By Asim Shahzad
LAHORE, November 12 – Civil society leaders, academics, and climate advocates have called for the urgent integration of children’s rights into Pakistan’s climate change response framework.
The appeal was made during a policy roundtable on “The Impacts of Climate Change on Children in Pakistan and Child-Centred Climate-Resilient Policy Choices,” organized by Search for Justice, Climate Action Now – Pakistan, and the Child Rights Movement (CRM) at Forman Christian College University, Lahore.
Speakers highlighted that children are among the most affected by the worsening impacts of climate change, including heatwaves, floods, and air pollution, yet their needs remain largely overlooked in national and provincial climate policies. Participants stressed the need for coordinated, child-specific strategies to safeguard children’s health, education, and safety.
Iftikhar Mubarik, Executive Director of Search for Justice, said the discussion was timely as global and national leaders attend the COP Summit in Brazil. He reminded that Pakistan ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1990, reaffirming its duty to protect children’s rights. He urged provincial governments to develop child-focused climate action plans with clear goals, budgets, and timelines. “Rhetorical pledges are not enough — Pakistan must deliver results through concrete, child-centred climate policies,” he said.
Dr. Rabia Chaudhary from the Centre for Public Policy and Governance noted that Pakistan’s climate policies often focus on infrastructure while ignoring the social and human costs, especially for children. She called for collaboration between academia, government, and civil society to develop evidence-based, inclusive, and child-sensitive climate policies rooted in justice and equity.
Rashida Qureshi, Program Manager at Search for Justice, pointed out that disjointed policymaking separates climate and child protection frameworks. She urged authorities to adopt a coordinated approach recognizing climate change as a major risk factor for child exploitation, neglect, and displacement. Rashida added that faith institutions can play a vital role in promoting community awareness and climate responsibility.
Neeha Munir from Climate Action Now – Pakistan emphasized that children, particularly adolescent girls, face disproportionate risks from climate change, including disruption to education, health, and safety. She called for gender- and age-responsive climate policies that empower children as active participants in resilience planning.
Mudasser Ahmad of CRM – Punjab highlighted the importance of child-led climate action and called for mechanisms enabling children’s voices in policymaking.
The roundtable concluded with a joint call to federal and provincial authorities to adopt a Child-Centred Climate Action Framework that ensures children’s rights, wellbeing, and participation in all climate resilience and disaster management policies.
