Islamabad: In a significant move towards safeguarding future generations, Abdullah A. Fadil, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Pakistan, met with Romina Khurshid Alam, the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, to discuss strategies for protecting children from the adverse impacts of climate change. The meeting, which took place on Wednesday, underscored a mutual commitment to address the increasing vulnerability of children to climate-induced disasters such as floods, heatwaves, and diseases.
According to Press Information Department, during their discussion, both parties pledged to enhance collaboration to mitigate the detrimental effects of climate change on children. Romina Khurshid Alam emphasized the susceptibility of Pakistani children to extreme weather events, including floods, heatwaves, droughts, glacial lake outbursts, and shifting rainfall patterns, all of which pose severe risks to their health, education, and overall well-being. She pointed out that children, due to their developing bodies and lower adaptive capacity, are particularly sensitive to these environmental changes.
The meeting highlighted the need for targeted interventions in health, education, water, and sanitation to protect the younger generation. Alam suggested several sectoral interventions crucial for child protection, including investing in healthcare infrastructure to address climate-induced health challenges, building resilient educational facilities, supporting mental health through services and psychosocial support for climate-related stress, and prioritizing climate adaptation efforts in rural and low-income areas.
UNICEF’s representative, Abdullah A. Fadil, assured full technical and non-technical support from his organization to the government’s efforts in tackling climate vulnerability among children, reinforcing the collaborative framework aimed at securing a safer and healthier environment for children in Pakistan.