S Africa Urged to Include Children in Climate Agenda

As South Africa declared the first Saturday of November as the National Children's Day and prepares for the 17th Conference of Parties (COP 17) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the international body responsible for children is urging relevant authorities to consult children on what they believe to be the key issues surrounding climate change, the impact of Climate Change on them and what role children can play to address climate change.

International Children's Day particular focuses on children from underdeveloped countries affected by sustained socio-economic instability, violence and war. In South Africa the aim of the Day is used to highlight progress being made towards the realization and promotion of rights of children.

The United Nations Children's Fund-South Africa (UNICEF-SA) in partnership with the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities (DWCPD) commissioned a study to highlight the importance of child participation in designing effective responses to climate change.

Speaking with Xinhua on Tuesday, UNICEF-SA Communication Officer Kate Pawelczyk said the study will be launched on Saturday in Pretoria.

The UN body says governments must engage children to participate in climate change mitigation and adaptation planning platforms.

"In spite of their increased vulnerability, children cannot be viewed simply as victims of climate change. Children need to be -- and have a right to be -- actively involved in the discussions and planning of mitigation and adaptation strategies, as well as policies and plans by various levels of government," Pawelczyk said in a statement.

The study titled "The Impact of Climate Change on Children in South Africa" will highlight the expected impact of climate change on children's health, education, nutrition, safety and access to adequate housing and sanitation in South Africa -- both directly and indirectly.

In 2009, South Africa President Jacob Zuma introduced DWCPD to emphasize the need for equity and access to development opportunities for vulnerable groups within South African society.

DWCPD was created to transform South Africa into a society that protects and develops the human potential of its children and to institutionalize regular timelines for South African reporting on relevant Children's issues at national, African Union (AU) and UN levels.

Recently speaking at a business breakfast meeting in Cape Town, Zuma said currently South Africa has more than 10.5 million children who benefit from the child support grant, while providing foster care benefits to over 563,000 vulnerable children.

In efforts to involve children on climate change debates, Pretoria appointed three youngsters in the middle of the year as climate change youth ambassadors for the country.

"The earth has been diagnosed with a sickness, and we have to cure it," said one of the ambassadors, 15-year-old Shraddha Rajcoomar.

The youth ambassadors are expected to participate at the COP17. The initiative driven by eThekwini municipality the host of COP17 aims to get the South African youth vocal about climate change.

"It is indeed a great honor to represent South African youth at COP17. As a Climate Change ambassador, I believe it is my responsibility to encourage change in youth perceptions on climate change and environmental sustainability," another ambassador Aluwani Nemukula said.

eThekwini (To editor: this word is correct) Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department says the Climate Change Youth Ambassadors will continue to work with municipalities across the country beyond COP17 bringing real awareness and local action on climate change.

Pawelczyk said the study will reveal initiatives that can be strengthened to create a solid foundation for effective participation by children on climate change agenda. "Such issues can feed into, and strengthen policy and national response," she said.

"Currently, most climate change-related policies do not adequately examine the specific impact of changing climatic conditions on children," Pawelczyk said.

In preparation for the study that will be launched a week before COP 17, UNICEF and partners have been engaging with children from schools across the country to better understand their concerns and ideas for addressing climate change.

"The youth have to stop seeing the earth as another entity. Climate change is a disease and it affects everyone. The youth believe the weather predictions every day, why not believe the scientists when they predict how the earth will be affected?" Shraddha said as reported by Buanews.

On Tuesday, Faith Maseko told Xinhua that a grade 9 student in Johannesburg called for more awareness about climate change among students.

"Many of us don't know about climate change, few understand it, " Maseko told Xinhua. "Serious education about climate change is required at schools," she said, suggesting climate change as a subject "on its own" at schools.

Maseko also called on the government to send weather experts to schools to teach students about climate change.

"If possible government must invite parents during such sessions," she suggested.