Tag: Save the Children

The press release issued by Save the Children on 4 November 2022.

• 70% are worried about the world they will inherit, Save the Children finds

• Children available for interview: ‘We feel powerless and scared. The government must do more’

Climate anxiety is rising in children in the UK, with 70% worried about the world they will inherit, new research revealed in the run-up to COP27 this weekend.

A survey of 3,000 children for Save the Children sent a powerful message to Rishi Sunak and other world leaders gathering in Egypt: no fewer than 75% want the government to take stronger action on the climate and inequality crisis.

Some 60% think climate change and inequality are affecting their generation’s mental health in the UK. More than half (56%) believe it is also causing a deterioration in child mental health globally.

Caroline Hickman, a lecturer at the University of Bath, psychotherapist and climate anxiety expert, describes children as having deep concerns about climate change that are going unheard.

“Why wouldn’t children worry when they look at the state the world is currently in? An increase in climate disasters, on track to become worse, and deepening inequality. They are aware this is the world they are growing up in, and it seems no one is taking their concern seriously,” she said.

“Children care about the world and what is happening – these figures reflect exactly that. Their response is natural, in fact, healthy. The solution to ease climate anxiety is actually quite simple: taking urgent action on the climate crisis and inequality.”

The survey results reveal a worrying snapshot of children’s perceptions of the world they are growing up in and what they may have to deal with in the future. Save the Children has previously warned that today’s children are set to face seven times more heatwaves during their lives than their grandparents. Many in the UK have experienced record-breaking temperatures this year.

“I’m worried about the world I’m inheriting because it’s something that’s out of my control… It’s in its most dire situation that it’s ever been in.” says 16-year-old Roisin, from County Antrim, a member of Save the Children’s Youth Advisory Board.

“A lot of the time we can feel powerless and out of control and people tend to be scared of things that they can’t control. The heat waves and storms really worry me because they are a clear sign of the consequence of inaction or action by humans.”

Save the Children’s survey of children aged 12-18 across the UK was published as the prime minister prepared to fly to Sharm El-Sheikh for COP27 after changing his mind about going.

Gwen Hines, the chief executive of Save the Children UK, said:

“This generation of children stand to inherit a deeply unequal world if immediate action is not taken.

“The level of anxiety children feel about the world they are growing up in is alarming but warranted. Children should be excited about the future but instead they are carrying the weight of huge global issues which they had no part in creating. We need to listen to children and start taking serious action on the climate crisis and growing inequality.

“It’s great the PM is attending COP27 but he must do more than just show up. It’s time for him and other world leaders to show children they are listening and prepared to protect their futures.

“Children are demanding a greener and more just future. We owe it to them to deliver that.”

Global leaders at COP last year made commitments to tackle climate change, but progress has been slow and fragmented, reflecting a global failure to step up for children’s futures.  Under the UK’s COP presidency, pledges made in Glasgow did not go far enough to address the climate crisis Save the Children believes. The UK’s decision to slash the aid budget has also left it struggling to meet its own climate pledges. The government has yet to make a promised payment of $288 million to the Green Climate Fund (GCF)- a fund set up to provide climate finance to poorer countries- which it had committed to do by September this year.

“Even if we’re in an economic crisis, we still are definitely more advantaged than developing countries would be. So therefore, I worry that we’re getting too comfortable and just taking care of ourselves rather than taking care of everyone,” added Roisin.

Sixteen-year-old William, from Chorley, who is also on Save the Children’s Youth Advisory Board, shared his fears that those in power will fail to act:

“We know that climate change is a threat, and it can be detrimental to our way of life and what our futures will look like. For me personally, I do have some anxieties, particularly when governments don’t seem to want to act to alleviate the consequences.”

Save the Children is calling on the UK government to step up its action to address the climate and inequality crisis by meeting its fair share of a $100 billion international climate finance commitment and mobilising support for a new commitment in the trillions to match scale of the problem. The agency is also urging the government to ensure children’s rights are at the heart of climate finance by maintaining the services children rely on during climate disasters, including education, health and social protection.

