BOSTON, Mass. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — UNICEF reports 134 million people have been displaced due to weather-related disasters. Even more devasting, 43 million of those who lost their homes were children. Its impact is often overlooked and can last a lifetime.
When we think of refugees, many think of people forced to leave their homes due to war, violence, or famine. And now, rising seas, scorching heat and devastating storms are forcing families from their communities and even their country. They are called climate refugees. Developmental psychologist Carola Suárez-Orozco, PhD has been studying the impact of migration for 30 years.
“One of the things that has been striking to me as a developmentalist looking into this, is how little attention is paid to the kids,” she explained.
UNICEF reports 20,000 children are displaced daily due to climate disasters. Prof. Suárez-Orozco urges countries to prioritize child well-being, focus on their mental and physical health, protect them from discrimination and ensure education continues.
“It’s complete disruptions to their whole trajectory of what they might have been able to achieve in life,” she said.
When families are uprooted, Prof. Suárez-Orozco says it’s vital for parents to preserve their family’s cultural identity.
“Keep up your bilingualism, keep up family traditions, maintain as much contact as possible with members of the family,” she stated.
And for non-immigrant parents, educate your children about climate change, its impact on those displaced and encourage your children to be compassionate and inclusive.
“Teach your children to respect the earth and respect their peers and be kind to both,” said Prof. Suárez-Orozco.
As more than 40% of children are displaced due to floods, droughts have also left 1.3 million homeless, especially affecting Somali children. And if you don’t think it can’t happen to you, think again. Wildfires forced over 800,000 children from their homes, mostly in the U.S. and Canada. Many displaced children will spend their entire childhoods in camps, temporary housing, or with foster families, denied access to education, healthcare, and social protections.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Executive Producer; Matt Goldschmidt, Videographer; and Bob Walko, Editor.
Produced by Child Trends News Service in partnership with Ivanhoe Broadcast News and funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
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Sources:
https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/number-displaced-children-reaches-new-high-433-million
https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/10/1141947
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