August 2023 — Page 2 of 14 — Human Rights & Charity

With COVID-19 ‘here to stay’, new tools essential to continue fight: Tedros

The partnership, called the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), was launched in 2020, to facilitate timely, equitable and affordable access to COVID-19 health products through public health oriented, transparent and non-exclusive licensing agreements.

“COVID-19 is here to stay, and the world will continue to need tools to prevent it, test for it and treat it,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“Through C-TAP, WHO and our partners are committed to making those tools accessible to everyone, everywhere. I am grateful to the leadership shown by those license holders who have contributed technology.

As of 16 August, there have been 769,806,130 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, including 6,955,497 deaths, while almost 13.5 billion vaccine doses have been administered.

Important boost

The three institutions joining C-TAP include private vaccine manufacturer Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp, the Spanish National Research Council and the University of Chile.

Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp is offering its patent for a COVID-19 vaccine that has seen more than three million doses administered across seven countries.

Similarly, the Spanish National Research Council is sharing a license for a COVID-19 vaccine prototype, and the University of Chile, technology for quantification of neutralizing antibodies.

The addition of the three new licenses provides an important boost to the overall effort in the fight against COVID-19, WHO said. The new licenses are global, transparent and non-exclusive to all manufacturers.

The licenses can be accessed on the C-TAP website.

Niger spiralling into ‘protection crisis’ following takeover: UNHCR

UNHCR’s representative in Niger, Emmanuel Gignac, said that sanctions imposed on the country by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following last month’s military takeover do not include any exemptions for humanitarian aid.

Mr. Gignac observed that food and commodity prices, already climbing before this crisis, jumped after sanctions were introduced. If humanitarians are unable to bring in food and medical assistance, the effects may be “catastrophic”, he warned.

Moreover, the security situation, fuel shortages and disruptions to the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) have seriously impacted aid workers’ mobility, keeping them from reaching those most in need.

Mr. Gignac also voiced concern for the impact of the sanctions on electricity supply “we are almost constantly on generators, and consuming a lot of fuel” he said, indicating the inevitable impact on fuel supply in months to come.

Increased violence

The ongoing political crisis, with no clear solution in sight, is generating uncertainty and concern as Niger continues to experience repeated attacks by non-State armed groups, especially near the Mali and Burkina Faso borders, said UNHCR.

Recent violence has led to an extra 20,000 newly displaced in the last month according to Mr. Gignac, who noted that an increase in security incidents over the past few weeks has heightened protection risks for refugees, asylum-seekers and their hosts.

Refugees

For example, in July UNHCR monitored 255 protection incidents including kidnapping, gender-based violence and domestic violence.

Witnessing a sharp increase since the military takeover, between 26 and 31 July, the agency recorded a 50 per cent increase in similar incidents compared with earlier in the month.

Mr. Gignac said that the crisis also coincides with the lean season, an infamously “fragile period” marking the transition between agricultural season – as flooding continues to affect thousands since July.

“We have an atmosphere of uncertainty,” he said, recalling his time in Niamey, Niger.

Refugee movement and sanctions

According to UNHCR there are some 700,000 forcibly displaced people in the country. Half of them internal, while the other half are refugees and asylum seekers mainly from Mali and Burkina Faso.

Referencing the recent update to UNHCR’s contingency planning, Mr. Gigrac warned that the current humanitarian response couldn’t address any new shocks, such as the sudden movement of tens of thousands of new refugees, and any resulting humanitarian needs.

UNHCR has therefore called on States to consider a sanction exemption mechanism, particularly amidst restrictions on movement and rising food and commodity prices.

Mr. Gignac stressed that UNHCR’s stocks of essential items, catering for about 5,000 families, are only expected to last for three to five months.

He also expressed concern over access to medicine and healthcare, urging the continuation of health services, traditionally provided by the government, despite the sanctions.

Humanitarian concerns

According to the UN, ongoing political instability aggravated by the military intervention, is likely to exacerbate already large and complex humanitarian needs in Niger where over 4.3 million people require humanitarian assistance this year alone.

Last week, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) warned that millions there could fall further into severe food insecurity due to the impact of sanctions, as 3.3 million currently face severe food insecurity.

Another 7.3 million, who were already facing moderate food insecurity prior to the crisis, are now at risk of falling deeper into hunger.

UNHCR’s $135.7 million appeal for Niger however, remains only 39 per cent funded.

