The United Nations Children’s Fund said, between the years 2016 to 2021, flooding caused the displacement of no fewer than 650,000 Nigerian children.
The UN agency also revealed that over 110 million Nigerian children are at risk of climate change, having confronted the harsh realities of rising temperatures, flooding, drought, and severe storms.
The agency said this on Monday in commemoration of World Children’s Day.
The World Children’s Day is celebrated annually on November 20 as a remembrance of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the UN General Assembly in 1959.
The celebration this year is centered on child rights amidst the escalating climate crisis.
“Nigeria, as the second most vulnerable country worldwide in terms of children’s exposure to climate change, faces severe challenges. Over 110 million Nigerian children are at risk, having confronted the harsh realities of rising temperatures, flooding, drought, and severe storms,” the statement read partly.
The Director General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr Salisu Dahiru said, “As one of the countries that suffers the greatest exposure to adverse climate impacts, Nigeria’s response to climate change must be swift and holistic, accounting for the needs of vulnerable people, including children and women, at the decision-making level, as well as in the implementation of the National Climate Change Action Plan.”
Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria also said “This celebration is a crucial platform for our children, the most affected by climate change, to voice their concerns and experiences. Their input is essential in shaping our collective path towards a sustainable and resilient future.”