The press release issued by Save the Children on 29 October 2022.

At the onset of tropical storm Paeng -international name, Nalgae – Save the Children Philippines immediately deployed humanitarian response teams on Friday 28 October, to conduct rapid assessment on impacted areas in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol, Eastern Samar, Panay Island, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Around 4.5 million people, of which 1.4 million are children, have been affected based on initial reports. The figures are expected to increase as Nalgae is poised to strengthen and become the 16th typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2022.

In Maguindanao, Save the Children’s response teams are on the ground assessing the scale of the devastation and the needs of those affected. . So far, 67 of the 72 recorded deaths are in Maguindanao where about  78,000 families were reportedly affected by severe flooding.

Meanwhile, Save the Children’s response teams in Luzon and Visayas, along with teams from civil society organisation partners, are currently monitoring and responding to the urgent needs of the affected children and their families..

Jerome Balinton, Humanitarian Manager at Save the Children Philippines, said: “We are working to help affected families recover as fast as possible and putting in place disaster preparedness measures to reduce the impact of the storms. No child must be left behind, especially in times of emergencies.”

Atty. Alberto Muyot, CEO of Save the Children Philippines, said: “In any crisis, children are always the most vulnerable. The message is loud and clear: children are most impacted by the climate crisis. That is why the whole of society must act now to safeguard future generations.”

Save the Children stands ready to respond with the immediate dispatch of prepositioned relief items. These include plastic sheets that can be used as temporary shelters to displaced families, vital household items and family hygiene kits to prevent the spread of diseases, school supplies for children and teachers, and temporary learning spaces to safely resume classes.

The press release issued by Save the Children on 27 October 2022.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Patron of Save the Children UK, has met families in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Uganda, to learn more about the impact conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has had on children’s lives.

Uganda currently hosts 5 million refugees – the largest refugee population in Africa. Due to the ongoing conflict in the DRC, thousands of refugees have crossed the border into Uganda this year.[1]

In March 2020, schools across the country shut down as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold. Uganda kept schools fully or partly closed for over a year and a half, meaning children in Uganda faced the world’s longest school closure due to the pandemic.[2] To help children successfully return to school, Save the Children launched Catch-up clubs to accelerate the recovery of lost learning.

Her Royal Highness visited a school in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement where she joined a Save the Children Catch-up Club and took part in an activity with children to work together and build a story from pictures. Later that day, The Princess also met children who have fled their homes due to the ongoing conflict in the DRC and are being supported by Save the Children’s child protection activities at a Child Friendly Space.

Dragana Strinic, Country Director of Save the Children Uganda said:

“It was an honour to host Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal today to raise awareness of the impact that conflict and Covid-19 school closures are having on millions of children in Uganda. Due to the ongoing conflict, Save the Children’s Catch-up Clubs have been a lifeline for children growing up in Kyangwali refugee settlement, without these clubs, some of these children may never have returned to school.”

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal has supported Save the Children for over fifty years. Queen Elizabeth II was a patron of the charity for 65 years, during this time they have both inspired thousands of supporters, volunteers, and staff, and highlighted the needs of some of the most disadvantaged children.

HRH The Princess Royal became the Patron of Save the Children UK in 2017 after serving as the charity’s President since 1970. The Princess Royal spends a significant amount of time visiting Save the Children’s projects, both overseas and in the UK. She has travelled to Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Over a quarter of a billion children are out of school globally and a record number of children – 1 in 6 – are living in war zones around the world.  The Children’s Emergency Fund allows Save the Children to support children growing up in conflict and help children keep learning in times of crises.

The press release issued by Save the Children on 27 October 2022.

As Syria’s first major outbreak of cholera in over a decade spreads, thousands of children in neighbouring countries are also at risk from the deadly disease, with Lebanon’s recorded cases nearly doubling since last week, Save the Children warned today.

A global shortage of cholera vaccines may exacerbate the outbreak, with the World Health Organization recently announcing that the standard two-dose vaccination will be suspended temporarily to allow for the available doses to be used in more countries.

