Staff Writer
Children have contributed least to climate change-related issues but are at the greatest risk from increasingly frequent floods, droughts, storms, and heat.
In a joint statement on United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), countries including Zimbabwe have been called to prioritise action in every aspect of childhood impacted by climate change.
“The General Comment is an urgent call for countries, including Zimbabwe, to prioritise action in every aspect of childhood impacted by climate change, such as the rights of a child to protection from violence and harm, education, nutrition, safe water, and a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
“Noting that the General Comment will be viewed within the confines of our socio-cultural context and shall be guided by our available pieces of legislation. The climate crisis is a child rights crisis,” the statement said.
At the Africa Climate Summit held in Nairobi in September 2023, Zimbabwe reiterated its commitment to intensify adaptation efforts such as early warnings and disaster risk reduction, climate proofing infrastructure, sustainable water management and climate smart agriculture for food and nutrition security.
“This directly reduces the negative impacts of climate change on children. For sustainability, this calls for enhanced action in schools and communities to be better prepared for the more frequent and intense weather events that come with climate change in Zimbabwe.”
Further, the Government is supporting schools in the country to put in place disaster risk management plans while strengthening climate change learning, climate-resilient infrastructure, and basic services – such as renewable energy and water supply – and creating more practical learning spaces to foster environmental stewardship amongst Zimbabwe’s children, including through the Clean Green Initiative.
The government ensured that the voices of children and young people were captured in the climate change debate and the country’s position towards the annual Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
“Zimbabwe’s emblematic legislative policy instruments reflect our regard and priority on children’s rights – and their needs – in the critical climate change blueprints including the National Climate Policy and its child friendly version, revised Nationally Determined Contributions and its Implementation Plan as well as the draft National Adaptation Plan,” the statement reads.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child General Comment No. 26 calls on Member States to take action in preserving the environment for the betterment of the lives of children.
This Convention adopted in 1989 and ratified by 196 states – including Zimbabwe – outlines universal children’s rights such as life, survival and development.
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