Strategies to Safeguard the Rights of Children in Climate Solutions

Children are the least responsible for climate change yet will bear the greatest burden of its impacts. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) already estimates that in recent years, the approximately 20,000 children a day worldwide have been displaced by floods and storms exacerbated by climate change.

Moreover, children will live in places that are far more exposed to climate risks by the year 2050, due to megatrends such as climate and environmental crises, demographic shifts and the long-term impacts on economies, societies and children (UNICEF, 2024).

As a signatory to various international conventions and commitments, South Africa’s legislative and policy framework recognises the need to safeguard rights and wellbeing of children in climate solutions. Safeguarding these rights should both recognize the climate hazards that children face understand their impact and act upon them, now and in the future. But the inclusion of children in climate action policy and decision-making at local, national levels has arguably been limited.

This article proposes broad strategies to safeguard the rights of children in climate solutions, considering the natural environment as a fundamental aspect to the growth and well‑being of children. It does not seek to offer a critical analysis of existing policies and strategies. It remains contribution towards addressing the knowledge gaps and barriers children face in the context of climate change. For the purposes of this article, a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years, as per applicable law.

Contextual Framing: The Unique Vulnerability of South Africa

In South Africa, the impacts of climate change on children need to be considered in relation to wider development pressures affecting the country. Challenges such as economic shocks and stresses, high levels of poverty and inequality, population changes, effects of HIV and AIDS, management and/or of scarce natural resources and rapid urbanisation will each interact with climate change (UNICEF, 2011).

South Africa’s high levels of poverty and inequality amplify the impacts of climate change by limiting adaptive capacities, exacerbating resource competition, and deepening socioeconomic disparities. According to the World Bank, South Africa is highly vulnerable to climate variability and change due to the country’s high dependence on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources, high levels of poverty, particularly in rural areas (World Bank, 2021).

Climate change is expected to increase the risk and severity of water scarcity and drought across South Africa, affecting all sectors, including water, agriculture and forestry, human health, marine fisheries, and biodiversity (Ibid). This trend has begun manifesting visibly in areas such as Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces as seen with the recent challenges with water scarcity, drought and wildfires.

According to Children’s Climate Risk Index, which is composed of many indicators across climate and environmental hazards, shocks and stresses, as well as child vulnerability, South Africa is ranked 72nd among nations in terms of risk, with water scarcity, soil and water pollution.

As a low to middle income country, South Africa is characterised by high poverty levels, instability, weak governance and consequently, a vulnerable child population. South Africa is confronted with droughts, water scarcity, storms and flooding, which severely affect child well-being. With different intensities across regions, these environmental crises limit access to safe water and sanitation, nutritious food, education, health and protection services.

Considering the multiple facets of poverty and the consequent impacts of climate and environmental hazards that manifest in children’s lives, a coordinated and multi-level effort is necessary to safeguard the rights of children in every intervention on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Increased investment in climate adaptation and resilience in key services for children is urgently required, including in water, housing, sanitation and hygiene systems, health and education. A strong focus on climate resilience in fragile settings and implementing child sensitive strategies to protect communities from climate and environmental shocks is necessary.

Education as a Tool for Climate Resilience and Adaptation

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) defines the child’s right to information on environmental health issues and provides that state parties agree that the education of the child should be directed towards the development of respect for the natural environment (Article 29, UNCRC).

Education is increasingly recognized as a critical tool for building climate resilience and adaptation, particularly for children who face disproportionate risks from climate shocks. As they spend a significant amount of time in educational facilities, children hold great transformative potential for increasing resilience, climate change adaptation and sustainable development.

Considering that climate change is a societal issue, every discipline offers an opportunity to teach about climate change and a unique way for children to contribute. In Latin America and the Caribbean, it has been shown that investment in policies and programmes focused on the early years of human development have a triple dividend of promoting climate resilience and adaptive capacity, protecting individual potential and fostering sustainable development (UNICEF, 2023).

In South Africa, intentional focus may be placed on climate education, green skills and climate-related livelihood opportunities, to support children’s adaption to and preparation for the effects of climate change. There is also a need to bridge the digital divide and build children’s digital skills, especially in societies where generations of children are being left behind in the digital revolution. Government and businesses also need to invest in technology designed to benefit children, safeguard them and protect their best interests

Climate change solutions in education go beyond teaching and learning, it includes building climate and environment sensitive education infrastructure. The latest State of World Children’s Report recommends that countries develop and expand climate-resilient infrastructure, especially for schools, health-care facilities and emergency shelters, and improve the resilience of essential services such as nutrition, social protection, education, and water, sanitation and hygiene.

Children can make exponential gains in skills development and climate education by learning it within the formal education system; at the same time, children must also be provided with opportunities to use digital technologies and learn digital skills outside of school. Integrating climate solutions in education systems may be expected to help children to fully grasp the stakes and consequences of climate change and equip them to take meaningful action.

