Children from Maharashtra State raise their demand for right to clean, healthy and sustainable environment
Pune: Environmental harm causes threat to global child rights, hence the government should immediately address the climate change issues to ensure children's right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Children and youth from various districts of Maharashtra came together on Tuesday, 21st November 2023 at Patrakar Bhavan, Pune, for the state launch programme of UNCRC General Comment 26.
"General Comment" is a document prepared by the United Nations Committee on Rights of the Child, which discusses the connection between child rights and the environment, especially climate change. The document provides guidelines for the governments to ensure protection of child rights with respect to environmental issues. This state-level conference was organized by ARC (Action for the Rights of the Child) Pune, New Vision Pune, Terre Des Hommes Germany, and CACL (Campaign Against Child Labour) Maharashtra, with a purpose to create awareness about "General Comment 26" and to discuss its implementation by governmental and non-governmental agencies across the state and country.
Many families from rural Maharashtra engaged in farming and farm related activities migrate to urban areas in search of better and more secured livelihood options as climate change is affecting the rain patterns and availability of water. Education and overall development of their children are severely affected due to this unorganized migration. Even in cities, many families are affected due to climate change depriving the children of a clean and healthy environment. Children present at the conference demanded the government to pay immediate attention to the issues of air and water pollution in cities. Children presented their opinions about how climate change is affecting them and what actions the government should take to curb the changes. Children, youth and NGO representatives from Pune, Aurangabad, Parbhani, Beed, Ahmednagar, Solapur districts actively participated in this conference.
Chairpersons of Pune District Child Welfare Committee 1 and 2 Dr. Rani Khedikar and Nandita Ambike, Avdhut Abhyankar from Centre for Environment Education, Rajiv Pandit of Jividha, Sampat Mandave from Terre Des Hommes Germany, Deepak Jadhav from Health Rights Campaign were present on the occasion. The experts shared their views on migration as a result of environmental degradation and climate change and violation of child rights. Chairpersons of child welfare committees shared their experiences while handling cases of children from migrant families, their issues related to education, health, protection etc. The discussion concluded with a remark that issues presented by children will be followed up by the Child Welfare Committee. This can be achieved through convergence of various government departments and civil society organizations. All the issues like child marriage, child labour, malnutrition, migration, out of school children, etc. are connected with climate change. Sampat Mandave from TDH Germany pointed out that there is a need to understand this interdependence and complexity and to integrate the topic of environment with our ongoing programmes and activities.
At the end of this conference, it was decided to follow up with the concerned government departments to make appropriate amendments in the legislations and policies, and to provide special attention to environment and child rights according to the guidelines provided in General Comment 26 prepared by the United National Committee on Rights of Child.
Contact: arcpune09@gmail.com
Action for the Rights of the Child (ARC) Pune
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