Happy Earth Day
ICHR celebrates earth day by urging the world to pay attention to climate change and make earth safer and better clean environment as the survival, growth and development of children is dependent on it.
Children are more vulnerable to environmental hazards and degradation than adults. For example, lead, a potent neurotoxin, is particularly harmful to a child’s brain development. Children absorb up to 50 per cent of the lead taken into their bodies whereas adults absorb 10-15 per cent.
Lack of clean water and adequate sanitation services, unhygienic practices, and poor living conditions remain the prevailing environmental issues threatening children in developing countries.
Common threats to the survival, growth and physical and mental development of children often derive from their immediate enviroment — such as their homes, schools and communities. For example, in developing countries women and young children are exposed to high levels of indoor air pollution from burning of biomass and fossil fuels and from second-hand tobacco smoking.
We need to focus primarily on water and environmental sanitation, also introduced other environmental interventions, such as tree planting, environmental education, home gardening, promotion of smokeless stoves and solar energy and paper recycling.
Through advocacy and publications, We must encourages children and youth to become environmentally conscious and take part in their local sustainable development activities.
ICHR urges the world to focuses on the immediate environment of children with a clear objective of reducing child mortality and morbidity.