UN appeals for nuclear test ban amid ‘alarming rise in global mistrust’

In his message marking the International Day against Nuclear Tests, Secretary-General António Guterres appealed for key countries to ratify the international treaty that bans experiments for both peaceful and military purposes.

‘Recipe for annihilation’

“This year, we face an alarming rise in global mistrust and division,” he said. “At a time in which nearly 13,000 nuclear weapons are stockpiled around the world — and countries are working to improve their accuracy, reach and destructive power — this is a recipe for annihilation.”

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The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) therefore represents “a fundamental step in our quest for a world free of nuclear weapons,” he added.

The treaty opened for signature in September 1996 but has yet to enter into force because it must be signed and ratified by 44 specific nuclear technology holder countries, eight of which have yet to ratify it: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Pakistan and the United States.

“In the name of all victims of nuclear testing, I call on all countries that have not yet ratified the Treaty to do so immediately, without conditions,” said Mr. Guterres.

‘Unfinished business’

The President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, echoed this message during a commemorative event at UN Headquarters in New York.

“Heightened distrust, geopolitical competition and a growing number of armed conflicts have only increased the dangers in our world. Particularly if we consider the regular threats of resorting to a nuclear strike in the on-going war against Ukraine,” he said.

Mr. Kőrösi called for “a human-centred approach to disarmament” as investing in nuclear weapons is simply incompatible with global pledges to achieve a more sustainable future for all people and the planet.

He said the CTBT remains “a stark reminder that we have unfinished business” and urged the remaining countries to sign and ratify the treaty.

The General Assembly President also underscored the importance of learning from history “especially at such a moment, fraught with so many dangers.”

End the threat

He shared the example of a Japanese woman, Teruko Yahata, 85, who was a child when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945, destroying the city. Today, she delivers presentations to people worldwide about the impact of a nuclear blast.

“In the name of all those who suffered from nuclear testing or nuclear detonations, in the name of our loved ones, and the future generations, it is time to prevent global nuclear destruction,” he said. “It is time to put an end to the threat of our collective suicide.”

The UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, also stressed the urgency for action.

Although the CTBT has not entered into force, it remains “a monumental testament” to the global goal of relegating nuclear weapons to history.

“The unilateral moratoria against tests adopted by the nuclear-weapon States are to be commended. However, they are no substitute for a legally binding prohibition against all nuclear tests,” she said.

Walk the talk

The International Day Against Nuclear Tests has been observed annually on 29 August since 2010.

The date marks the anniversary of the 1991 closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in Kazakhstan, the largest of its kind in the former Soviet Union, where more than 450 nuclear devices were exploded over four decades.

The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), Kazakhstan and partners held a #StepUp4Disarmament symbolic walk at UN Headquarters on Tuesday morning, to mark the International Day – part of a global campaign to press for a world free from nuclear weapons.

Sudan: ‘Civilians need life-saving assistance now,’ says UN relief chief

The latest funds, approved by Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, builds upon previous support, bringing the total CERF funding for the crisis to $60 million.

“As humanitarian needs soar in Sudan with critically low funding, I have approved an additional $20 million from CERF,” Mr. Griffiths said in a post on social media platform, X.

“Civilians need life-saving assistance now, humanitarians need access and funding to deliver it.”

In spite of the latest funding injection, resources remain critically low for relief efforts in Sudan.

So far the $2.57 billion Humanitarian Response Plan has reached only 26 per cent of its funding target. Aid workers hope to reach 18.1 million of the approximately 25 million in need of assistance.

Huge wave of displacement

The four-month conflict in Sudan has triggered a huge wave of displacement. Over 3.6 million Sudanese have been uprooted within the country and a further one million outside its borders.

More than 240,000 Sudanese refugees and South Sudanese refugees, previously sheltering in Sudan, have crossed into South Sudan since the crisis erupted, in increasingly desperate conditions, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).

“There are limited health services, shelter, water and sanitation for returnees, refugees and the host population,” the agency said.

“The priority remains facilitating onward transportation for new arrivals away from the border. However, funding for this is also running out, risking further backlogs”.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, meets a group of young Sudanese refugees in a refugee settlement in Aweil, South Sudan.

Regional response

UNCHR chief Filippo Grandi, who just concluded a four-day visit to South Sudan, underscored the need for strong government leadership and ownership of the response to the new emergency.

“Efforts need to be intensified to create conditions for sustainable returns,” he said.

While additional support is required for emergency assistance for those arriving, investment in basic infrastructure and services will be crucial to make these unplanned returns sustainable.

