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…Urges FG To Include Climate Change Action in School Curriculum From Early Age
As part of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change particularly on children, UNICEF has highlighted that over 100 million Nigerian children are increasingly exposed to the devastating impacts of climate change.
This comes as recent research shows that Nigeria is amongst the three countries in the world that are the most impacted by climate change.
Chief of the UNICEF Field Office for south-west Nigeria, Celine Lafoucriere made the known in Lagos during this year’s World Children’s Day event which was organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Youths & Social Development and the Solution 17 Initiative.
World Children’s Day was marked on November 20.
“Extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall, flooding, storm surges, and rising temperatures, are becoming more frequent and intense,” Lafoucrier highlighted.
”These climate-induced disasters severely impact children’s rights to health, nutrition, water, sanitation, and education,” she warned.
“To this end, Lafoucrier urged the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure that climate action is included in the national education curriculum from a very early age.
“This needs to be done in the 21st Century so as to curb climate actions right from primary school age.“
According to her, schools and teachers have to talk about climate change and what it means to protect the environment. Similarly, she said parents have to be enlightened about issues of climate change to enable them to take the right actions.
Lafoucrier said the government together with other development partners in both the public and private sectors must ensure more education on Climate change.
She said, “Government has to provide the facilities to make sure that children, young people and adults can tackle climate change and take action.
“That means we must have the right facilities to recycle plastics, to clean our gutters and make sure that when it rains they don’t overflow and then spread diseases
“Government also has the responsibility to make sure that water remains clean and that the population of children, as well as the rest of the population in Nigeria, has access to clean water.”
This, according to her, is because of the lack of clean water springs health risks, bad nutrition and the inability to go to school.
“The government has to put in place the necessary facilities to make sure that we do not pollute and that children also do not pollute.“
The 2024 World Children’s Day brought together children and young people across Lagos to highlight their creative expressions and leadership in addressing climate change, and to illustrate how young voices are instrumental in shaping the sustainable future of the planet.
Some Nigerian children also made their voices heard by calling on leaders to take decisive action against climate change. A student from Richfield High School, Michelle painted a stark picture of the crisis: “Roads are flooding, the air is polluted, and our planet is becoming uninhabitable.” She called for collective responsibility to tackle the issue.
“We can’t continue to live like this,” she stressed. “Children worldwide are stepping up to address climate change. It’s time for everyone to take action.”
On his part, the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Abubakre Mobolaji Ogunlende reaffirmed the state’s dedication to protecting and promoting children’s rights.
Ogunlende, who was represented by the deputy director of Child Development in Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mrs Adenike Obilana, said World Children’s Day symbolises the unity and commitment of all leaders to protecting children’s rights around the world while stressing the importance of ensuring children have access to survival, development, protection, and participation in decisions affecting them.
Acknowledging the 33rd annual celebration of the Treaty for the Prevention of Child Rights Violations, Ogunlende highlighted the significance of this year’s theme: “Climate Change has a significant impact on the survival and well-being of children,” adding that, “They must be part of the decisions and solutions to address it. Their voices are critical in building a sustainable future.”
The commissioner reaffirmed the state’s commitment to upholding the Child Rights Law and creating a safe environment for every child while calling on stakeholders to continue prioritising children’s best interests. “We need to protect, cherish, and care for them. Let us all work together to secure a brighter future for our children,” she urged.
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