Save the Children launches a new campaign on climate change in Nigeria
…….Climate crisis impacts the quality and quantity of food production due to drought, crop failure, and decreased nutritional value of crops
Save the Children International Nigeria has launched a new campaign called, “Generation Hope”, to create awareness of the impact of climate change in Nigeria. The child-led advocacy and campaign initiative will use different approaches to bring the messages to the grassroots on how climate change is greatly affecting the survival, learning and development of children.
The Campaign builds on the ground-breaking global report of Save the Children International launched in 2022 which drew insights from the 54,000 children Save the Children heard from in a major consultation across the countries. The report showed how the multiple, overlapping risks are linked to and exacerbate the global food, nutrition and cost of living crisis that is causing 345 million people in 82 countries to face a severe lack of food.
Save the Children believes that the climate and inequality crisis is a risk multiplier, eroding children and communities resilience to shocks. If it is not urgently addressed, the frequency and severity of humanitarian and cost of living crises may continue to increase in the years ahead, hence the need to take pragmatic actions to create the necessary awareness among people aimed at changing the behaviour and practice that heighten the effect of climate change.
Amanuel Mamo, Director of Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication and Media for Save the Children International Nigeria said, “the climate crisis is a child rights crisis. It is a concern for children’s survival, development, learning, protection, and other rights. We cannot talk about achieving the Sustainable Development Goals or claiming to be making progress in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child until we address the issues of climate change as it has a direct link to poverty, hunger, education, protection, access to good health among others. For us to achieve positive results, children must be carried along in all actions and approaches we take towards the fight against climate change even though they contribute little or nothing to the causes of climate change.”
With the Generation Hope Campaign, Save the Children will be contributing towards reducing the impact of climate change in Nigeria through an ambition that will positively influence and advocate for climate policies, strategy plans, practices and financing for child-centred services, food security, early warning, and emergency preparedness in the coming years. The goal is to reduce the impact of climate change and inspire public and political action to guarantee children’s right to a clean and safe environment in Nigeria. Save the Children believes that children contributed the least to the climate crisis, and yet they pay the highest price. We however recognize the legitimacy and power of the voice and leadership of children to bring the desired change into the climate change advocacy in Nigeria.
Utibe Abasi, Girl Champion for Save the Children International in Cross River State said, “climate change is like a storm brewing in slow motion, and we’re the only ones who can stop it. Climate change is not just an environmental issue, it’s a human survival issue. It affects us more as children. Children are disproportionately affected by and uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Inequality and discrimination experienced by girls are likely to be amplified by the climate crisis as well as the measures that are adapted to address these. We, the children have a role to play in addressing it, and the government are bound by duty to protect children from the effect of this ticking time bomb.”
Save the Children calls upon the government and all stakeholders to double all efforts in fighting the scourge of climate change while promoting good practices and action for a sustainable environment for the benefit of future generation and mankind. We encourage the adoption of climate change curriculum in the Nigerian education system so that the children can be able to learn and adapt to climate changes as they grow up.
