The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant negative impacts on children, including increased child poverty, disrupted schooling and learning, increased food insecurity, and disrupted services for children with disability. Social protection systems, including social assistance programs, have played a crucial role in mitigating the adverse effects of the pandemic on children. However, the coverage of these programs has been inadequate, leaving some children without necessary support.

Strengthening social protection systems for children is essential to protect them from the negative impacts of the pandemic, reduce child poverty, and ensure their well-being. This can include (i) ensuring the continuity and timeliness of social protection programs; (ii) increasing program coverage and benefit; (iii) improving the targeting mechanisms to reduce exclusion errors; and (iv) investing in child-related social protection systems, such as the internet for school program.