Lebanon’s first cholera case since 1993 was recorded on 6 October in the rural northern governorate of Akkar. According to the Ministry of Public Health, there are now 803 suspected and confirmed cases, with at least 11 deaths reported. Children are most at risk from the deadly disease, with those under 14 making up more than 50% of cases.

With the country steeped in an unprecedented socio-economic crisis – plunging three-quarters of its population into poverty, with frequent power cuts and a worsening cash crisis deteriorating living conditions for millions of people – communities are being forced to rely on poor water sources to survive, as bottled water costs soar three to five times higher than last year. Years of underinvestment in water and sanitation infrastructure have also left systems and services ill-equipped to cope.

Lebanon shares a long border with Syria, where the number of suspected and confirmed cholera cases continue to increase. As of 15 October, 20,014  suspected cases have been reported and 75 deaths confirmed, according to the World Health Organization. Cases have been confirmed now in all 14 governorates in Syria.

Save the Children said that Syria’s cholera outbreak likely started due to communities consuming contaminated water and food irrigated by the Euphrates River, which is experiencing historic low water levels mainly due to Syria’s worst drought in decades.

Nadia* in Raqqa, Syria, is a mother of five children, two of whom were previously sick with diarrhoea and bowel inflammation after consuming contaminated water.

“I’m very concerned that my children may get cholera. I try to buy them bottled mineral water, but it is very expensive for us, especially since we are a displaced family with very limited means. I hope the water becomes safe for us and our children,” said Nadia. 

Hamdan Alsallan, Save the Children’s Area Manager in Raqqa, North East Syria, said:

“We are expecting cholera to continue to spread if adequate measures are not taken. Millions of people depend on the Euphrates River for their water needs, which is also being used to grow and water crops.”

Meanwhile, Iraq saw cholera cases skyrocket this summer to 865 confirmed cases[i]. People displaced within the country were particularly affected by the outbreak, thought to be caused by vegetables irrigated with sewage water due to drought in major rivers[ii].

The outbreak predominantly affected the north of the country. However, since prolonged drought is still affecting irrigation systems, there are concerns there will be a renewed cholera outbreak in the coming weeks. Movement of people across borders could accelerate a potential outbreak.

Climate change, lack of food and access to health services have left millions of children in countries like Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria in poor health. They are the most vulnerable to the spread of this preventable disease, which is likely to continue spreading in countries with strained health and water systems.

There are also fears of a potential cholera outbreak in neighbouring Jordan, where authorities have taken measures on its borders with Iraq and Syria, including cholera surveillance and checking food entering the country.

Cholera surveillance is also ongoing in the Za’atari refugee camp, where about half the population are children. Save the Children, in partnership with UNHCR, is prioritising community health and hygiene education activities in the refugee camp.

Dr Ibrahim Shihab, Save the Children’s Regional Health Advisor for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, said:

“The spread of this disease could be a catastrophe for the region, where medical and sanitation infrastructures are already fragile. Children are particularly vulnerable to cholera outbreaks.

“In Syria, almost 35% of cases are among those below the age of 10. Cholera infection can have a very negative impact on pregnant women and children under 5 years old who are already suffering from other diseases, malnutrition, and lack of access to quality health care.

“Without appropriate and proper control and containment measures, we might see the outbreak extend to nearby countries.  We  are calling on donors to mobilise additional funding to address the outbreak and limit its impact on children”.

ENDs

1. https://www.emro.who.int/images/stories/homepage/WHO-Iraq-SitRep_Week-32.pdf?ua=1
2. https://reliefweb.int/report/iraq/iraq-cholera-epidemic-emergency-plan-action-epoa-dref-ndeg-mdriq015

The press release issued by Save the Children on 26 October 2022.

An estimated 774 million children across the world – or one third of the world’s child population – are living with the dual impacts of poverty and high climate risk, according to a new report by Save the Children.

The country with the highest percentage of children impacted by this double burden is South Sudan (87%), followed by the Central African Republic (85%) and Mozambique (80%).