UNHCR is working with humanitarian partners to revise the Regional Refugee Response Plan for Sudan situation. Overall funding needs for emergency assistance, including food, shelter, healthcare, education and protection, are expected to reach over $1 billion by the end of 2023.

“People are going to need support to rebuild their lives. We cannot afford to let them down,” Mr. Grandi said.

Ukraine: Widespread learning loss continues due to war, COVID-19

“Inside Ukraine, attacks on schools have continued unabated, leaving children deeply distressed and without safe spaces to learn”, declared Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, who recently returned from the country.

“Not only has this left Ukraine’s children struggling to progress in their education, but they are also struggling to retain what they learnt when their schools were fully functioning,” she said.

Going backwards

According to the latest survey data, up to 57 per cent of teachers report a deterioration in students’ Ukrainian language abilities, up to 45 per cent of educators point to a reduction in maths skills, while 52 per cent report a reduction in foreign language abilities.

Only a third of children of primary and secondary age are learning fully in-person. Another third of enrolled students are learning through a mixed approach of in-person and online, and one-third are fully remote.

Online learning can complement in-person learning and provide a short-term solution, but it cannot fully replace in-person classes, which are especially critical for social development and foundational learning among young children, said the UNICEF Director.

According to national survey data, two-thirds of preschool-age children are not attending any kind of learning facility. In frontline areas, three-quarters of parents report not sending their children to preschool, UNICEF noted.

Psychological support is important for the future of Ukraine’s children.

Half of child refugees out of school

For Ukraine’s refugee children, there is yet more uncertainty, with more than half of children from preschool to secondary school not enrolled in national education systems across seven countries hosting refugees.

Pre-schoolers and secondary-age students are the most likely to miss out. Language barriers, difficulty in accessing school, and overstretched education systems are among the contributing factors, said UNICEF.

Some young refugees are likely attempting to study online, either via the Ukrainian curriculum or through other distance learning platforms whereas others may have completely abandoned their education, the agency warned.

In times of crisis or war, schools provide far more than a place of learning, Ms. De Dominicis said. They can provide children who have already endured loss, displacement and violence with a sense of routine and safety, a chance to build friendships and get help from teachers.

They can promote access to vaccines, nutrition and services to support mental health and well-being.

Government alliance

UNICEF is working with governments and partners on the ground in Ukraine and countries hosting refugee children and families to help increase access to quality learning.

They agency is also working with the Ukrainian Government to support learning recovery and alignment with regional standards to remove barriers to education and ensure lifelong learning for all.

This includes rehabilitating schools and providing much needed catch-up classes in core subjects, with the aim of supporting 300,000 children at risk of learning losses in Ukraine over the coming school year.

Mali: ‘MINUSMA is leaving, but the UN is staying’, Mission chief says

Briefing the Security Council, El-Ghassim Wane, who is also the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali, updated ambassadors on the Mission’s withdrawal process.

Vital work

“MINUSMA may be leaving Mali, but the United Nations, through its agencies, funds, and programs, remains. Their work has never been as vital as it is today,” he said, welcoming assurances received from Malian authorities regarding security of UN personnel.

Mr. Wane called for additional funding for the UN Country Team and all humanitarians working there to enable them to continue supporting Mali’s development efforts.

MINUSMA was established by the Security Council in 2013, following a coup the previous year. Over the past decade, it has become the UN’s most challenging peacekeeping mission, suffering over 303 fatalities amid continuing extremist violence and rampant insecurity across much of the north and centre.

By December, the mission’s 12 camps and one temporary operating base will be closed and handed over to transitional authorities, while its uniformed personnel numbering about 12,947 will be repatriated.

Civilian staff will also be drawn down, and equipment – a load of approximately 5,500 sea containers and nearly 4,000 vehicles – relocated to other missions or repatriated to the countries that provided them.

Making the transition

In an exclusive interview with UN News shortly before the briefing, Special Representative Wane said that though a lot remains to be done before the closure, the Mission is helping Malian actors prepare to take over once it has left the country.

In early August, MINUSMA convened a roundtable with authorities to brief them on what it has achieved over the past ten years, as well as what remains to be accomplished.

“A lot remains to be done obviously. And the objective was to help them prepare as much as they can to take over…and continue the stabilisation efforts we have been supporting for the past ten years,” he said, adding the UN was in Mali before MINUSMA was deployed and “we will continue to offer support to the Malian people and government.”

