Highlights Of NDTV-UNICEF #Reimagine Telethon: An Initiative To Protect Most Vulnerable Children Affected By COVID-19

COVID is not just a health crisis. It is a child rights crisis, affecting children's lives in all ways imaginable. With lockdowns being relaxed, things will improve but will not get back to normal for a very long time – during which time lives, educations and futures will be lost. 

The greatest long term impact of this pandemic will be on our children. With the health, nutrition, immunization, education, mental health and physical safety of our children severely impacted, Covid-19 has only made a bad situation even worse. Without our interventions & investments – of ideas, resources & heart - these children will have no future. It is in our hands to ensure that these forgotten victims of a catastrophic global crisis are given a future. We need to reimagine tomorrow, we need to reimagine our children’s future.

The pandemic has shown that all of us have  a role to play. Children have faced many crises around the world in history - including in India. The pandemic has shown that every child is at risk. But it has also shown what we can do when we come together. 

UNICEF India is committed in its continued support to the Government in this extraordinary journey of development to reach every child everywhere in India. Our goal is to enable every child born in India to have the best start in life, to thrive and to develop to her or his full potential. To achieve this we use our technical expertise together with partners to tackle the root of several, deeply entrenched structural challenges.  

UNICEF works to promote and protect the rights of children across India. We have spent 70 years in India working to improve the lives of children and their families. With some 450 staff members working in 17 states that together cover 90 per cent of India’s child population - largest field presence among UN agencies – we are well positioned to reach the country’s most vulnerable children.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF has launched Reimagine – an urgent appeal to governments, the public, donors and the private sector to support UNICEF’s efforts to respond, recover and reimagine a world severely impacted by COVID-19. UNICEF India relies on the support and donations from businesses and individuals to sustain and expand health, nutrition, water and sanitation, education and child protection programmes for all girls and boys in India