Adolescence

ADOLESCENT VOICESFrom victims to activists:Children and the effects of climate change in Pakistanby Syed Aown Shahzad,16, Pakistan“As adolescents,we face a commonopponent:greenhousegases.“Adolescents in Pakistan – where we account for 40.5 millionout of a population of over 176 million people – arekeenly aware that we are inheriting a planet sufferingfrom climate change. Like other developing countriesthat will be hit hardest by the effects of global warming,Pakistan has contributed minimally to global emissionsbut still has to deal with the dreadful impacts of stormsurges, natural disasters and heavy rains. Rising sea levelsand dramatic changes in weather patterns have alreadycaused flooding and drought, limiting food harvests andaccess to fresh water and affecting industrial production.We need to take all remedial measures to avoid becoming‘environmental refugees’.Climate change, in Pakistan and worldwide, is especiallyhard on children, who are more vulnerable than adults todisease, malnutrition and exploitation. Rising temperaturesand extreme climate events contribute to the spread ofdiseases such as malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia.These are some of the main causes of death for Pakistanichildren under 5 years old. With drought, agriculture –24 per cent of our gross domestic product – suffers asthe crop yield is reduced and supplies are depleted.Recent events have provided dramatic evidence of thecatastrophic impact on Pakistan of changing weather patterns.Unprecedented heavy rains gave way in July 2010to devastating floods. The initial death toll was approximately1,600 people, but many more are unaccountedfor. An estimated 20 million men, women and childrenhave been affected by the floods, and huge numbers arestranded, waiting for help. Most escaped from their homeswith nothing but what they were wearing. Compoundingthe health risks resulting from the flooding and the lack offood, water and shelter, the country is beleaguered by theeconomic catastrophe resulting from the destruction of itsagricultural backbone. Millions of hectares of crops havebeen soaked or washed away, and livestock have beendestroyed.This drowning nation now faces a further disaster: Thefloods are threatening to decimate Pakistan’s youth. Oneof the biggest threats is the outbreak of water-borne diseasessuch as cholera and diarrhoea. As in most naturalcatastrophes, children are also at a high risk of separationfrom their families and exposure to the dangers of childlabour, abuse and exploitation. More than 5,500 schoolshave been ruined or wiped out. We cannot stand by andwatch this generation disappear. As global citizens, wemust help them survive this shattering event and emergeas role models of courage, endurance and determination.It is time to take action – not only to deal with thisimmediate tragedy, but also to address the issue of globalwarming. As adolescents, we face a common opponent:greenhouse gases. In order to prevail, we must cometogether to help others, employ alternative energy sourcesand create laws to protect our planet and its people.Syed Aown Shahzad is a youth activist and a native ofLahore, Pakistan. He was part of the youth delegationsat the 2009 Summit on Climate Change and the 20thanniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,and he continues to spread awareness about global issuessuch as climate change and children’s rights in Pakistanand beyond.As noted throughout this report, the results have been encouraging.Health and education levels have improved, particularlyfor young children. Protection is higher on the internationalagenda. Participation initiatives are being rolled out inindustrialized and developing countries alike with increasingintensity. And the body of knowledge on adolescent developmentand participation – in terms of data and analysis, bestpractices and lessons learned, and understanding of disparitiesand bottlenecks – is steadily growing.A collaborative effort must be made to continue buildingon this progress, so that investments made now will reaprewards not only for the children of today, but for theirchildren as well. As this report points out in Chapter 2, thenumber of adolescents is expected to increase, especiallyin poor countries. Many key development agents havealready joined in a global consensus on the importance ofinvesting in adolescence and youth. These stakeholders, atall levels, must now pull together to support young peoplein developing the skills and capacities they need to pullthemselves out of poverty. Only then will we ensure thatadolescence truly becomes an age of opportunity for all.76THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2011