Generation Hope: 2.4 billion reasons to end the global climate and inequality crisis, found that while 80% of children are estimated to be affected by at least one extreme climate event a year, some are at particular risk because they also face poverty. This means they have less capacity to protect themselves and recover.

The analysis revealed that India has the highest total number of children both living in poverty and bearing the brunt of the climate crisis, at 223 million. Nigeria and Ethiopia follow, with 58 million and 36 million children, respectively, living with this double burden.

The report used climate modelling from researchers at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and found that a significant number of children – 121 million – experiencing the double threat of high climate risk and poverty live in higher income countries. Twenty-eight million live in the world’s most affluent countries, with more than two out of five of these children (12.3 million) living in the US or the UK.

In the UK, it is estimated 3.2 million children out of 14.2 are in poverty and affected by a least one climate change event per year.

Globally, 183 million children face the triple threat of high climate risk, poverty and conflict. Out of the total child population experiencing this triple burden, children in Burundi (63%), Afghanistan (55%) and the Central African Republic (41%) are the most affected.

The climate and inequality crisis erodes children’s and communities’ resilience to shocks. If not urgently addressed, the frequency and severity of humanitarian and cost of living crises are set to increase in the years ahead.

Drawing on insights from the 54,000 children in a major consultation conducted earlier this year, the report also shows how these multiple, overlapping risks are linked to and exacerbate the current global food, nutrition and cost of living crisis that is causing 345 million people in 82 countries to face a severe lack of food.

Luciano, 12, lives in a displacement camp in Malawi. His family lost their home after cyclone Ana ripped through their island in January 2022. His family climbed out of the house and onto a tree, but Luciano’s younger brother was washed away by the floods. Luciano said:

“We moved to the camp because water flooded on the other side of the river and it surprised us at night, when we were sleeping. All we managed to save was a few of our clothes. We tried to save more items, but we couldn’t. My little brother was on top of the house. Whilst he was on top, the house collapsed, and suddenly he was gone.

“At the camp we do not eat enough food. When I used to live on the other side of the river, I was not like this. Now I have lost some weight. But I have hope and I would like to live the life I lived before the floods, again.

“I am always anxious that the floods will hit again because when they hit last time, they created a stream near our house that can easily flood when it rains.”

Gwen Hines, CEO of Save the Children UK, said:

“Across the world, inequalities are deepening the climate emergency and its impacts, most notably for children and low-income households. 

“Given the scale of the challenge, it would be easy to fall into despair. But we, as today’s generation of adults, must learn from children and dig deep into our reserves of hope for a greener and more just world. We must use this hope to drive action with children, putting our capacity for creativity and collaboration to work to end the climate and inequality crisis and push for the protection and fulfilment of children’s rights.

“As leaders prepare to travel to the COP27 and G20 summits, they should have the rights and voices of children at the front of their minds. It is imperative that they secure ambitious outcomes, ensuring children have safe and meaningful ways to input into decision making. In particular, the world’s richest countries, whose historic emissions have driven the climate and inequality crisis, must lead the way in unlocking financing for countries that are struggling to protect children from its impacts, including through fixing the global debt relief system and through climate finance – particularly for adaptation and loss and damage”. 

The new report builds on ground-breaking research published by Save the Children  in partnership with Vrije Universiteit Brussel in 2021, which found that children born in 2020 will on average face seven times more scorching heatwaves during their lives than their grandparents, and newborns across the globe will on average live through 2.6 times more droughts.

The report comes as families across the world battle the worst global hunger crisis this century, fueled by a deadly mix of poverty, conflict, climate change, and economic shocks, with the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine further driving up food prices and the cost of living. One million people are facing famine across five countries, with estimates that one person is dying every four seconds of hunger.

Save the Children is calling on the UK government to step up their action to address the climate and inequality crisis by meeting its fair share of the $100 billion international climate finance commitment and mobilising support for a new international commitment in the scale of trillions to match the problem. The aid agency is also calling on the government to ensure children’s rights are at the heart of climate finance by ensuring the services children rely on are resilient during times of climate disasters, including education, health and social protection.