The impact is significant, and it is sadly just the tip of the iceberg, Hawkins added. They have also suffered an increase in violence and abuse, especially girls children.Įven before the pandemic, UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Peter Hawkins said far too many children were burdened under the weight of unaddressed mental health issues, adding that this has been compounded by the pandemic. With the nationwide lockdowns and pandemic-related movement restrictions in Nigeria, children have spent indelible years of their lives away from family, friends, classrooms, play, which are key elements of childhood itself.
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In Nigeria, one in six young people surveyed in the study said they often feel depressed, have little interest in doing things, are worried, nervous, or anxious.Īccording, “It has been a long 18 months for us all, especially children. The advent of COVID-19, however, increased the prevalence rate of depression in children as early findings from an international survey conducted by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 21 countries, including Nigeria, showed that a median of one in five children often feel depressed or have little interest in doing things. Depression in children is a topic that is rarely discussed in the public, yet studies have shown that children carried the burden of mental health conditions without significant investment in addressing them.Īccording to the latest available estimates, more than one in seven children aged 10 to 19 is estimated to live with a diagnosed mental health problem globally and almost 46,000 of them die from suicide each year, among the top five causes of death for their age group.