By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The United Nations has released nine Guiding Principles for Children on the Move in the Context of Climate Change to address the unique and layered vulnerabilities of boys and girls who have been uprooted, whether internally or across borders, as a result of the adverse impacts of climate change.
They were launched by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and the United Nations University (UNU), located in Tokyo, Japan.
The partners explained that currently, most child-related migration policies do not consider climate and environmental factors, while most climate change policies overlook the unique needs of children.
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The climate emergency has and will continue to have profound implications for human mobility. Its impacts will be most severe with particular segments of our communities such as children; we cannot endanger future generations,” said António Vitorino, the IOM Director General.
The principles were developed in collaboration with young climate and migration activists, academics, experts, policymakers, practitioners, and UN agencies. The principles are based on the convention on the rights of the children and are informed by existing operational guidelines and frameworks.
The guiding Principles “were developed with this specific objective in mind. This tool helps navigate the complex nexus of migrant rights, children’s rights, and climate change in order to respond more quickly and effectively to the needs of children on the move in the context of climate change,” UN said.
Governments, local and regional actors, international organizations, and civil society groups are being urged to embrace the principles.
