UNICEF warned that India’s severe second COVID-19 wave could create lasting health, social, and economic harm for children across South Asia. In India, children are losing parents and caregivers, increasing risks of illegal adoption, trafficking, and abuse; lockdowns are also worsening isolation and mental-health concerns. Overloaded health services have disrupted routine care and vaccinations, while maternal care, nutrition, and schooling are under pressure. UNICEF is assisting the Indian government, delivering lifesaving supplies such as oxygen concentrators and test kits, and seeking $71 million for further aid and child-protection work.

Rani Khan, a 34-year-old transgender woman in Pakistan, founded the country's first Islamic madrasa exclusively for transgender students in October 2020, using her own savings. The school, located in Islamabad, offers Quranic education, prayer space, and tailoring lessons, giving transgender individuals — who face widespread discrimination and social exclusion in Pakistan — a path toward religious participation and economic self-sufficiency. Khan herself experienced rejection from her family at age 13, turning to begging and later dancing at weddings before dedicating herself to religious studies. Inspired by a dream, she built the two-classroom school, which operates on public donations without direct government funding, though some officials have pledged to help students find employment. While Pakistan's parliament legally recognized a third gender in 2018, allowing transgender people to vote and list their gender on official documents, the community remains largely marginalized, with limited livelihood options. Islamabad's chief official Hamza Shafqaat expressed hope that similar schools in other cities could improve conditions for transgender people nationwide. Rights groups estimate the transgender population may exceed 300,000, far above the 10,000 recorded in the 2017 census.

Pet adoption in the United States increased after COVID-19 lockdowns began in March 2020, as people had more time at home and sought companionship. Accounts from adopters describe the emotional support pets provided during isolation, while the Humane Rescue Alliance reported fewer dogs at its shelter than in the previous year. Although volunteers worried that animals might be returned as restrictions eased, that had not happened at the time of the report.

American universities are divided over whether to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for students returning to campus in the fall of 2021. Universities such as Rutgers, Brown, Cornell, and Northeastern have required students to be vaccinated before resuming in-person classes, citing herd immunity and the legal precedent of mandating other vaccines. Northeastern University President Kenneth Henderson emphasized that the mandate removes ambiguity and signals responsible action. However, some universities, including Virginia Tech, argue they cannot legally compel students to receive vaccines that have only received emergency use authorization — not full FDA approval — fearing potential lawsuits. Harvard Law Professor Glenn Cohen countered that there is no legal barrier preventing universities from mandating COVID-19 vaccines. Additional challenges include accommodating students with medical or religious exemptions, the lack of a universally accepted vaccination documentation standard, and international students who may not have had access to FDA-authorized vaccines in their home countries. Many universities are planning to offer vaccinations to international students upon their arrival in the U.S.