Mr. Wane also highlighted that the Mission is committed to ensuring the closest coordination possible so that its departure does not result in a void, that could make the country more unstable and civilians more vulnerable.

Fraught with challenges

The withdrawal process, outlined in Security Council resolution 2690, has been structured in two phases, with the first phase underway since July. This phase involved the closure of MINUSMA’s smaller outposts and camps located in remote regions.

In his briefing, Mr. Wane spoke of the progress thus far, which had been fraught with challenges.

He recounted the difficulties encountered during the closure of MINUSMA’s Ber camp, including an arduous 51-hour journey – to cover a mere 57 kilometres or 35 miles – to Timbuktu through difficult terrain, made worse by the rains and insecurity.

“The convoy was attacked twice by unidentified extremist elements, injuring four peacekeepers and damaging three vehicles,” he said.

The second phase, scheduled to last until mid-December and focusing on the closure of six more bases, also presents logistical and security challenges.

These include covering distances of up to 563 kilometres – about 350 miles – and managing over 1,050 truckloads of equipment, while braving the threat of ambushes and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The political dimension

At the same time, the political dimension cannot be overlooked, Mr. Wane said, noting disagreements on the fate of vacated camps between Mali’s military and the Signatory Movements of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali.

He highlighted the urgent need for common ground to avoid incidents that could hamper the withdrawal process and jeopardize the prospects for resuming the peace process.

Niger factor

The UN envoy also noted that the situation in Niger in the aftermath of the current military takeover also impacts MINUSMA’s withdrawal plan, given that routes to ports in Cotonou (Benin) and Lomé (Togo) cross Niger.

“It is crucial that we can transport equipment and materials across Niger to these ports for their subsequent repatriation to the concerned troop and police-contributing countries,” he said.

Video: Press briefing by Mr. El Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and Head of MINUSMA

Russia hits ‘new low’ with ban against discrediting army: Rights experts

The law was adopted shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Special Rapporteurs said they had already raised serious concerns over the law with the Russian Government and through public statements.

“The decision to deny constitutional protection of the right to freedom of expression constitutes a new low in Russia’s clampdown on the freedom of expression and the free flow of information,” the UN Human Rights Council-appointed experts said.

“The interpretation of the Constitutional Court and the rejection of complaints challenging these legislative provisions will silence all those expressing critical views regarding Russia’s so-called ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine,” they continued.

‘A drastic step’

Russia has arrested nearly 20,000 people for protesting the war in Ukraine, while an additional 7,000 people have been arrested for actions that allegedly “discredited” the military, the Special Rapporteurs said.

“The law has no other objective than silencing critical expression in relation to the war in Ukraine. The legislation is a drastic step in a long string of measures over the years restricting freedom of expression and media freedom, and further shrinking civic space in the Russian Federation,” the experts said.

The Russian Constitutional Court has rendered decisions in 24 cases over discrediting the armed forces and rejected all legal challenges to the law. The Court based its decisions on the grounds that the use of the armed forces and the exercise of power by State bodies were prerogatives of the national Government.

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‘Severe crackdown’

The Court also referred to the citizen’s duty to defend the fatherland, vague principles of trust between society and the State, and political and social solidarity.

The Special Rapporteurs warned that scores of activists, journalists, and human rights defenders face harsh punishments ranging from five to 15 years imprisonment.

“The Constitutional Court decisions will exacerbate an already severe crackdown on civil society, independent media, and critical voices,” the Special Rapporteurs said

“We respectfully urge the Constitutional Court to change course and guarantee freedom of expression in Russia, and urge Russian authorities to repeal the legislation,” they added.

Special Rapporteurs

Special Rapporteurs are part of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, work on a voluntary and unpaid basis, are not UN staff, and work independently from any government or organisation.

Yemen oil tanker: ‘Pivotal chapter’ concludes but important work remains

The meticulous effort onboard the rusting FSO Safer spanned months of preparation and nearly 13 weeks of execution by the SMIT salvage team, which was contracted by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

ASteiner

“The UN and the broad group of partners that support the Safer project have so far succeeded in preventing the worst-case scenario of a massive oil spill in the Red Sea which with obvious potential catastrophic environmental, humanitarian and economic repercussions,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at a regular UN press briefing, in New York.

Oil from the Safer was transferred to the replacement vessel Yemen, formerly known as Nautica. The Yemen cast off from the Safer Sunday night, local time, to a holding anchorage point pending the installation of specialized equipment for safely storing the volatile cargo.

