Weather-related disasters caused 43.1 million internal displacements of children in 44 countries over a six-year period – or approximately 20,000 child displacements a day - according to a UNICEF analysis released recently. Children Displaced in a Changing Climate is the first global analysis of the number of children driven from their homes between 2016 and 2021 due to floods, storms, droughts and wildfires, and looks at projections for the next 30 years. The analysis shows that displacement multiplies risks for children and their families: “In the aftermath of a disaster, children may become separated from their parents or caregivers, amplifying the risks of exploitation, child trafficking, and abuse”. According to the report, until now, children displaced by weather-related events have been statistically invisible.

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted recently its general comment No. 26 on children’s rights and the environment, with a special focus on climate change, including a child-friendly version.

 CHIP fully supports UNICEF’s calls to governments and all stakeholders to prioritize children and young people – including those already uprooted from their homes – in climate, humanitarian and development policy, action and investments and welcomes the attention given to this subject in General Comment 26 .  CHIP especially brings to their attention the crucial task of preventing family separation and preserving contacts with families in case of separation, essential to the preserve the children’s rights to identity.

Sources: https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/weather-related-disasters-led-431-million-displacements-children-over-six-years ; https://www.unicef.org/reports/children-displaced-changing-climate and https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/general-comment-no-26-2023-childrens-rights-and