Oftentimes, when I consider humanitarian crises – whether they be in the form of violent conflicts, food insecurity, or educational inequality – I think primarily about the physical effects. I am painfully aware of the plethora of lives lost, am highly cognisant of the nutritional deficits that accompany malnutrition, and am woefully concerned about the materials available to different classrooms around the world.

Although these obstacles are unambiguously tangible and critically important, children’s “deep mental scars,” UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta H. Fore says, “are often overlooked.” Fore explains that “prolonged exposure to violence, fear and uncertainty can have a catastrophic impact on children’s learning, behaviour and emotional and social development for many years.” Moreover, if untreated or “ignored, toxic stress from witnessing or experiencing traumatic events can lead to an increase in bedwetting, self-harm, aggressive or withdrawn behavior, depression, substance abuse and, at worst, suicide.”

Given that upwards of 250 million children live in settings that are severely affected by conflict, natural disasters, or other traumas, it is of the utmost importance that we turn our attention to one of the largest, global humanitarian crises: mental health. Although an admittedly trickier and more complex problem to approach, the long-term consequences associated with ignoring mental health conditions must take precedence over any of our hesitation. Just as we consider water and food essential for children’s survival, it is incumbent on us to include mental health services to this shortlist of necessities. In 2015, researchers actually estimated that of the 74.5 million children, more than 17.1 million (~22%) have psychiatric or mental health disorders.

Given the incredible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic this year, which has claimed over one million deaths worldwide, the current experiences of trauma, fear, and uncertainty that face children are understandably, yet regrettably, unprecedentedly high. Needless to say, it is beyond time that we start a mental health revolution and begin prioritizing the psychological well-being of children around the world.

References:

https://childmind.org/2015-childrens-mental-health-report/

https://news.google.com/covid19/map?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen