss, sexual abuse and exploitation, and orphanhood as a direct result of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1.5 million children lost a parent or caregiver in the first ten months of COVID-19 and that the number may have doubled in the first five months of 2021.[1] According to UNICEF, 1.8 billion children now live in 104 countries where violence prevention and response services have been disrupted due to COVID-19; and 6,000 children under five could die a day—more than 4 per minute—due to direct impacts of COVID-19.[2] School closures have affected 1.5 billion children and at least one in three children—463 million children globally—have been unable to access remote learning after their school was shuttered.[3] Identity is a critical factor; girls, boys, LGBTQ+ face distinctive forms of abuse and exploitation, as do children and youth who have disabilities, who are from racial, religious and ethnic minorities, and who are from other frequently marginalized communities.
Research is clear. Children exposed to severe trauma, abuse, insecurity, and isolation can experience long-term disruption to their physical, psychological, and social well-being. The pandemic remains a critical threat that has intensified violence, loss, and trauma for young people globally. Such pervasive trauma and abuse have broad health, economic, peace, and security ramifications for societies and nations at large.
The consequences of inaction are grave and can have far-reaching, long-lasting effects. A robust response is critical for our future. This is a vital moment for White House global leadership. Decisive action now can have a huge impact globally.
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/orphanhood-report.pdf
https://data.unicef.org/covid-19-and-children/
[2] https://data.unicef.org/covid-19-and-children/
[3] Ibid
Research is clear. Children exposed to severe trauma, abuse, insecurity, and isolation can experience long-term disruption to their physical, psychological, and social well-being. The pandemic remains a critical threat that has intensified violence, loss, and trauma for young people globally. Such pervasive trauma and abuse have broad health, economic, peace, and security ramifications for societies and nations at large.
The consequences of inaction are grave and can have far-reaching, long-lasting effects. A robust response is critical for our future. This is a vital moment for White House global leadership. Decisive action now can have a huge impact globally.
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/orphanhood-report.pdf
https://data.unicef.org/covid-19-and-children/
[2] https://data.unicef.org/covid-19-and-children/
[3] Ibid
