This has reference to the World Environment Conference being hosted by Pakistan on June 5, 2021. Harnessing the unique opportunity, Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to ask global leadership to take concrete steps for the promotion of the environment to protect the future generation. In this regard, it is urged by the Prime Minister to announce the policies pertaining to the protection of children and the future generation from the environmental disasters which are anticipated to affect the lives of future generations.
Environmental damage is a pressing human rights challenge, which has an impact on children’s lives today and in the future. Violations of their rights resulting from environmental harm can have irreversible, lifelong and even transgenerational consequences. Children everywhere suffer violations of their rights to life, development, health, food, water, education, culture, play and other rights because governments fail to protect the natural environment. The impact of pollution in one place can be felt by children living far away and climate change is unquestionably a global problem. While environmental harm affects people at any age, children are particularly vulnerable, due to their evolving physical and mental development and status within society. Certain groups of children, including children from indigenous, low-income or other marginalized communities are often at a higher risk, which raises the question of environmental injustice. According to the WHO estimates ‘Of the 5.9 million deaths of children under five each year, 26% are attributable to the environment’. Air pollution alone kills 570,000 children under five every year. But these numbers are only the ‘tip of the iceberg.’ as UN Special Rapporteur Baskut Tuncak. ‘There is a ‘silent pandemic’ of disabilities associated with exposure to toxics and pollution during childhood, many of which will not manifest themselves for years or decades’. This assault on children’s rights remains largely invisible while decision-makers are not held to account.
In this regard, the Prime Minister should announce in his speech that Pakistan will formulate the future policies related to urban development and rural economy in which environmental challenges and climate change impacts will not hamper the lives of children. In doing so, the prime minister should announce inclusion of environmental rights of children in the national curriculum and introduce national policy on the environment in which children should have equal representation. Because it is time for the action and children of the country to live in an environment that needs more parks, safe water, improved health and protection from the disasters which caused displacement and migration.
Najam un Nisa Baloch
Karachi
