Protecting our planet from environmental harm is a crucial aspect of safeguarding all children’s rights and futures. This is especially true for children without, or at risk of losing, parental care as they’re most vulnerable to the hazards of climate change and the climate crisis.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child enshrines children’s right to health, so they should never have to grow up in a polluted or unsafe environment.
Yet, major environmental hazards, shocks or stresses affect almost every child in the world and around half live in one of the 33 countries at extremely high-risk of the impacts of the climate crisis.ii
That’s one billion children at risk, right now!
i These are: water scarcity, riverine floods, coastal floods, tropical cyclones, vector borne diseases, heatwaves, air pollution, soil and water pollution.
ii Humanitarian Action for Children 2023, UNICEF, 2023
The climate crisis: climate change in Malawi
One example of a country hit hard by climate change is Malawi, where almost 4 million people face food insecurity due to ongoing drought caused by climate change.
“These natural disasters are really hard on the families and you can see that most of the times when you have these disasters is when we have our farming season and we’re expecting to harvest.” Angelina Potani, Field Officer at SOS Children’s Villages Malawi.
However, even the rains haven’t brought relief to Malawi. Cyclones devastate the country and bring with them extreme flooding, bursting riverbanks, destroying agriculture, and demolishing homes and schools.
How SOS Children’s Villages supports those impacted by climate change
In Malawi, SOS Children’s Villages has responded with short and long-term support.
Short-term: To support families short-term, SOS Children’s Villages supported hard-hit families with basic housing and food for their children. And schools were provided with materials.
Long-term: To support families long-term, SOS Children’s Villages Malawi worked with the local governments to do irrigation farming, provide training and skills development so families can rebuild their property and household resources and become resilient when disasters hit.
Disasters hit around the world and Malawi is just one example.
SOS Children’s Villages helps children and their families by being there before, during, and after disasters of all kinds. We make sure they have what they need to be stable and stay together, even in a crisis. Through our Family Strengthening initiatives, we help parents/carers develop new sources of income, for example if they’ve lost their livelihood due to a climate disaster like flooding or drought.
We help communities adapt to the effects of the ever-changing climate, to function and flourish, for example by setting up climate-smart farming and renewable energy.
When we protect the environment, we save more than vital ecosystems and species. We support parents and caregivers to earn money and put food on the table. We ensure clinics and classrooms remain open. And we help families stay together so children are kept safe and can make a brighter, more stable future for themselves, and for the world, which will soon be theirs to watch over.
Empowering young adults to lead action against climate change
The Eco Champions Programme, a ground-breaking initiative by SOS Children’s Villages (and made possible thanks to funding from our corporate partner, global management consultancy Baringa), provides young people from vulnerable communities with the skills and resources to take action against climate change.
The Programme puts emphasis on inclusive and meaningful participation, particularly among women and girls (who are often most effected by climate change), and champions their role in creating solutions.
The Programme is a testament to the revolutionary potential of youth-led initiatives. By growing confidence, building networks, and developing realistic plans, it lays the foundations for impactful climate action. As these young leaders return to their homes, they take with them the knowledge, connections, and determination to drive meaningful change.
Below is a message from our Eco Champions, providing practical tips to help you support climate action right now.