Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has markedly brought to light and widened the already existing inequalities that affect the most disadvantaged populations globally. This paper critically evaluates the impact of the pandemic on mental Health, which targets mainly children and Youth and, more specifically, vulnerable communities in the Global South. The topic is focused on the multidimensional outcomes of COVID-19, with examples of socioeconomic inequalities and structural inequities as significant determinants of vulnerability. In addition, it highlights how NGOs assist in addressing the negative consequences of the pandemic by emphasizing the importance of mental Health and the welfare of children and Youth. This essay emphasizes the importance of community-based interventions and youth involvement in coping with the current crises. Drawing upon the capital assets framework and insights from scholarly sources, it shows how community empowerment and youth participation are crucial in the context of the current crises and the multi-dimensionality of their impact.
Introduction
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has not only brought about unsurpassed health challenges. However, it has also exposed the deeply rooted social, economic, and political inequalities in several societies worldwide, amplifying the vulnerabilities and worsening the disparities, particularly for the marginalized. As a result, children and Youth in the Global South are considered much more vulnerable, trying to overcome This essay critically analyzes the disparate impacts of COVID-19 and the mental health consequences for these vulnerable populations. Through this framework of a capital assets lens, it critically analyzes the underlying connections between socioeconomic inequalities and structural barriers that exacerbate marginalized populations’ vulnerability to the pandemic’s severe impacts. Additionally, it illustrates the critical function of NGOs in developing different strategies for the crisis, highlighting the crucial role of community-based approach participation in establishing emergency psychosocial support services in such contexts.
COVID-19 on Poor and Marginalized Communities
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only revealed but worsened the long-existing deficiencies experienced by marginalized populations and those in the Global South. These communities still bear an unequal burden of pandemic impact because of the systemic inequalities and socioeconomic vulnerabilities they face. For instance, in the slum areas of the Global South, such as those in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the crowded living conditions make it challenging to observe social distancing, facilitating the fast spread of the virus (Deb & Rao, 2020). Moreover, access to clean water and sanitation facilities could be improved, increasing the likelihood of infection and reducing the ability to follow the recommended hygiene practices. As a result, the susceptibility of these communities is high. The informal employment phenomenon common in marginalized communities in the Global South presents more challenges during the pandemic. Many people surviving on daily wages derived from informal businesses like street vending or domestic work depend on these activities to pay their bills and provide for their families. Millions of people lack income and social protection as a result of the enforced lockdowns and mobility restrictions that severely affect their livelihoods. As a result, families sink even deeper into poverty, making food insecurity even worse and undermining people’s access to essential health services such as testing and treatment for COVID-19.
The pre-existing health disparities and limited access to healthcare services make the different effects of the pandemic on marginalized communities and the Global South worse. In most regions, the healthcare infrastructure is struggling to cope with the situation, with limited resources and staff to satisfy the needs of the local population. The healthcare system is inadequate in rural areas and informal settlements where there is little access to medical facilities, and getting medical care is very difficult due to financial and cultural barriers. As a result, the communities’ residents deal with the issues of healthcare procrastination, which also increases the risk of COVID-19 illness and fatality. In addition, COVID-19 has affected the existing educational inequalities affecting children and Youth from underprivileged communities and the Global South (Stanistreet et al., 2021). School closures have hurt the learning continuity for millions of students due to the lack of digital devices, internet connectivity, and learning materials at home. One of the consequences of this is that children from marginalized communities are at risk of getting further behind in their education, which leads to widening the gap between them and their more privileged peers. Furthermore, shutting down schools has denied a lot of children services they could have accessed, like school meals and psychosocial support, which deepens food insecurity and mental health problems that exist among vulnerable populations.
However, the pandemic built resilience into the social protection systems and safety nets while diminishing support for most families. Refugees, informal workers, and indigenous community members were made much more vulnerable to falling into poverty and suffering due to limited access to social assistance programs and financial relief (Sengupta & Jha, 2020). This adds to the plight of families, who must make hard choices between basic needs such as food and shelter while seeking the health care they need. This further worsens health and socioeconomic gaps in the identified localities and worldwide. COVID-19’s rapid spread through the Global South and marginalized settlements has not only caused health and socioeconomic inequality. However, it has also made people more vulnerable to environmental problems and climate-related risks. Climate change causes extreme weather, natural disasters, and environmental degradation in these areas. A cyclone occurring during this period of the pandemic causes lower resilience in marginalized groups in coping with and recovering from these two-fold threats of pandemics and climate change. For instance, farming communities will likely experience a hitch in their food production and supply chains amid this pandemic that has spiked food insecurity and malnutrition. Over and above the outbreak of COVID-19, problems related to environmental pollution and poor waste management infrastructure can be compounded in urban slums while grappling with the pandemic. They may jeopardize residents’ ability to deal with the spread of contagious diseases.
This underscores the significance of inclusive and cultural sensitivity approaches in informing the response, thus recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on heaps of issues for marginalized communities and the Global South. Most of these preparations are usually boomerangs since they are limited to solutions intended for such societies’ general challenges or features, leading to unwanted or destructive consequences. This means that all programs should be premised on what is already in place locally and should be run by the people living in their respective communities because only they know what exactly plagues them. Such belonging and participation by community members build people’s power to decide what is best for populations who are marginalized. This support could range from community-led efforts, the empowerment of local leadership, and the availability of existing community organizations that best understand the peculiar needs of the people within any given community. The inclusion and participation of diverse Participants in this could enhance their adaptation capability and promote sustainable development.
Impact of COVID-19 on Poor and marginalized communities and global south on mental Health
The psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among children and Youth is especially devastating, with apparent aggravation among the Youth from marginalized communities and those in the Global South. Social distancing orders and lockdowns disconnected young people from their previous support networks and interactions; these are vital for their mental Health. In the more disadvantaged communities, where resources are already lacking, the loss of such networks can lead to an increase in the feeling of loneliness and isolation and, hence, the predisposition to new mental health challenges exacerbated by the existing ones. In addition to causing illness, this pandemic affects children and young people, making their mental health issues worse by making them passionate about the uncertainties of the future. Constant exposure to media coverage of the virus and its outcomes can cause anxiety and distress in people, especially Youth, who may have difficulty understanding the complexity of the situation.
Moreover, inequality is more significant in the Global South, where healthcare is already insufficient, and people may not have access to correct information, which makes the situation worse. This increases the risk of illness among children and Youth, making them feel both insecure and helpless. The pandemic also affected children and Youth’s mental Health, particularly in low-income areas in the global south (Sharpe et al., 2021). Young people are exposed to insecurity, joblessness, and housing insecurity, and their caregivers are trying hard to cope with these situations, which makes the situation a big issue. Youth is the most susceptible phase for everyone, providing the maximum emotional experience. Therefore, economic strain aggravates anxiety and depression, and usually, this concerns children and Youth, who worry about their family’s financial stability and prospects.
The school closures and the transition to virtual learning have disrupted access to necessary support services for children and Youth, and this, in turn, has worsened their mental health challenges. The majority of students depend on school-based mental health resources, including counselling services, support groups, and other activities that assist students in dealing with their emotional needs when they are under stress. In addition, with schools closed and limited online counselling help, children and Youth are left without essential tools to overcome their mental wellbeing problems (Albarracín-Jordán & Bouchard, 2011). This is, however, most alarming in the poor neighbourhoods and the Global South, where access to technology is affected, limiting internet access and consequently worsening the disparities in mental wellness and periods of untreated mental illnesses. In the global south, marginalized communities face additional barriers to mental health services, which make it even more challenging for them to deal with their mental health problems. The small number of healthcare facilities and the high rate of societal stigmatization regarding mental Health led to mental health disparities among marginalized communities. The language barriers and distrust of Health and medical systems not only affect children and Youth but also act as barriers to their seeking help for mental health problems. This results in a continuous loop of untreated mental health issues that further deteriorate a person’s resilience to harmful outcomes.
Moreover, children and vulnerable Youth from marginalized communities and the Global South are even more exposed to exploitation, violence, and abuse as a result of COVID-19. Most of these vulnerable children and youths were exposed to different kinds of threats due to the breakdown of social services and protection facilities like schools and community centres. They could rely on dangerous survival mechanisms such as child labour and early marriages, which undermine the wellbeing and protection of such children. Protection must be realized through integrated mechanisms, including children’s rights, Youth’s rights, and service delivery mechanisms critical to identifying and ensuring children’s safety and wellbeing.
Role of NGOs in Addressing the Current Crises
NGOs play a crucial role in addressing the different multidimensional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly by contributing to the Health and welfare of vulnerable populations and mental Health. NGOs believe that the asset capital framework needs to be designed to create an environment where social, human, and institutional capital can be used as resources for the community’s needs during the pandemic (Zhang et al., 2020). For instance, NGOs draw on their networks and experience to implement many community-level initiatives that help worsen the infection outcomes for vulnerable groups. Initiatives for youth gender empowerment and psychosocial support programs, which involve strategies for marginalized Youth to improve their mental health awareness, are among the measures.
NGOs moving with the waves in their struggle to handle these mental health issues for the children and Youth in vulnerable communities have devised innovative programs trying to bring in help and support much-needed them. For example, Save the Children and Plan International have set up special e-counselling and peer-group support to deal with psychosocial support needs arising from the pandemic among Youth. This social media platform) work like a safe field where children and Youth can talk about their feelings, share experiences, and seek adult advice from well-trained online psychologists and peers. Since social media is available over the Internet, it exposes these initiatives to a much wider audience than other contact forms. Besides, community-based organizations can meet the unique needs of the most vulnerable populations where formal means might lack certain areas. For example, organizations such as Circles of Care in South Africa show how vital community programs can be in catering to mental Health for children and Youth. They offer targeted, needs-sensitive, contextual help to these individuals. The help is provided through the inclusion and involvement of local communities in identifying and implementing needs-based intervention, thereby ensuring that resources are used sparingly. This approach allows a community to identify what is best for good living. Some of the particular ways in which participation of young people can be increased ensure their meaningful involvement in decisions that affect them. NGOs facilitate the active participation of the Youth and make their voice heard regarding their rights and needs. Youths can express their minds and share their ideas besides undertaking necessary steps about aspects influencing lives through youth forums, peer support networks, and leadership training programs. Such forms of agency and empowerment extended to these young NGO members enable the latter to become active agents not only of social but even, in some circumstances, of political change within their home communities.
There is an imperative for intergenerational dialogue and collaboration to ensure that the young are integrated into framing critical discussions on how they can be brought to develop enabling and inclusive policies and programs. Through the creation of meaningfully engaging spaces between young people and other Participants, such as community leaders and policymakers, support from non-governmental organizations would result in exchanges of ideas and experiences that could inform decision-makers, hence the development of programs against a backdrop designed for the meeting of children’s and youth needs (Kwon, 2018). Therefore, such a collective approach ensures that interventions must not be just a success but also give a sense of togetherness and responsibility toward the wellbeing of all in the future.
NGOs have massively contributed worldwide to the mental Health and overall wellbeing of children and Youth from vulnerable communities affected by the multifaceted challenges (Cook & Du Toit, 2011). In so doing, the NGOs mostly use community-based interventions, innovative programs, and youth empowerment initiatives by leveraging expertise and resources to help and support the most vulnerable in one way or another. They partner with them in bringing the voice of the youths, their stride ways, and in defining resilience strategies in communities amidst adversities.
Conclusion
As the world contends with the long-term repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing becomes crystal clear: the multifaceted challenges the crisis brings forward demand collective and inclusive responses. Marginalized communities, especially children and youths in the Global South, are grappling with double vulnerabilities that emanate from structural barriers and pre-existing inequalities, elucidated by heightened mental health issues. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a crucial role in this manner because only through diverse partnerships can their resources promote the possibility of community-based interventions and youth empowerment initiatives that would cause resilience and wellbeing in adversity. Justice and the future were based on unity, equity, and inclusiveness. Thus, problems and complex crises, both current and systemic, are possible for all the engaging parties with support from all Participants.
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