Campaign

2025: Voices of Children, Action by Children. #CountMeIn

From north to south, from small everyday choices to bold community initiatives, every climate action matters.

A collage-style image showing children and youth from diverse backgrounds across Thailand holding signs and participating in climate activism. The photo is mostly in black and white, except for a few colored design elements such as the bright "#CountMeIn" logo and selective text in blue, yellow, and white. The central Thai text reads: “เหนือ จรด ใต้ ทุกเสียงของเด็กมีความหมาย รับฟัง ลงมือทำ รับมือโลกรวน” (From North to South, every child's voice matters. Listen. Act. Tackle the climate crisis).

How Does Climate Change Affect Children?

Children will live with climate change the longest and already face the worst effects – including frequent illness, missed school, malnutrition, displacement, mental health issues, and even death. That’s why children and youth are taking action against climate – and yet their voices are often unheard and they are left out of key decision-making

It’s time to fully support the youngest generations as they seek the solutions to the great challenge of their lifetime.

Count Me In Logo

#CountMeIn 2025

Voice of Children, Action by Children

UNICEF Thailand launched the #CountMeIn campaign to raise awareness of the challenges children and young people face, while providing a platform for them to express their views and needs.

We all need to ensure that children and youth are included in the conversations and solutions surrounding the climate crisis, as they are the ones most affected and will inherit this planet for many more years to come.

This year’s campaign shines a spotlight on youth climate action across Thailand - from north to south, from small everyday choices to bold community initiatives - emphasizing that every climate action matters.

Every climate action matters

The CountMeIn campaign in 2025 spotlights three inspiring young leaders to show that climate action is happening across Thailand and taking many forms, from small daily actions to major community initiatives. 

A young woman wearing traditional ethnic clothing with pink embroidery stands on rocky ground in front of a large eroded hillside. Exposed layers of soil and stone are visible behind her, with some green vegetation growing at the top edge of the slope.

Sirikarn Sengla, 18, a Mon ethnic had been cut off from food, water and electricity due to devastating landslide in her village.

A person wearing a long white dress with blue floral prints sits on a bamboo bench, looking confidently at the camera. They have long hair adorned with a white and yellow flower. Behind them is a clothing rack with white garments on pink hangers and a full-length mirror reflecting part of the clothing.

Panpittra Phutorn, 22, starts embracing second hand clothes to reduce textile waste.

A woman wearing a hijab and casual clothing stands at the shoreline with waves washing over her feet. She looks directly at the camera with a calm expression. In the background, a traditional wooden boat with people on board floats on the calm sea, and distant hills are visible under a cloudy sky.

Khairiyah Rahmanyah, 23, made headlines as a teenager when she stood up to protect her coastal hometown.

What does UNICEF do on Climate Change for Children?

UNICEF - in Thailand and globally - calls on governments, businesses, and decision-makers to urgently protect children from the escalating climate crisis by adapting essential services to fit children’s needs, preparing them to thrive in a climate-affected world, and prioritizing them in climate funding.

In Thailand, UNICEF works with the government and partners to promote climate education which helps children and youth better understand climate change and learn ways to protect the environment. We also advocate for their increased participation and involvement in climate discussions and actions.

Shocking facts about climate change's impact on children

A young boy is captured mid-jump over a large rock surrounded by a small puddle of water on a vast, dry sandy landscape. He is shirtless and appears to be playing in the barren environment. The background shows a distant horizon with faint hills, indicating the area might be experiencing drought or low water levels.
UNICEF Thailand/2024/Roengrit Kongmuang
  • 40 million children have their education disrupted annually by disasters exacerbated by climate change.
  • Every day almost 2000 children under five years die because of health impacts linked to air pollution.
  • Air Pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths globally In and becoming the second leading risk factor for death, including for children under five years.
  • 2 million preterm births annually attributed to ambient particulate matter exposure.
  • 559 million children currently exposed to high heatwave frequency, rising to all 2.02 billion children globally by 2050.
  • In 2020, over 75 percent of children or around 10.3 million, have been exposed to high heatwave frequency and will suffer more often and for longer in 2050.
  • Thailand ranked 50th out of 163 countries where children were most at risk from the impact of climate change.
  • Over 43 million children were internally displaced between 2016 and 2021 due to weather-related disasters, including storms and flooding.
  • Floods, drought and food insecurity impact child undernutrition and lifelong health effects.
  • Every 1°C rise in temperature increases the odds of stillbirth and preterm birth by 5%.
  • Each 1 mg/m³ increase in PM2.5 from fires is linked to a 2.3% rise in child mortality risk.
  • 10-fold surge in reported cases of dengue worldwide, with cases increasing from 500,000 to 5.2 million, with the highest incidence of cases among children and adolescents.
  • Only 2.4 percent of key global climate funds can be classified as supporting child-responsive activities

