African children the Most at Risk from the climate change impacts

Children are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of climatic and environmental shocks and stresses. In northern Africa, children are mainly exposed to risks associated with water scarcity and air pollution, while in the western and eastern parts, children are primarily exposed to risks associated with vector-borne diseases, heatwaves, and riverine flooding.

The health, development, and safety of children in 98% of African countries are severely threatened by the effects of climate change, as reported by UNICEF. UNICEF estimates that one billion children globally are at extremely high risk of suffering from the impacts of the climate crisis, which is called a children’s rights crisis.

Children are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of climate and environmental shocks and stresses. They are physically less capable of withstanding and surviving hazards, including floods, droughts, storms, and heatwaves and are physiologically more vulnerable to toxic substances such as lead and other forms of pollution. However, numerous reports have found that children in 48 of the 49 African countries are at high or extremely high risk from the extreme weather, illnesses, pollution, and environmental degradation caused by climate change.

The children living in the Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria, Guinea, Somalia and Guinea-Bissau are most at risk. In Somalia, more than 20000 children under the age of five died last year from the extended drought in the country, as shown by the UN estimates, while reports by the World Food Program showed that in Chad, nearly 40% of children under five are stunted. In northern Africa, children are mainly exposed to risks associated with water scarcity and air pollution, while in the western and eastern parts, children are primarily exposed to risks associated with vector-borne diseases, heatwaves, and riverine flooding.

According to UNICEF, climate change is also driving child labor, child marriage, extremism, and forced migration, exposing children to human trafficking, gender-based violence, abuse, and exploitation. Despite significant progress in the provision of essential services, persistent challenges contribute to an increased vulnerability for children, including limited access to good quality health and nutrition services, a lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene, limited access to quality education and high levels of poverty.

However, it is well known that children and young people are instrumental to long-term change and sustainability and must be part of climate solutions, including policy and financing.