New York: As countries race to meet climate goals, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is stepping in to ensure that children’s voices are not just heard, but central to shaping solutions. UN News spoke with the heads of UNICEF in Nepal and the Maldives to explore how the agency is empowering youth, embedding climate resilience in schools, and driving child-inclusive climate action.
According to United Nations, in the low-lying Maldives, the threat takes a different but equally devastating form. Sea surges erode coastlines, flood homes, and wash away infrastructure. Erosion is a daily reality for children here, explains Edward Addai, UNICEF Representative in the Maldives. Young people see their trees falling, homes at risk, and they grow up with the constant fear of losing their islands. Climate change is not something far-off – it is part of their lives.
UNICEF’s work in both countries is guided by a simple principle: children must be at the heart of climate solutions. This means not only shielding them from impacts but also empowering them to be agents of change. In Nepal, with the support of UN agencies, the government has integrated climate change education into the national curriculum. Classes go beyond theory, with teacher training, green school initiatives, and practical actions like rainwater harvesting and waste management.
At the recently concluded Sagarmatha Sambaad – the Everest climate talks – UNICEF supported a national youth-led dialogue that brought together over 100 children and young people from across Nepal to engage with policymakers and submit a Children and Youth Declaration to the Prime Minister.
In the Maldives, the agency’s approach emphasizes community engagement alongside education. UNICEF has helped establish environmental clubs in schools, providing safe spaces for children to learn, discuss, and act on climate issues. It is also working with the health system to introduce solar energy to hospitals, supplanting fossil fuels.
UNICEF is also supporting efforts to integrate child-sensitive policies into the countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – the climate pledges under the Paris Agreement. Nepal’s pledges include commitments to green schools and climate-resilient educational infrastructure. Children were actively involved in the consultations for Nepal’s latest NDC, sharing firsthand stories of how climate impacts their daily lives.
The Maldives emphasizes youth engagement, clean water access, and strengthened health systems in climate-vulnerable areas. Young people are also shaping policy through national mock COPs and direct participation in global climate forums. This ensures that resilience efforts will extend beyond infrastructure to cover children’s health, education, and mental wellbeing.
The UNICEF officials emphasized what a truly child-inclusive climate plan requires. It recognizes how climate change impacts every aspect of a child’s life – from their lungs to their learning to their access to clean water, Ms. Akunga said. It ensures children can keep receiving health services, continue learning and adapt without anxiety or uncertainty. It’s about securing their survival, growth, and development no matter what climate shocks come.
Despite the daunting challenges, children like Sabu are stepping up. They are organizing themselves, advocating for change, and proposing solutions. Their voices matter…children are not just affected by climate change – they are essential partners in responding to it, Ms. Akunga affirmed. Mr. Addai echoed this sentiment: By listening to children and including them in decisions, we build a world where the next generation can live safely and thrive.