Children of Mekong

As the morning mist lifted over the Mekong River, a group of children, aged five to seventeen, gathered along its banks not just to admire its beauty, but to tell its story. Over the course of three days, forty children from Chiang Khan, a scenic town in northeastern province of Loei, participated in a workshop supported by UNICEF to reconnect with their roots and raise their voices for the environment.

A young girl with short hair and wearing a striped shirt concentrates as she draws on a piece of paper at a round table. Crayons and markers are scattered on the table. The background shows a casual indoor setting with plastic chairs and blurred figures.

Children in Chiang Khan take part in a UNICEF workshop where they share stories about how Mekong river and their hometown environment are changing.

UNICEF Thailand/2025/Nattha Keenapan
A young man in a blue I Am UNICEF T-shirt writes on a notepad while tying a string necklace with a name tag around a boy’s neck. The boy, wearing a green shirt with a floral design, smiles as he participates. Another young woman in blue assists in the background. The activity takes place in a covered open-air space decorated with colorful flags.

Eleven-year-old Wutthipat Panpraw and his friends create a short film about Phasat Loy Khroa, an ancient local ritual in Chiang Khan that symbolically releases misfortunes into the river.

UNICEF Thailand/2025/Nattha Keenapan
Children are engaged in a fish-printing activity, using real fish coated with paint and pressed onto fabric or paper. Hands holding brushes are seen adding details around the fish prints. The table is scattered with styrofoam boards, painted fish, and cloths.

Children explore Gyotaku, a traditional Japanese printmaking technique using real fish, to learn about Mekong fish species and the river's biodiversity.

UNICEF Thailand/2025/Nattha Keenapan
A girl stands indoors and attentively reads a large handwritten poster on the wall titled “Fisherfolk’s Way of Life". The poster is written in colorful Thai script and includes drawings of a boat, fish, and net, with various points about fishing traditions and practices.

Praewa Ruenkam left school after Grade 4 to help her grandparents tap rubber trees, as her family could no longer catch shrimp due to the declining fish stocks in the Mekong.

UNICEF Thailand/2025/Nattha Keenapan
Three long wooden boats are seen floating on a calm river under a bright blue sky. Two boats are filled with people wearing orange life vests, while the third smaller boat in the foreground carries a single person operating it. The background shows a lush green riverside landscape.

Children ride boats along the Mekong River, witnessing firsthand the challenges of fishing in a river that was once abundant with life.

UNICEF Thailand/2025/Nattha Keenapan
A large group of children, teenagers, and adults pose together for a group photo in an open-air pavilion. Many wear matching blue T-shirts with the "I AM UNICEF" logo, while others wear casual clothes. The group sits and stands behind UNICEF and partner banners, with colorful posters and decorations on the wall behind them. Mats are laid out on the wooden floor.

The workshop is part of UNICEF’s I AM UNICEF volunteer programme and the #CountMeIn campaign, which encourages children to connect more deeply with their communities and environment through storytelling.

UNICEF Thailand/2025/Nattha Keenapan
Children play and splash in a river under the soft glow of the afternoon sun. The water sparkles with sunlight, and the silhouettes of the children are visible as they wade and run in the shallow water near the shore. In the distance, hills and forested land stretch along the riverbank.

After the workshop, children jump into the river to play and cool off.

