Reportedly, over half a billion children live in extremely high flood occurrence zones; nearly 160 million live in high or extremely high drought severity zones. While it is true that climate change will ultimately impact every child, these children are already in harmâs way and face some of the most immediate risks. There is a clear scientific consensus that climate change will increase the frequency of droughts, floods and severe weather events in a couple of years.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 88 per cent of the existing burden of disease as a result of climate change occurs in children under 5 years of age. This is due to their particular vulnerability in the early stages of life. When it comes to the spread of disease influenced by climate change, the risk falls squarely on children over the coming decades.
The discussion on how to mitigate these effects was the central focus of the 20th Civil Society Organisations (CSO) Forum hosted virtually in March. Suggestions included building systems to address the effects of climate change in the fulfilment of childrenâs rights by strategically positioning children and CSOs to design interventions that support the realisation of childrenâs rights from evidence-based learning and adapting.
Other objectives included;
- To provide a safe space for African children to convene and engage each other; form a consensus on their priority issues around climate change and develop a position on the same.
- To form a consensus on the work of thematic groups in facilitating the implementation of the CSO Forumâs Strategic Plan.
- To prioritise issues of engagement with the ACERWC for effective implementation of the Charter with the emerging issues â climate change.
It began with a childrenâs meeting and proceeded to side events which were led by partners to the main sitting of the Forum that culminates into Outcome statements by both children and CSOs which will aid the engagement with the Committee and policymakers thereafter.
The Graça Machel Trust was afforded the opportunity to jointly present with its partner the Africa Early Childhood Network (AfECN) on Early childhood development in Africa â continental advocacy strategy and the role of the African Union Education Overview of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (AU CESA) ECED cluster; opportunities for children and CSOs.
The Trust presented The Pan Africa- Early Childhood Education & Development (ECED) Advocacy Strategy where it called for a stand-alone AU Continental ECED Strategy, addressing the effect of climate change on early childhood development. It further called for the CSO Forum to influence The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) decision to convene a Day of General Discussion on ECD and investment in Early Years.
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting childrenâs rights, to carry out advocacy and action across Africa. Special focus is placed on Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia where child marriage continues to be a problem largely driven by poverty, gender inequality, harmful traditional practices, conflict, low levels of literacy, limited opportunities for girls and weak or non-existent protective and preventive legal frameworks.
Education is a fundamental right for all children, which is also a vehicle for social, economic and political transformation in communities, countries and the African continent at large. Recent studies indicate a lack of progress in some of the critical commitments aimed at improving education quality, access, retention and achievement, particularly for girls. In most African countries, girls may face barriers to learning, especially when they reach post-primary levels of education. By implementing multi-dimensional approaches to education which includes core education, personal development, life skills and economic competencies, the Trust partners with funding partners, governments, civil societies and the private sector to improve education access.
The Nutrition and Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) of the Childrenâs Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescentsâ health within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. The strategy emphasises on the importance of effective country leadership as a common factor across countries making progress in improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) plan, The Trust will seek to put into action the new science and evidence Report that was presented by Lancet Series on Good and early development – the right of every child. This will be achieved by mobilising like-minded partners to contribute in the new science and evidence to reach all young children with ECD. The Trustâs goal is to be a catalyst for doing things differently, in particular, to rid fragmentation and lack of coordination across ECD sectors. In response to evidence showing the importance of political will in turning the tide against the current poor access and quality of ECD. Even before conception, starting with a motherâs health and social economic conditions, the early years of a childâs life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.