A new report showing  how climate change and related disasters contribute to child poverty by limiting their wellbeing and life choices has been releaseds. The report was released by the Overseas Development Institute, (ODI), a member of the Global Coalition to End Child Poverty earlier this month (March) and features case studies from India and Kenya.

The report focuses on the impact of natural hazard-related disasters, including those potentially influenced by climate change, on children and adolescents at different stages of their life to build a complete picture of how young people’s life chances are affected by such events. The report highlights that the world faces a growing number of climate-related disasters due to unsustainable development combined with climate change.

Image Courtesy :Overseas Development Institute (ODI)

The report finds that in India for example, 67% of babies in chronically poor households were registered in disaster-prone areas, compared with 77% elsewhere; while in Kenya; 20% of poor babies were registered in disaster-prone areas, compared with 39% elsewhere. Similarly, in India; chronically poor children had on average 2.5 years of education in disaster prone areas, compared with 2.4 years elsewhere; while in Kenya; Poor children had on average 1.5 years of education in disaster-prone areas, compared with 2.6 years elsewhere.

The report recommends that Key services and infrastructure in disaster-prone areas need to be tailored and strengthened to reach the most marginalised, and access for all needs to be sustained despite environmental shocks and stresses. Development and planning need to be risk-informed across sectors to prepare for current and emerging risks, including contingency planning to avoid disruption to basic services and infrastructure. Simultaneously, sustained efforts to support response and recovery after a disaster can help ensure access to and continuity of services and systems, despite environmental shocks and stresses.

Read the full report here; Child Poverty, disasters and Climate Change.