Giving Compass' Take:

• A recent report revealed that eight million children worldwide have been pushed into child labor and begging amid the pandemic.

• The report indicates that the pandemic could lead some children and their families into extreme poverty. How can donors help spread awareness about issues facing children on a global scale during COVID-19?  

• Learn what COVID-19 means for SDG 1: Ending extreme poverty.

The economic impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is forcing millions of parents to expose their children to begging, child labor, and child marriage to make up for lost incomes, a new report from World Vision has disclosed.

The report, released on Wednesday, surveyed 14,000 families in nine Asian countries, 2,400 small business owners in Africa, and 360 Venezuelan migrants across Latin America. The survey revealed 110 million children worldwide are going hungry, and 8 million children have been pushed into child labor and begging amid the pandemic.

The report claims previous “alarming” predictions around increasing levels of violence, poverty, and hunger as a direct result of the virus are already being seen. As predicted, those who were already living among conflict and displacement and with the effects of climate change are hardest hit.

"Our rapid assessments in countries across Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia show we are on the cusp of a catastrophe for children,” said World Vision New Zealand National Director Grant Bayldon, according to Scoop New Zealand. “Each assessment shows major disruptions in income, in the ability to buy sufficient food, and increases in risks to children as families struggle to cope.”

Bayldon added: “The effects are already being seen, and could lead to an increase in extreme poverty and hunger not seen for decades.”

Among the surveyed families in Asia, one-third have lost work.

Sixty percent said they depend on casual daily labor as a key source of income, of which 34% said transport restrictions were now the most significant barrier to receiving an income.

One-third of families claim they have just one week’s food supply left.

The report also revealed that within Cambodia, 28% of families faced job losses that were so substantial they were forced to send their children to work. In Bangladesh, 34% of families who reported significant income loss said they have sent their children to beg on the streets.

Read the full article about child labor by Madeleine Keck at Global Citizen.