Philippines Advocates for Policies to Protect Children Against Impact of Climate Change

AICHR Temporary Philippine Representative Jaime Victor Ledda delivers the closing remarks at AICHR Workshop on Human Rights, Environment, and Climate Change. (Photo courtesy of AICHR)

PASAY CITY 14 June 2021 – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Philippines called on stakeholders to advocate and promote policies that address the needs of children in climate change programs during the AICHR Workshop on Human Rights, Environment, and Climate Change on 08 to 10 June 2021 via video conference. 

AICHR Temporary Philippine Representative Jaime Victor Ledda delivered the closing remarks on the third day of the workshop and emphasized the importance of embracing a whole-of-ASEAN approach to uphold the rights of children to a safe, healthy, and conducive environment. 

“Let us persist in our efforts to promote and protect the rights of the peoples of ASEAN, especially of our children - our hope and our future,” said AICHR Temporary Philippine Representative Ledda.

AICHR partnered with the United Nations (UN) for a Joint Expert Meeting for the three-day workshop, which discussed challenges and recommended ways forward in integrating human rights-based strategies and approaches on climate change in ASEAN. 

The discussions highlighted principles and policy guidance on participation, education, pollution, environmental degradation, business, and access to justice. Participants also echoed the voice of children and youth to participate in dialogues because they are the most vulnerable to the social and economic impacts of climate change. 

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ledda also announced the upcoming project of AICHR Philippines on the ASEAN Dialogue on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, an ongoing initiative of the Philippines since 2018. END

Participants from AICHR, UN, other stakeholders, and youth leaders discussed human rights-based approaches to address the needs of vulnerable groups on climate change. (Photo courtesy of AICHR)