A/HRC/25/48 climate-related crises are projected to affect hundreds of millions every year as early as 2015”.27 45. Drought, earthquakes and floods put children at risk. They directly affect the child’s daily environment by impacting food security, water sources and diseases, among others.28 They increase vulnerability by creating further hardships for families and may be an incentive to migrate. They weaken governance systems, affect delivery of services and dislocate families. Following a natural disaster, children are more likely to be unidentified, hastily fostered, adopted or placed in long-term care institutions. Some people exploit the chaotic environment to engage in criminal activities, including selling children for the purposes of illegal adoption, forced labour or sexual exploitation. Evidence suggests that climate extremes have a tangible impact on the sale and sexual exploitation of children.29 46. Climate change and natural disasters are likely to remain significant concerns in coming years. Data from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction indicate that floods and storms have been on the rise since 1980 and in particular since 2006, although there are strong variations from one year to the next.30 A 2013 World Bank report has underlined the devastating impact of global warming, even with a modest rise of temperature, with significant effects on communities and on children in Asia and Africa.31 6. Evolving social norms 47. Social norms are a critical element of a protective environment for children. They can increase vulnerability, especially when they lead to discrimination, gender bias, harmful practices, and social acceptance and under-reporting of violations. Conversely, social norms promoting protective behaviours can play an important role in reducing risk and enhancing resilience. They also influence the functioning of formal institutions and good governance, including public accountability.32 48. Research has demonstrated how developments in the broader context modify the level of social acceptance of violence.33 The Special Rapporteur has observed in recent years how communities have coped with some of the challenges they face by increasing their social tolerance of child sexual exploitation, resulting in the normalization and permissibility of the crime. For example, communities have increasingly tolerated the emergence of child prostitution due to the rapid growth of tourism in some areas as an inevitable and acceptable price to pay for economic development. 49. Similarly, the expansion of the Internet and social networking has had an impact on children’s social norms. The exposure of children to child pornography inspires and 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 UNICEF, Humanitarian Action for Children: Building resilience (2011), p.6. Available from www.unicef.org/hac2011/files/HAC2011_EN_PDA_web.pdf. UNICEF, “Achieving the MDGs with Equity”, Progress for Children, No. 9 (September 2010). Katie Harris and Kelly Hawrylyshyn, “Climate extremes and child rights in South Asia: a neglected priority”, Project Briefing No. 78, Overseas Development Institute and Plan International, October 2012. Available from www.odi.org.uk/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinionfiles/7832.pdf. See www.preventionweb.net/files/20120613_ClimateDisaster1980-2011.pdf. World Bank, Turn Down the Heat: Climate Extremes, Regional Impacts and the Case for Resilience (2013). Available from wwwwds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2013/06/14/000445729_2013061 4145941/Rendered/PDF/784240WP0Full00D0CONF0to0June19090L.pdf. See UNICEF Child Protection Strategy (E/ICEF/2008/5/Rev.1). World Health Organization, Violence prevention: the evidence. Changing cultural and social norms that support violence (2009). Available from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241598330_eng.pdf. 11