UN's Global Policy Framework for Displaced Children: United Nations-backed agencies recently issued guidelines to provide the first-ever global policy framework to protect children displaced due to climate change.

Key Highlights:

• The land-mark guidelines were launched on July 25, 2022 with an aim to protect and empower children forced to flee their homes due to climate-related emergencies.
• These guidelines were launched by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), Georgetown University and the United Nations University.
• The guidelines cover both internal as well cross-border migrations.

About the New Guidelines:

• The Guiding Principles for Children on the Move in the Context of Climate Change’ comprises a set of nine principles to address the vulnerabilities of children who were forced for internal as well cross-border migrations.
• The principles are based on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and are informed by existing operational guidelines and frameworks.

These nine principles are as follows:

Principle 1: Rights-based approach

Principle 2: Best interests of the child

Principle 3: Accountability

Principle 4: Awareness and participation in decision-making

Principle 5: Family unity

Principle 6: Protection, safety and security

Principle 7: Access to education, health care and social services

Principle 8: Non-discrimination

Principle 9: Nationality

• The guiding principles provide national and local governments, international organisations, and civil society groups with a foundation to build policies that protect children’s rights.

Impact of Climate Change on Children:

• Every day, rising sea levels, hurricanes, wildfires and failing crops are pushing more and more children and families from their homes.
• Additionally, nearly half of the world’s 2.2 billion children, or roughly one billion boys and girls, live in 33 countries at high risk of the impacts of climate change.
• As per the UN reports, nearly 10 million children were displaced due to weather-related shocks in 2020 alone.
• Migrant children worldwide face alarming levels of xenophobia, the socioeconomic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, and limited access to essential services.
• Displaced children are at greater risk of abuse, trafficking, and exploitation.

In 2006, UNICEF and IOM signed a Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) defining the main areas of cooperation between the two agencies in humanitarian settings.

The well-established working relationship responding to the pressing issues facing migrant children worldwide has been further strengthened since that time.