Child Centred Climate Policies

Child centred climate policies are those that explicitly address their unique needs of children by fully integrating child-sensitive approaches that prioritize education, health, water services, and other key services to build resilience. South Africa’s climate change policies, programmes, and projects demonstrate varying degrees of sensitivity to children’s wellbeing. While some initiatives acknowledge children as a vulnerable group, significant gaps remain in addressing their specific needs.

As a key principle, the implementation of South Africa’s National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy is said to make consideration for vulnerable groups. The strategies promotes the participation of vulnerable groups and build the resilience and adaptive capacity of the most vulnerable people such as children, especially infants and child headed families (DFFE, 2019).

However, UNICEF has found that only 34% of 103 countries with new or revised climate plans, otherwise known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), are child sensitive. South Africa’s climate strategies often mention the right to a safe and healthy environment for vulnerable group but largely omit specific references to children’s rights or tailored protections for their wellbeing.

Children have a right to be involved in the planning of mitigation and adaptation strategies but currently, most climates change-related policies do not adequately examine the specific impact of changing climatic conditions on children. The ‘Reimagine our Future Youth Declaration’ is an exemplary demonstration that children and young people in South Africa are rightly not willing to be passive bystanders when their lives are already being impacted by climate change.

The declaration was drafted by some 150 young people from across South Africa who conducted a series of virtual workshops to agree on the final declaration (SAIIA). It covers economic, environmental, and social considerations and provides specific recommendations.

The ‘Reimagine our Future Declaration “envisions a future where young people are active participants in policy and decision-making spaces from local to national level and hold our leaders accountable”. The declaration further calls for transparency and accountability regarding implementation of policy.

While South Africa has made strides in recognizing the impacts of climate change on children, there is an urgent need for more targeted policies and investments to safeguard their wellbeing. A holistic approach that integrates health systems reform, education expansion, infrastructure development, and active youth participation will be critical in building a resilient future for South Africa’s youngest citizens. Implementing the recommendations of the Reimagine our Future Youth Declaration has potential to yield benefits.

Innovation and Creativity: Harness Children and Young People’s Ideas

Harnessing children’s ideas should begin with overcoming barriers to participation. Children have the right to express their views, including on matters that affect them. The Children’s Act (Act 38 of 2005 as amended) is clear about participation of children. It states, “every child has the right to participate in an appropriate way and views expressed by the child must be given due consideration”, considering the child’s age, maturity and stage of development. However, this legal recognition is limited to setting out the principles for the protection and care of children and arguably falls short of explicitly dealing with climate issues that affect children.

South African youth have already moved towards actively claiming their environmental and participatory rights (Bekink, 2024), as demonstrated by organisations such as South African Youth Climate Change Coalition (SAYCC) and the Youth Programmes at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA).

The former is network of young environmentalists and climate justice activists, and the latter promotes an awareness of international affairs among young people at school and university. Both these structures have recently been established and are calling for intersectional and inclusive climate action that specifically integrates children

Policy makers should prioritize removing of political barriers to participation, and the technical difficulties enabling participation of children in climate solutions. Strategically soliciting insights into the lived experiences of South African children, and amplifying their voice in expressive, creative ways may help to personalise climate change, and further and inform policy interventions in key areas that affect children.

Conclusion

A radical change in behaviour needs to be adopted by businesses, government, and all of society if we are to safeguard the rights of children and protect their wellbeing against the impacts of climate change. The United Nations Children’s Fund recommends that governments, businesses, public sector, non-governmental and human rights organizations, and civil society use the Convention for the Rights of Children and its guiding principles to shine a light on solutions and point us towards the best scenario we can deliver for children.

By adhering to this recommendation and fostering systemic and behavioural change, South African children can become empowered agents of climate resilience. Their voices are critical not only for addressing current environmental challenges but also for shaping a sustainable future.

References

Bekink, M., 2024., The Fundamental Right of Children to Participate in Climate Change Decision-Making Processes: A South African Perspective. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal (PELJ), 27(1), pp.1-40.
Center for Child Law. 2023., Children’s Environmental Rights and Climate Justice In South Africa Impacts of Coal-Related Air Pollution. Pretoria.
Chikulo, B.C., 2014. An analysis of climate change, poverty and human security in South Africa.
Climate Risk Profile: South Africa (2021): The World Bank Group.
The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). 2021. Reimagine Our Future Declaration.
UNICEF (20230. Investing in early childhood climate education improves resilience and sustainable development
UNICEF (2021), The Climate Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children’s Climate Risk Index. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund.
United Nations Children’s Fund. 2011. Exploring the Impact of Climate Change on Children in South Africa. Pretoria: UNICEF South Africa
United Nations Children’s Fund. 2011., Exploring the impact of climate change on children in South Africa.
United Nations Children’s Fund. 2023., Shape the Future of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean: Early Childhood Education for All. Panama City.
United Nations Children’s Fund., 2021, The Climate Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children’s Climate Risk Index.