Global Campus International Conference 2021 – Climate Change and Children: Impact, Rights and Participation

Climate change has been identified by United Nations’ agencies and experts as one of the biggest threats to children’s health. Globally, children are being detrimentally affected by climate shocks (e.g. droughts, floods, cyclones) and related diseases, polluted air, soil and water, exposure to toxic substances. Despite contributing the least to the causes of climate change, children are the worst affected by it, right now and in the future.

As the impact of climate change is child-sensitive, any response to it has to be child-sensitive too. Even more, it has to fully include meaningful consultation and direct participation of children in line with article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that ‘the child who is capable of forming his or her own views has the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child’. The Convention also recognises the rights of the child to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. In this light, it is significant that much as (adult) concerns on the impact of climate change have raised worldwide, so have the voices of children and adolescents who have mobilised demanding States to take measures in mitigating the impact of climate change and start immediate actions.

The International Conference from 10 to 12 May 2021 on Climate Change and Children: impact, rights and participation will bring together experts, representatives of States, international and non-governmental organisations, policymakers, academics and students from different regions of the world to discuss and debate on the importance of a child rights-based approach to climate action and to suggest options ensuring child participation in such policy developments. The conference is being coordinated by the Global Campus Caucasus and it will be organised in a hybrid or fully online format.

For more information and registration please contact: info@ces.am

Yerevan State University, Armenia.