The Stress of Lockdown and Child Protection

This is part of a series of blogposts outlining Justice Rising’s response to COVID-19 in eastern Congo. 

Protecting children is a fundamental pillar in how we build peace in our schools. It is an everyday reality to see three year olds (and younger) toddling about on the rocky roads, alone or supervised by a (barely) older sibling. Our youngest students are three, and just like our older teenage students who are at risk of recruitment into rebel groups, we set out to provide a sanctuary in our schools. Child protection cannot simply remain a procedure or a policy: it is the protection of childhood - a safe space, with safe adult role models, where children can rest secure and learn. That really is important in a war zone.

As our schools remain closed, our school directors report growing levels of stress in students’ households. Increases in abuse during lockdown have been reported in developed and developing nations alike. We want to prevent abuse rather than respond to it; we want to help the many and not the few. So alongside spreading critical public health messages to protect our communities from COVID-19, we’re spreading simple stress reduction strategies to equip students’ families to help manage mental and emotional health during lockdown. Regular visits from teachers (for as long as it’s permitted) mean we will maintain the presence of a trustworthy figure in our students’ lives (this also helps us encourage students to keep learning, and, when schools reopen, to return). Preventing abuse, preventing attrition into armed groups or child marriages – by supporting families to manage stress levels in this extraordinary time, we hope these strategies will serve them long after the pandemic is over. 

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