Why we need to talk more about, and crucially to, children
As the UN General Assembly closes its doors, children continue to pay the highest price for inadequate action by world leaders. And despite the SDG pledge to leave no one behind, it is the children most impacted by inequality and discrimination who continue to face the greatest challenges.
With the progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals unforgivably off track, at least 153 million children are facing food insecurity globally and 774 million are growing up with the dual threat of high climate risk and poverty.
This must change.
In 2022, in the largest consultation of this type, Save the Children engaged over 58,000 children across the world - to hear their experiences and thoughts about the climate crisis and inequality. Building on these hearings, in 2023 we have engaged more than 3,000 children and young people across 46 countries to hear what changes they want to see from decision-makers.
This is what I have learned
If you think children are naïve, think again.
The children we spoke to carefully observed the world around them, kept informed about current affairs, research the issues they care about, such as poverty, inequality and the climate crisis and have developed their own opinions.
“Families that have wealth are not affected by either economic inequality or feel the impact of climate crisis. They can afford to buy food even when the price is high, or they drive in four-wheel vehicles that will not get stuck in the muddy roads.” Child from Southern Somalia.
“Most of the economic disadvantages caused by climate change are in developing countries, so the developed countries need to look at the fact that people in faraway countries who are not doing anything wrong are suffering unreasonably, and to urgently create measures to deal with the situation”. 17-year-old girl, from Japan.
The children we met described the contradictions and complexities that change often entails.
“A couple of years ago, deforestation began to increase and the number of solar power plants began to rise. This is a reversal of the original intent of deforestation and the construction of solar panels to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Is the construction of solar panels more important than forests?” S., 15, from Japan.
No issue is too small.
“I want to change the rules of students hairstyle, it’s not necessary at all, it should be better to give the right to students and to dress what they want” Child from Laos.
Such views can often be indicative of bigger injustices and infringement of children’s rights. In this case, the obligation to cut their hair in school is perceived as a lack of respect for children’s personal freedom and points to a top-down education system that does not encourage diversity and inclusion.
Children's right to have their voice heard
Children’s resilience and determination to speak up and change things, even when confronted with the harshest forms of deprivation and crisis, reminded me that children’s right to be heard is indivisible from our instinct and duty to protect them from harm. Children's ‘right to have their views given due weight in all matters that affect them’ applies regardless of the scale of the crises they face and are critical to respond to their needs.
“There's so many calamities in the Philippines and the Youth needs to learn how to face those challenges […] Being a Youth Leader is indeed hard, but I always remember that I need to be strong to speak for the students’ rights. […] here in the Philippines inequality is everywhere, women, men and LGBTQIA+ community experience discrimination because of how they look. […] there’s nothing wrong in being who and what you are, you just need to be yourself, because there’s a time for you to bloom and shine. Just like the stars in the night you are someone’s light” Florendo from Philippines.
What changes do children want world leaders to enact?
Eradicating poverty and inequality, the climate crisis and increasing investment in children were top priorities for the children we talked to.
Children and young people made clear that we cannot recycle our way out of the current crisis. They demanded bold, system-wide change to tackle the root causes of inequality and the climate crisis. Crucially, the ultimate responsibility to enact these wider changes rests with governments.
“…there should be a big change in the government and their actions. The rest of us need system change before it’s possible to change much individually” Child from the UK.
“The climate of a country is mainly an outcome of the country’s available resources and political structure. […] The countless policies set by the government have failed to mitigate the impacts of climate change and the new policies seem to be based on the same old principles. With this, it is obvious that Nepal needs a change in its policy makers not the policies. If these policies are in fact being formulated for the youth’s benefit, it would only make sense to include them in the conversation”. Nayantara from Nepal.
World leaders are failing children. But children are mobilising in great numbers.
I was inspired by the sheer number of projects that the children and the young people we met have been engaged in. From joining child parliaments to advocating and raising awareness about the climate crisis, educating community members on disaster preparedness and working with local groups to protect ecosystems. There is incredible potential in the energy, knowledge and determination children bring to the table.
“We believe that children should have a seat at the table when decisions are being made […] we are the ones who will inherit the consequences of the actions taken or not taken today. Our voices and perspectives are unique, we bring fresh ideas and passion to the table. You would not only be fulfilling our rights but also tapping into a valuable resource of knowledge and creativity” Joshua and Miriam from Zambia.
The Sustainable Development Goals chart the way out of the current crises towards a greener, fairer world for children. World leaders can choose between being complicit in their failure, with devastating consequences for children, or hold up their end of the bargain and course-correct now. Children can help us do this and do it better. If only we listen and act.
