Project Description

Disaster Management Watch, in collaboration with UNICEF Bangladesh, conducted a comprehensive qualitative assessment titled Rapid Qualitative Assessment of COVID-19 Impacts Due to School Closure Among Most Marginalized Children & Adolescents in Bangladesh. This study aimed to evaluate the multifaceted challenges faced by marginalized children and adolescents due to the 18-month-long school closures—one of the longest in the world—caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The overall purpose of this rapid qualitative assessment was to provide detailed narrative data on the range of impacts of COVID-19 related school closures on the most marginalized children and adolescents in Bangladesh. The study complemented an independent quantitative study by providing detailed narratives in line with the study objectives and scopes. These two separate studies together helped UNICEF and the Government of Bangladesh not only to understand the impact of prolonged school closure on child learning loss, return/drop- out rates as well as experiences with child marriage, child labour, trafficking, violence, and other harmful practices; but also identify and recommend policy gaps for potential solutions.

The specific objectives of this study included

• To understand the perceived impact on children’s learning level and loss amongst children themselves and their families.
• To understand the push and pull factors for school drop-out among boys and girls and the potential solutions or avenues for re-enrolment.
• To document the experiences of the most marginalized boy and girl children in terms of child labour, violence, marriage, human trafficking and other harmful practices during the 18-month school closure and post-school opening period.
• To understand the psychosocial impact of prolonged school closure on the well-being of children, considering any differences in experience among the target groups. The project focused on understanding the educational, psychosocial, and socio-economic impacts on target groups, including children and adolescents with disabilities, those residing in urban slums, disaster-prone, and climate-affected areas, as well as Rohingya children and adolescents living in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. Data collection covered 22 districts, 12 City Corporations, and 9 Rohingya camps across 8 Divisions in Bangladesh. To ensure a comprehensive understanding, different qualitative data collection tools were prepared for this study. These included In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) with children, adolescents, and caregivers, Child-Friendly Participatory Assessment Workshops (CFPAWs) with children, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with school teachers and government officials.

The findings from the assessment were documented in two separate reports

1. A national-level report addressing the impacts on children and adolescents with disabilities, those living in urban slums, and those in disaster-prone and climate- affected areas. 2. A Rohingya camps report detailing the unique challenges faced by Rohingya children and adolescents. Both reports followed a standard structure (background, methodology, findings and analysis, and conclusion) with annexed supporting documents. In addition, two policy briefs were developed along with six storytelling video interviews, capturing personal narratives and experiences during the school closures. The findings of this assignment have been instrumental in shaping UNICEF’s advocacy and policy dialogue with the Government of Bangladesh to address the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on marginalized children and adolescents. This assignment was awarded to Disaster Management Watch by UNICEF Bangladesh, and subsequently, Communication and Development was engaged as a sub-consultant for strategic communication and dissemination support.

Services Provided by Communication and Development Limited

• Communication Materials: Designed two infographics summarizing key findings for advocacy.
• Policy Briefs Support: Provided editing, layout design, and formatting of two policy briefs.
• Storytelling Products: Enhanced six narrative-based video interviews with editing, subtitles, and design elements for wider dissemination.
• Dissemination Support: Designed visual presentations and layout for stakeholder workshops and final dissemination events.
• Editorial Advisory: Provided review and editing services to ensure readability, alignment with UNICEF communication standards, and accessibility for diverse stakeholders.

Key Deliverables

• Two inception reports with tools and methodologies.
• Two comprehensive final reports (national level and Rohingya camps).
• Two policy briefs.
• Two infographics.
• Six storytelling video interviews.
• Clean transcripts and coded datasets.
• Dissemination workshops and presentations.