Consultation Environmental Education Resource Pack for Child-friendly Schools 1 August, 2007 Yaounde, Cameroon Donna L. Goodman Project Manager Environment and Young People

Outline Environment and the MDGs? Children and environment – what is the relationship? What are child-friendly school and community environments? Physical/facilities based challenges and solutions Participatory methodologies and curriculum Children’s degree of control over decisions: dimensions, standards, indicators (plotting examples) Impact, sustainability and institutionalisation of children’s participation UNICEF

Millennium Development Goals MDG 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability Target 9: To integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs and reverse the loss of environmental resources. Target 10: To halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation UNICEF

Linkages with other MDGs 1. Poverty and Hunger 2. Universal primary education MDG 7 Targets 9 & 10 3. Gender equality 4. Reduced child mortality 6.Combating disease: (HIV, malaria...) 8. Global Partnerships UNICEF

Environmental challenges to children Unsafe water Poor hygiene and sanitation Air pollution – indoor and outdoor Disease vectors Chemical hazards Injuries and accidents EMERGING ISSUES – such as : Climate/global change and its various consequences UNICEF

Poor hygiene and sanitation WHERE ARE THE MAIN GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISKS? CLIMATE – GLOBAL CHANGE Injuries and accidents Indoor Air pollution Ambient Air pollution Unsafe water Disease vectors Chemical hazards Poor hygiene and sanitation UNICEF

COMPLEX, INTERRELATED PROBLEMS, REQUIRING INNOVATIVE APPROACHES AND JOINTLY COORDINATED INTERVENTIONS UNICEF

Environmental Education Resource Pack for Child-friendly Schools Child-centred solutions School environment: gender, current situation (ie: drought, flood, access to water? toilets?) Technical solutions: rainwater harvesting; solar or wind generated electricity and water pumps; toilets; school gardens; trees; waste disposal; watershed cleanups Lesson plans: what do these solutions have to do with my life? (lifeskills based, cooperative learning) Methodologies, guidelines: participatory tools, training for teachers, youth leaders, peer-to-peer UNICEF

Voices of Youth… “We, as children and young people pledge to be involved in designing, implementing and evaluating child managed water and sanitation projects and other initiatives.” (Children’s Water Manifesto, Kyoto Japan March 2003) UNICEF

Why should children participate in WES? Convention on the Rights of the Child “To ensure that all segments of society, in particular parents and children, are informed, have access to education and are supported in the use of basic knowledge of child health and nutrition, the advantages of breastfeeding, hygiene, environmental sanitation and the prevention of accidents.” Article 24, 2 (e) UNICEF

Participatory exercise What can individual children do to help create better environments at home, school or in the community? What can two or three children do? What can a group of children do? What can adults do to support you? UNICEF

younger child/children at home or in school Two or three Children How can children contribute? Many ways are possible; very few involve the stereotype of Children Delivering Messages. In the simplest analysis we can think of … One child Pass(es) knowledge to younger child/children at home or in school Two or three Children Teach skills to same age child/children at home or in school A group of children Demonstrates by example to their family/families Works together with the community UNICEF

The latest methodology often combines these. What are some of the most common ways in which ‘Children for Environment’ approaches play out: ? Children in families Children as information gatherers Children in groups as a force with school and community. Children as spreaders of mass information The latest methodology often combines these. UNICEF

Legend: OUTCOMES Environmentally-aware and empowered children Children, families and communities prepared for environmental emergencies Healthy/sanitary environments support improved learning capabilities Gender equality ‘Green’ schools Reduced vulnerability to climate change related risks Restored watershed areas Reforested, stabilized environments MDGs Education for All Legend: Triangle: Threats Software/participatory solutions: Green Hardware/environmental solutions: Blue UNICEF

Is this children's participation? UNICEF

Is this children's participation? UNICEF

Young people’s participation in WES Making better use of adolescent participation as a tool to achieve results and to realise protection, development, survival Better understanding of what participation is, what it requires, and what we are already doing – giving ourselves credit for promoting the participation rights of children Need greater and more systematic investments for the participation of children and adolescents UNICEF

Children’s access to environment-related information Children who have access to information about water, environment and sanitation are better able to survive and to protect themselves. Information is essential for children to realise their right to survival. Where children are denied access to information about health matters, their survival is put at risk. It is the responsibility of governments, teachers and the education system, parents, community and religious leaders, the media and the private sector to ensure that children and young people have access to this vital information. UNICEF

Develop children’s capacities Children who are able to express themselves and are being listened to at home and in school learn and develop better. They develop an interest in their own health and will take better care of themselves and others If adults listen to children, give them time to articulate their concerns, provide them with appropriate information, children will acquire the confidence and ability to contribute to their own environment. It encourages children to take more responsibility. UNICEF

Consulting children Research and assessment results are better if they are based on information from children and adolescents Consulting children leads to better understanding of children’s own environmental and health-related needs and concerns Water, environment and sanitation services are better if children and young people have control over their design, operation and maintenance UNICEF

Dimensions, standards and indicators Impact of child and youth participation and degree of children’s control over decisions Sustainability and institutionalization of children’s participation Quality of children’s participation Costs of children’s participation UNICEF

Child and adolescent participation Governance Service Contributions Responsibility Child-led organizations Children’s citizenship Children’s participation rights Child and adolescent development Children’s skills & capacities Decision making Information for and by children Expression, opinions UNICEF

UNICEF

Thank you UNICEF