Critical work remains

“However, critical work remains,” Mr. Dujarric continued, noting that a specialized buoy is yet to be delivered and installed to moor the Yemen to the Safer for safe storage of the oil, as well as the towing and recycling of the old tanker.

To complete the project, $22 million is still required. Generous Member States, the private sector and the global public have already provided $121 million in funding.

“We are counting on further generous support to finish this critical mission,” Mr. Dujarric urged.

Worst case scenario averted

A spill from FSO Safer would have devastated fishing communities on Yemen’s Red Sea coast, and exposed thousands of communities to life-threatening toxins and caused irreversible damage to sea life, coral reefs and mangroves.

It would have closed the ports of Hudaydah and Saleef – which bring food, fuel and life-saving supplies into a country where 17 million are dependent on international assistance for survival.

Tourism also would have suffered greatly and vital shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait to the Suez Canal could have been disrupted, costing billions of dollars per day.

The potential cost of clean-up alone was estimated at $20 billion.

War-ravaged

Constructed in 1976 as a supertanker and converted a decade later to be a floating storage and offloading facility (FSO) for oil, the Safer is moored about 4.8 nautical miles off the coast of Hudaydah Governorate in Yemen.

The vessel’s structural integrity deteriorated significantly due to lack of repair and maintenance following the outbreak of the war in Yemen in 2015, putting the ship at risk of breaking apart.

Malawi: Truck drivers learn about risks of human trafficking

“I used to transport sugar from Malawi,” said an anonymous driver, who was arrested for migrant trafficking. “In 2016, I had to wait for several days at a border crossing in Tanzania for customs checks. I was approached by a man who offered me a lot of money to transport goats.”

His story is not unique.

Malawi is located at the crossroads of several significant flows of people fleeing conflict, instability, and poverty in Central Africa and the Horn of Africa.

Such movements provide lucrative opportunities for smugglers and traffickers and for Malawi’s 5,000 registered international truck drivers.

The driver who shared his story said he was paid in advance, and the man who offered him the deal took photos of both him and his truck. The driver proceeded to spend some of the money and send more to his wife.

“On the day I was due to leave, the man told me the ‘goats’ were actually 30 illegal migrants from Ethiopia,” he said. “They looked very sick, tired, and malnourished. He said I had to take them to a location in Malawi that’s close to a large refugee camp.”

Smuggler threats

A truck travels up to East Africa.

When the driver tried to protest, the smuggler demanded his money back and threatened to take the truck and share photos of him with the authorities.

“This is how it all started, and soon it became my main business,” he said. “The man would pay me a lot of money and escort me in a small car, so he could bribe corrupt police and immigration officers along the way.”

According to the driver, he was initially not aware that what he was doing was illegal.

Then, in 2019, he was arrested in Mozambique while transporting 72 migrants from Malawi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

“Now I’m sick, unemployed, and divorced,” the driver said.

Trafficking risks

Truck drivers based in Malawi are now learning about the risks of transporting migrants and trafficking victims, thanks to a programme supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The courses, which began in February, are already proving to be a success.

Feckson Chimodzi, a truck driver who transports farming products from countries in Southern Africa into Malawi and also participated in the course, said drivers who work with smugglers and traffickers often do it “out of necessity” to supplement their low salaries.

“Our employers need to improve our working conditions and give us comprehensive training about the dangers of getting involved in these crimes,” Mr. Chimodzi said.

Strict penalties

UNODC

Maxwell Matewere, addresses a local community in Malawi about the threat of human trafficking.

Criminals who smuggle or traffic humans within countries or across borders use all possible routes and modes of transportation to transfer people for profit and exploitation.

If apprehended by authorities, the truck drivers are usually arrested and imprisoned, explained Maxwell Matewere, a UNODC National Project Officer on trafficking in persons.

“There’s a lack of understanding of human trafficking and migrant smuggling in the region, and payment for illegally transporting people is much larger than the regular truck driver’s salary,” said Mr. Matewere, who conducts the training.

“Most drivers know what they’re doing is illegal, but are told that when they cross borders, corrupt officials will let them pass,” he said. “So, they take the money and the risk.”

Vehicle confiscations and arrests

IOM/Alexander Bee

Migrants travel by foot and by vehicle across Africa in order to reach Europe and other destinations.

Following a series of vehicle confiscations and arrests in neighbouring countries, the Professional Drivers Association of Malawi asked UNODC to train its members on the dangers of transporting smuggled migrants and victims of trafficking.

