UNICEF says weather-related disasters have displaced millions of children

Published October 06,2023

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UNICEF on Friday mentioned floods, storms, and different weather-related disasters have pushed thousands and thousands of youngsters from their properties, with the scenario set to deteriorate if motion just isn’t taken.

There have been 43.1 million inner displacements of youngsters throughout 44 international locations between 2016 and 2021, on account of occasions comparable to droughts and wildfires, in accordance with the group.

UNICEF recorded essentially the most weather-related youngster displacements within the East Asia and Pacific area because of the mixture of hazards there, adopted by South Asia.

Among the international locations with the best in absolute numbers have been China and the Philippines, on account of their publicity to excessive climate occasions, their giant youngster populations and evacuation capacities.

“As the impacts of climate change escalate, so too will climate-driven movement,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell mentioned in an announcement.

“We have the tools and knowledge to respond to this escalating challenge for children, but we are acting far too slowly.”

Extreme climate occasions have change into extra widespread lately on account of local weather change.

Floods and storms accounted for 95% of the kid displacements, mentioned UNICEF, through the six-year interval, in accordance with its report, “Children Displaced in a Changing Climate”.

“The displacement of children is barely on the radar of leaders,” mentioned Verena Knaus, UNICEF Global Lead on Migration and Displacement.

The report tasks that just about 96 million youngsters shall be displaced on account of river floods alone over the following three a long time, a median of just about 3.2 million youngsters yearly.