Hi #YugenCommunity !
It’s World Children’s Day! So if you’re reading this and you’re under the age of 18, today is your day!! If not, I hope you’re still doing well haha and being your little brother/sister’s keeper especially during these times.
Since it’s World Children’s Day, I have decided to talk about Children’s Rights as it relates to the Environment. According to the Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child:
Children have the right to the best health care possible, clean water to drink, healthy food and a clean and safe environment to live in. All adults and children should have information about how to stay safe and healthy.
However, there have been many environmental disasters and risks around the world which have threatened this right. According to the World Health Organisation, children are also at higher risk for environmental health issues such as respiratory infections, diarrhoea and neonatal conditions and can be severely debilitating or fatal for children. This may be as a result of air, water or land pollution, poor ventilation or lack of sanitation. Children who live in poverty are the most at risk for these issues.
Furthermore, climate change, which has increased the intensity of hurricanes has wiped out homes and educational infrastructure, leading to a significant effect in the advancement of education for children. This was witnessed in Dominica in 2017 when Hurricane Maria damaged the infrastructure of several schools.
As adults, we are responsible for the upbringing and health of the next generation and our practices (healthy or harmful) have monumental effects on children. To remedy and mitigate these harmful conditions, adults have begun to contribute to various means of eradicating poverty and contributing to the improvement of sanitary conditions for adults and children. In the Caribbean particularly, we have been focused on preparing for disasters and building for resilience.
Most importantly, I believe it is crucial that we not only educate children on the effects of environmental risks, but also take the time to listen to them and understand their needs so that we make the right decisions. We must bear in mind that as adults, our previous experiences as children will not allow us to completely understand younger generations.
Here are some resources on the effects of the environmental threats on children:
https://www.who.int/health-topics/children-environmental-health#tab=tab_1
https://www.unicef.org/easterncaribbean/reports/caribbean-children-facing-climate-crisis
Children’s resources from the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre:
https://www.caribbeanclimate.bz/climate-wise-kids/
I would love to hear from you! What are some other things that adults must do to mitigate environmental risk and safeguard the younger generations?
-Caron D.