GC Human Rights Preparedness

In this photo essay, I have tried to document the stories of some of those who had migrated to big cities in India and got trapped due to a COVID-19 lockdown.

Technology played a significant part in traffickers taking advantage of COVID-19's second wave in India. A number of children lost both their parents and for a few weeks, 'COVID orphan adoption' messages proliferated across social media. State institutions and civil society were unprepared for this challenge.

The national child helpline in India received a record number of calls during the country’s first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Its ability to provide a safety net for children’s protection rights can be an inspiration for other countries.