Rights of boys, girls and adolescents with regard to the COVID-19

Abstract

This presentation reviews the protection of the rights of boys, girls and adolescents concerning the COVID-19 pandemic declaration. Thus, this situation is analyzed based on four aspects: weaknesses, opportunities, threats and strengths. It is considered a weakness because the initial national lockdown rules did not took into account the different social groups. It can also be considered an opportunity, since parents are spending a lot more time with their children, which foster a more conscious exercise of parental authority and enable building a more dialogic development. It is a threat because, in many cases, lockdown has exacerbated intrafamilial violence and favored school dropouts, especially for those boys, girls and adolescents who live in the most vulnerable environments. Finally, it can also be a strength, if one takes into account that social lockdown tests each country’s fulfillment and effectiveness of the rights of children and adolescents.