Climate change can affect children's basic rights - Child observer

MAKASSAR - Child observer in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Dr Hadawiah Hatita, stated that climate change could affect children's fulfillment of their basic, social, and cultural rights.

"Global warming, which is part of climate change, has the potential to affect the fulfillment of children's basic rights, including social and cultural rights among children," Hatita noted here on Sunday, reported Antara news agency.

She said climate change had affected children's basic needs and rights, as well as their social and cultural lifestyles.

Hatita cited as an example the children who usually walk to school. However, due to the effects of intense heat, children now prefer to choose online-based motorcycle taxi services.

Meanwhile, children in rural or coastal areas are more likely to be impacted by extreme weather and ecological disasters, such as floods and landslides caused by global warming.

"As a result of this natural disaster, children's school activities were disrupted, which means that children's basic rights to education cannot be fulfilled properly," the executive director of the Public Media Education and Information Institute (LaPISmedik) pointed out.

Moreover, climate change causes drastic changes in children's social and cultural lives.

Children who usually play outside are more likely to play indoors due to the impact of global warming and communication technology developments.

"Because of the heat, children rarely play outside the house. They also prefer to play online games in their rooms," she remarked.

According to Hatita, this condition gradually has several sociocultural effects on children, as they lack interaction with friends or other people outside their homes. - BERNAMA-ANTARA