A total of four courses for around 400 drivers have been conducted, with further sessions scheduled in October. The participants are informed about the penalties they face if caught, including the loss of both their truck and employment, a criminal record, and potential imprisonment of up to 14 years in a foreign country.

Positive impact, new allies

Since the start of the UNODC courses, the Professional Drivers Association has reported a reduction in the number of arrests of Malawian drivers on charges of migrant smuggling and human trafficking.

Many drivers who attended the training are proving to be “very useful allies” in the prevention and detection of cases of migrant smuggling and human trafficking, said Mr. Matewere said.

United Nations

“We explain that migrant smuggling and human trafficking are serious organized criminal activities punishable by laws in Malawi and the countries the drivers transit, such as Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique,” he said.

“Furthermore, the drivers are told that these crimes are linked to exploitation, abuse, and violence and can even result in death, and we tell them about the connections to other illicit activities such as drugs and firearms smuggling,” he added.

Last year, Malawi’s Ministry for Homeland Security appointed a new group of law enforcement officers to counter the increasing cases of migrant smuggling and human trafficking.

“We’ve established contact between the truck drivers we trained and this specialised unit, so they now know who to inform when they’ve been approached by criminals to carry people in their vehicles,” Mr. Matewere said.

Since May, seven attempts of human trafficking and migrant smuggling have been stopped by authorities at border crossings due to information from truck drivers. A recent case involved 40 Malawians, including children, who were being taken in three trucks to South Africa and intercepted on the border with Zambia.

The awareness-raising courses are organized through UNODC’s human trafficking and migrant smuggling section, with the cooperation of Malawi’s Ministry of Homeland Security and financial support from the Government of Sweden.

Find out more about how UNODC is tackling human trafficking and migrant smuggling here.

New UN guidance affirms children’s right to a clean, healthy environment

General Comment No. 26 marks the first time the Committee has affirmed children’s right to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

It provides a comprehensive interpretation of State obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been ratified by 196 countries.

The 1989 treaty outlines children’s rights, including to life, health, clean drinking water, and survival and development.

A General Comment provides legal guidance on how children’s rights are impacted by a specific topic or area of legislation, with the latest addressing environmental rights with a special focus on climate change.

Amplifying children’s voices

Children have been at the forefront of the fight against climate change, urging governments and corporations to take action to safeguard their lives and the future, said Committee member Philip Jaffé.

“With its General Comment No. 26, the Committee on the Rights of the Child not only echoes and amplifies children’s voices, but also clearly defines the rights of children in relation to the environment that States Parties should respect, protect and fulfil collectively and urgently,” he added.

In Glasgow, Scotland, people take part in a demonstration for climate action, led by youth climate activists and organized on the sidelines of the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).

Accountability today and tomorrow

The General Comment explicitly addresses the climate emergency, the collapse of biodiversity and pervasive pollution.

It specifies that States are responsible not only for protecting children’s rights from immediate harm, but also for foreseeable violations of their rights in the future due to action, or inaction, today.

Furthermore, it underlines that States can be held accountable for environmental harm occurring both within their borders and beyond.

Countries that have ratified the UN child rights convention are urged to take immediate action including towards phasing out fossil fuels and shifting to renewable energy sources, improving air quality, ensuring access to clean water, and protecting biodiversity.

‘A vital step forward’

The guidance also states that children’s views must be considered in environmental decision-making and stresses the critical role of environmental education.

David Boyd, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, called General Comment No. 26 “a vital step forward” in recognizing that every child has the right to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable world.

“Governments must now take urgent action to address the global environmental crisis in order to breathe life into these inspiring words,” he said.

General Comment No. 26 is the outcome of global and intergenerational engagement, including broad consultation with UN Member States, international and regional organizations, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, and children themselves.

‘A child rights crisis’

The UN Committee’s partner, the Swiss organization Terre des Hommes, led a process with multi-level stakeholders, significantly involving and engaging children through online consultations to inform the text.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also provided further technical expertise and helped collect views from children as part of the consultation process.

General Comment No. 26 assists in interpreting States’ commitment under the Paris Agreement on climate change to respect, promote and consider their child rights obligations when taking climate action.

“The climate crisis is a child rights crisis,” said Paloma Escudero, UNICEF Special Adviser on Advocacy for Child Rights and Climate Action.

“Every government has an obligation to protect the rights of every child in every corner of the planet, especially those boys and girls living in countries that have contributed least to this problem but are enduring the most dangerous floods, droughts, storms and heat.”