A/HRC/35/13
IV. Good practices in promoting children’s rights in climate
action
41.
Some States, civil society organizations and other actors have already taken
measures to integrate children’s rights in their climate actions. Existing good practices
should be used to inform and enhance further national and intergovernmental action on
climate change. These may involve, for example, educational policies, disaster risk
reduction measures, strategic litigation and engagement by human rights mechanisms.
A.
Educational policies
42.
Education on environmental stewardship, climate change and disaster risk reduction
can prepare children of all ages to better address emerging environmental challenges. Most
States that provided inputs for the present study had climate change education programmes
and/or strategies to develop climate change and environmental curricula. 61 The United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, through its Climate Change
Education for Sustainable Development programme, has been working with national
Governments, particularly in African and small island developing States, to integrate
climate change into national curricula through innovative approaches. 62
43.
In Italy, collaboration between the ministries for the environment and for education
led to the launch of new guidelines for environmental education.63 Extracurricular projects
can also foster children’s activism and involvement in climate change policies. In Zambia,
UNICEF has supported the Unite4Climate project, a child-led advocacy programme that
empowers young people aged 11 to 17 to become climate ambassadors and agents of
change within their communities and in global climate negotiations. 64 Some States have
established national platforms for young people to voice their concerns and share their ideas
about climate change and other issues, for example, the national environment and health
platform for young people in Lithuania 65 and the Children’s Parliament in Namibia. 66 In
Slovenia, the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief trains young people in
disaster response and ensures access to information for all children, including those with
disabilities.67
B.
Disaster risk reduction
44.
The incorporation of the principle of the best interests of the child throughout
disaster risk reduction, sustainable development and climate change action is key to
protecting children’s rights in a changing climate. In the Philippines, the Children’s
Emergency Relief and Protection Act of 2016 provides for specific measures to protect and
educate children in the context of emergencies, ensure their participation in relevant
decision-making processes and collect better data.68 In Viet Nam, a law on environmental
protection incorporates the principles of the best interests of the child and gender equality
in relation to green growth and climate change;69 the country is also considering a child-
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
12
The inputs used for the study are available at
www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/HRAndClimateChange/Pages/RightsChild.aspx.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Not Just Hot Air: Putting Climate
Change Education into Practice (Paris, 2015).
Input from Italy.
Input from UNICEF and Germany.
Input from Lithuania.
Input from Namibia.
Input from Slovenia.
Input from the Philippines.
Input from UNICEF.
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