UNICEF Thailand/2025/Nattha Keenapan
A young girl with short hair and wearing a striped shirt concentrates as she draws on a piece of paper at a round table. Crayons and markers are scattered on the table. The background shows a casual indoor setting with plastic chairs and blurred figures.
A young man in a blue I Am UNICEF T-shirt writes on a notepad while tying a string necklace with a name tag around a boy’s neck. The boy, wearing a green shirt with a floral design, smiles as he participates. Another young woman in blue assists in the background. The activity takes place in a covered open-air space decorated with colorful flags.
Children are engaged in a fish-printing activity, using real fish coated with paint and pressed onto fabric or paper. Hands holding brushes are seen adding details around the fish prints. The table is scattered with styrofoam boards, painted fish, and cloths.
A girl stands indoors and attentively reads a large handwritten poster on the wall titled “Fisherfolk’s Way of Life". The poster is written in colorful Thai script and includes drawings of a boat, fish, and net, with various points about fishing traditions and practices.
Three long wooden boats are seen floating on a calm river under a bright blue sky. Two boats are filled with people wearing orange life vests, while the third smaller boat in the foreground carries a single person operating it. The background shows a lush green riverside landscape.
A large group of children, teenagers, and adults pose together for a group photo in an open-air pavilion. Many wear matching blue T-shirts with the "I AM UNICEF" logo, while others wear casual clothes. The group sits and stands behind UNICEF and partner banners, with colorful posters and decorations on the wall behind them. Mats are laid out on the wooden floor.
Children play and splash in a river under the soft glow of the afternoon sun. The water sparkles with sunlight, and the silhouettes of the children are visible as they wade and run in the shallow water near the shore. In the distance, hills and forested land stretch along the riverbank.

The activity, part of UNICEF’s I AM UNICEF volunteer programme and #CountMeIn campaign, was designed to connect children more deeply with their communities and their environment through storytelling. With support from Mahasarakham University, the Hug Mekong Association, Thai PBS, and Chiang Khan Children and Youth Council and local volunteers, the workshop offered children tools to express the changes they see and feel in their rapidly transforming community.

Read the Story

How do we cope with floods, air pollution, and extreme heat?

A boy wearing a red shirt is sitting on a makeshift raft made of wooden planks and plastic bottles, floating on calm, reflective water.

Flood

Learn what you need to know before, during and after the storm.

Read more
A woman with short hair stands outdoors in a forested area with her eyes closed, appearing relaxed and serene. She is wearing a white t-shirt with a graphic of the Earth and the phrase "How dare you?" written in multiple languages. The background is filled with green foliage and trees.

Air pollution

What is air pollution and how to protect children and family from the impacts.

Read more
Boy and girl are standing under the sun with school bag cover their heads.

Heat

Learn how to help keep the children in your life and your family safe during a heatwave.

Read more

Essential report and handbook

A group of diverse Thai youth sitting on the carpeted floor of a well-lit conference room, actively participating in a session. Many of them are raising their hands. The atmosphere is engaged and collaborative.
UNICEF Thailand/2024/Preechapanich

Between Generations, One Planet

This report analyzes youth climate and environmental action in Thailand. It maps youth-led and youth-serving organizations, explores their motivations and challenges, and examines government perspectives to strengthen youth participation in climate governance and solutions.

Download
ภาพระยะใกล้ของหนังสือคู่มือการศึกษา ชื่อ "Active Learning on Biodiversity and Climate Change" โดยมีภาพปกที่เต็มไปด้วยสีสัน ภาพปกแสดงตัวละครการ์ตูน รวมถึงเด็กที่ถือนก และมีองค์ประกอบธรรมชาติ เช่น พืช สัตว์ และแมลง ข้อความบนปกมีทั้งภาษาไทยและภาษาอังกฤษ โดยชื่อภาษาไทยอยู่เหนือชื่อภาษาอังกฤษ
UNICEF Thailand

ABC Handbook

The Active Learning on Biodiversity and Climate Change Handbook (ABC Handbook) is a resource for public, teachers, educators, youth, and families to teach children aged between 7-18 years old about biodiversity loss and climate change. The handbook offers adaptable activities that promote active learning and can be tailored to local contexts.

Download
A young girl stands barefoot in ankle-deep floodwater in a residential area. Behind her, houses are partially submerged, and several adults wade through the water. Boats are moored near the houses, suggesting they are being used for transportation during the flood. The scene captures the impact of flooding on the community.
UNICEF Thailand/2019/Preechapanich

Impact assessment of climate change and environmental degradation on children in Thailand

Children in Thailand are at risk from climate change, as floods, droughts, and high temperatures impact their health, development, and well-being. This report compiles data on the areas where children are most affected and recommends implementing child-sensitive policies to address these concerns.

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