Realising children’s right to a healthy environment

This statement is made on behalf of the Child Rights Connect Working Group on child rights and the environment and the Children’s Environmental Rights Initiative.

No group is more vulnerable to environmental harm than children. The numbers are truly shocking. More than 1.7 million children under the age of five lose their lives every year as a result of avoidable environmental impacts, while millions more suffer disease and permanent forms of harm. We welcome the focus on children’s rights in the latest report from the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, which states that every day, more than 700 children under the age of five die from water- and sanitation-related disasters. By 2040, almost 600 million children will live in regions with extremely limited water resources. From toxic water pollution and chemicals, to the climate crisis and global biodiversity loss, environmental risks pose grave and wide-ranging threats to children’s rights enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, with particular burdens faced by children facing intersecting forms of discrimination and marginalisation, including girls, children with disabilities, indigenous children and those living in poverty.

Although this has been widely documented in the past couple of years, there is still a gap in the recognition of the links between environmental harm and children’s rights. Children are not sufficiently recognised as holders of environmental rights; violations of their rights in relation to environmental breakdown are still underreported and are not met with adequate remedies. Strong normative standards to advance children’s environmental rights are missing.

The UN should formally recognise the right to a healthy environment as soon as possible. It would provide comprehensive protection against environmental harm, spur all states to prioritize actions to implement this vital human right and empower those working to protect the environment. Such a step would be of particular relevance to children and future generations, who shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden of environmental harm. It is beyond debate that children are wholly dependent on the natural environment to lead dignified, healthy and fulfilling lives, including a safe climate, clean air, safe water and adequate sanitation, healthy and sustainably produced food, non-toxic environments to learn and play in, and healthy biodiversity and ecosystems. In the face of an unprecedented environmental crisis, children and youth across the world are calling for more urgent and ambitious action.

SIGNATORIES

1. Advocacy For Child Justice (ACJ)

2. Advocates of Hope Zimbabwe

3. AFCOD-UGANDA

4. Africa Movement of Working Children and Youth

5. Alliance for Health Promotion

6. Association des Citoyens pour le Développement Durable en Haïti

7. Awometrust

8. Burundi Child Rights Forum

9. Centre for Children’s Rights, Queen’s University, Belfast

10. Centre for Environment and Rural Development

11. Child Rights Coalition Asia

12. Child Rights Connect

13. Child Rights International Network (CRIN)

14. Childline

15. Children and Young People Living for Peace (CYPLP)

16. Children and Youth Movement – Philippines

17. Children Rights Advocacy and Legal Aid Foundation (CRALAF)

18. Climate Warriors India

19. Collective Community Action

20. Community Transformation Foundation Network (COTFONE)

21. Connecting

22. CRN COMMITTEE

23. Environment Africa

24. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Kenya

25. Gatef organizations

26. Give Hope Uganda

27. Green Institute

28. How Impact

29. Human Rights Watch

30. Humanium

31. IAM Mbare Youth Development Centre

32. International Institute for Child Rights and Development

33. Joy Village Foundation

34. Kiambu county CHV CBO

35. Kishoka Youth Community Based Organization

36. Kiwangala Community Early Childhood Development Centre

37. Kiwangala Community Library

38. Kiwangala Community Primary School

39. Kiwangala Community Social Initiatives

40. Let Girls Learn Kenya Initiative

41. Letsema Child Right Ambassadors

42. Letsema Child Rights Network

43. Livingstone Rhinos Rugby Union Club

44. LRC ambassadors

45. Make Mothers Matter

46. Manyatta Development is Power

47. MDT

48. MenEngage Uganda Network

49. Midlands AIDS Services Organisation

50. Midlands State University

51. Midlands State University Environmental Society(MSUES)

52. Mtoto News

53. Mubimba Primary School

54. Mwanakwaye Movement

55. Nest Foundation

56. New Zimbabwe Youth Forum

57. Pahchan Foundation

58. Panos Institute Southern Africa

59. PIVJET International

60. Plan International

61. Rede de jovens

62. REPSSI

63. Retsepile Support and Development Group

64. Revival NGO

65. RNCYPT

66. Save the Children

67. SGE Initiatives

68. Soka Gakkai International (SGI)

69. Somero

70. Sonke Gender Justice

71. SOS Children’s Villages – Eswatini

72. Strive Foundation Uganda

73. SUHAKAM – Human Rights Commission Malaysia

74. TERRE DES HOMMES

75. The B Team

76. The Boys Brigade Nigeria

77. The Community Human Rights Defenders Network (ACPDH)

78. The Conscientization Movement

79. The Future Generations Project

80. Trinity Project

81. TROVOCO

82. University Student Chamber International

83. UNMGCY

84. Village of Hope for Development and Rehabilitaton for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

85. Vunja Kimya Foundation

86. World Vision International

87. Young People’s Network on Sexual Reproductive Health on HIV and AIDS, Zvishavane

88. Young Voices Trust

89. YOUNGO

90. Youth Environment Service

91. Youth Network for Positive Change

92. Zambia Civic Education Association

93. Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association

94. Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association Youth Network