World Children's Day 2024: A call to action against climate change

On World Children’s Day 2024, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with partners including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), hosted a celebration on the morning of November 20.

The event called for urgent climate action to ensure that all children have the right to grow up and live in safe, healthy, and sustainable environments amid increasing climate and environmental threats. This year's theme for Vietnam is aligned with CRC General Comment No.26, adopted by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2023. 

In her opening speech, Ms. Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator, emphasized the importance of listening to the voices of children and youth, a key focus of the COP29 Summit. She celebrated Vietnam's pioneering role as the first country in the region and the second globally to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. World Children's Day is celebrated every year on 20 November to promote children's rights, as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) adopted by the United Nations on that date in 1989.

UNICEF highlighted that the climate crisis is a children's rights crisis, disrupting essential services like healthcare, education, nutrition, and child protection, and leaving long-term impacts on children's futures. "This is not the next generation's problem, it is already ours.", UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam said. 

From MARD's side, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep highlighted the critical link between climate action and long-term benefits for younger generations. Leading disaster prevention efforts, Deputy Minister of MARD prioritized the persistent to ensure children’s access to clean water, nutrition, and education, even amidst increasingly severe climate challenges. 

He noted the severe consequences of natural disasters, including interrupted education, deteriorating health due to malnutrition and lack of clean water, and psychological trauma. Alarming statistics reveal increased child mortality rates under five years old after disasters, underscoring the need for urgent protection measures for this vulnerable group.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has collaborated with UNICEF and the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) to develop educational materials, distribute handbooks, organize drawing contests, and conduct training sessions to raise disaster awareness among children. These activities not only equip children with knowledge but also encourage them to take an active role in protecting themselves and their communities," the Deputy Minister stated.

An example is the drawing contest and the "A day as a junior disaster reporter" competition, jointly organized by the Department of Dike Management and Disaster Prevention (MARD), the Department of Facilities (MOET), and UNICEF Vietnam, with support from the Government of Japan.

Furthermore, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) aims to enhance the resilience of children and youth to natural disasters, paving the way for a safe and sustainable future and living environment. Ensuring that children have safe living and learning environments while teaching them self-protection skills is a core objective. These efforts not only address current challenges but also contribute to building a future generation that is healthy, creative, and holistically developed.

The ceremony also served as an opportunity for intergenerational connection and dialogue, where participants discussed climate actions taken today to benefit future generations. Representatives from the Climate Change Response Center, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, educators, students, and climate activists shared youth-led initiatives addressing climate change while promoting awareness of environmental protection. These activities enable children to convey climate messages in a relatable and impactful manner.

UNICEF reported that approximately 175 million children globally are affected annually by earthquakes, cyclones, and droughts. In Vietnam, Typhoon Yagi alone led to the closure or damage of 1,776 schools, impacting nearly one million children, driving the truth that climate change is devastating communities. Insufficient living conditions in evacuation centers increase risks of waterborne diseases and hinder children's physical and psychological recovery post-disaster.