* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Growing mental health, educational and sexual violence threats to children need to be addressed now
Runjini Raman is a senior officer for protection, gender and inclusion in Southeast Asia for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Since I became a mother, the growing impacts of more ferocious and frequent climate disasters have taken on added dimensions. It is the same for most parents. As we endure a global pandemic, we wonder what other disasters our children will endure in their lifetime.
Children already experiencing inequality and discrimination are the most at risk from the perils of disasters yet are often an afterthought when governments and agencies respond to emergencies.
Severe climate disasters are hitting Asia and other regions of the world more often. It is clear that much more needs to be done to prioritise the physical and mental wellbeing of children.
Risks from extreme climate disasters are much greater for children than their grandparents.
Children born in 2020 are nearly seven times more likely to experience heatwaves, nearly three times more likely to experience floods, and 2.6 times more droughts than their grandparents, according to a Vrije Universiteit Brussel study.
It is imperative that children, young people and their carers get a say in how we prepare for and respond to disasters. Protecting children from climate-related disasters is an urgent priority.
A new International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) study shows that climate-related disasters are increasingly making children worried, leading to growing risks of mental health issues.
The IFRC researchers surveyed 30,000 children and youth in Southeast Asia and found that children are not being given the right education about climate change. The study found that young people are not protected from increased risks of violence and do not have opportunities to meaningfully participate in local and global solutions.
The research finds that children worry about the toll on their mental health and ability to continue their education. They are concerned about violence, abuse, and exploitation. They worry that adults around them are not taking climate change and related disasters seriously enough.
There is growing evidence that disasters increase children’s risk of sexual and gender-based violence.
It is a serious concern that the IFRC research shows that children do not know how to seek help. More than half of the participants in the study said they would like to know more about where to get help and how to help others.
Even more troubling: many children stated that they would not tell anyone if they were being threatened or had been hurt by someone.
Stronger education about sexual and gender-based violence is crucial for children. Violence is often normalized and adolescent survivors face discrimination. As one child participant in the study put it, “We need to take care about the violence endured by children, not just focus on giving them a chance to play.”
Children know all too well that disasters result in catastrophic loss. Families lose income and their homes causing huge mental stress. In turn, there are big impacts on the physical and mental health of children and reduced opportunities for success in the longer term.
Children understand what is happening and yet do not feel they are being protected or prioritised. As adults, we need to do better.
So how can governments and humanitarian agencies better protect children from violence, which increases during emergencies, from typhoons to pandemics?
We must invest more in education plans to enable children to attend school with minimal interruptions despite destruction, displacement or loss of livelihoods caused by disasters. Adequate planning helps girls continue education and prevents child marriage.
There must be much greater investment in making child services accessible and free of stigma. Services and education need to be better linked and strengthened to make schools safer.
All levels of government and response agencies need to recognise the severe impacts of climate disasters on children. We need to prioritise young people and their participation at every step of developing policies and programs in responding to this worsening climate crisis.
We must ensure children of diverse ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds, especially those who are often left out in society, have meaningful opportunities to participate in determining their future. Children and teenagers need ongoing support and development to contribute meaningful leadership.
Those responsible for protecting children in disasters need to put talk into action when a disaster is anticipated, rather than waiting until a disaster strikes. This involves bringing together local disaster management agencies, schools, government ministries, and women’s and children’s advocacy groups to discuss concrete steps needed to best prevent violence, abuse, and exploitation.
We need to move away from a “one size fits all” approach. Faced with more extreme climate disasters, children and youth are telling us what they think needs to happen. It is in our hands to do better. Our future depends on it.
