Madagascar at the UNICEF Executive Board session: Advocacy for Improving Children’s Living Conditions in response to Climate Change.
New York, 5 September, 2024 – The Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) of Madagascar, Max Andonirina Fontaine spoke at the UNICEF Executive Board special session on climate change and children, moderated by the Dominican Republic. With the theme “Placing children at the heart of climate action and mobilizing solutions at global level”, the Minister spoke about the importance of decisions and actions for considering the rights of children in response to environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, and more generally the impacts of climate change.
For the country, these situations are real; they impact the lives of more than 15 million children, who make up half of the population. Between 2000 and 2023, more than 47 cyclones hurt the island, causing several damages and displacing over 740,000 people – including 445,000 children. Drought increases food insecurity while heavy flooding destroys infrastructure, schools and health centres, among others[1]. This affects the health of children, and also their safety, protection and development. All these aspects should be at the centre of discussions and negotiations on climate change.
“In Madagascar, climate change is no longer a threat; the population experiences its impacts on a daily basis. Every year, we experience cyclones that destroy our infrastructure such as roads, schools, health centres. Every year, we have to spend more and more on rebuilding and rehabilitation. These disasters affect children, youth and women in particular,” said Max Fontaine.
The Deputy Minister of Environment of the Dominican Republic stressed the importance of children and youth being involved in the process of drafting Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). During his visit to UNICEF headquarters, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Madagascar also signed the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate. This Declaration, which has already been signed by 50 countries and coming out of the COP 25, is a commitment on the part of States to taking into account in a coherent way the needs, the specific rights and points of view of children and youth, in their climate policies and actions.
The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development is committed to taking children and youth into account in national strategies and guidelines on climate and environmental change. Environmental education is increasingly present in both formal and non-formal education. In addition, the MEDD promotes the participation of children and youth at international conferences such as COP28 which was attended by a 13-year-old Malagasy girl supported by UNICEF.
The special session on climate and children as part of the UNICEF Executive Board session is the first ever to address this issue, in connection with the recent adoption by UNICEF of its Global Action Plan on Climate Change. This session saw a commitment by representatives from many countries to investing more in actions targeting children, in relation to climate-related adaptation and mitigation measures, and to better addressing the concerns and proposals of children and youth in their national strategies.
[1] Zy Misa Harivelo, Rakotoarimanana & Zy Harifidy, Rakotoarimanana & Pandin, Moses & Sumartono, Christrijogo. (2022). Analysis of tropical cyclones 2000-2020 in Madagascar. Disaster Advances. 15. 13-20. 10.25303/1503da1320.
