Climate change and children’s rights
“Climate change has become a global issue that impacts everyone’s life, but certain groups are much more heavily burdened by this phenomenon. One of the most vulnerable social groups is children, who are in the most exposed position worldwide. It is their present and future that are most threatened by the disasters and challenges caused by climate change. In this light, it is clear that the climate crisis is also a children’s rights crisis.
On September 27th, I had the opportunity to raise awareness about this at the Researchers’ Night held at the Social Science Research Center, where Ágnes Lux (children’s rights expert) and Gábor Kecskés (international environmental lawyer) and I held an interactive session on the connection between climate change and children’s rights.
During the session, participants learned that climate change is not just an ecological or economic issue but also a serious social and human rights challenge. As a result, children’s basic rights—such as the right to health, education, and social security—are much more easily violated in the unstable environment created by climate change.
As a Young Ambassador for UNICEF Hungary, I feel it is my duty to highlight the problems affecting my generation. The Researchers’ Night provided an excellent opportunity to do just that! I am very grateful to the experts for the trust they showed me during the discussion, to UNICEF Hungary for the opportunity to represent young people, and to the Csányi Foundation, which is always there to support the work I do!”
Gyula Pege, Group 3, Jászság
