UNICEF, Caribbean Climate Change Centre strengthen partnership on child-focused climate action

By Zoila Palma:  UNICEF and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) have signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening efforts to protect children’s rights and well-being from the growing impacts of climate change across the Caribbean.

The partnership will promote child-sensitive climate policies, resilient social services, climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, while giving young people greater opportunities to participate in climate action and decision-making.

Children across the region are increasingly exposed to hurricanes, flooding, droughts, extreme heat and environmental degradation, threatening access to education, healthcare, nutrition, clean water and sanitation.

UNICEF Representative Sajid Ali said climate change is not only an environmental issue but also a child rights challenge, noting that children are among those least responsible for the climate crisis while facing some of its greatest consequences.

CCCCC Executive Director Dr. Colin Young welcomed the agreement, saying children and youth have not traditionally been a central focus of climate resilience programming and that the partnership will help place them at the heart of regional climate action.

A key area of collaboration will focus on climate-resilient sanitation services, alongside efforts to strengthen education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation systems and disaster preparedness.

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