Air pollution: A threat to children's rights
Every child has the right to a safe, clean and healthy environment. It is critical for their growth and development. Breathing unhealthy air puts children and pregnant women at risk for adverse health effects and even death. As our environment continues to change at alarming rates, we look at what air pollution is, how children are impacted and…, Air pollution: Fast facts, What is air pollution?, Air pollution is a complex mix of pollutants including fine particles and harmful gases like nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. These can penetrate deep into our lungs and bloodstream and cause lasting damage to our health., What are the different sources of air pollution?, Polluted air can be found in indoor and outdoor settings and can move rapidly between the two. It can travel hundreds or thousands of kilometers from its source. Outdoor or ambient Most air pollution comes from industrial sources like power plants and factories that burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas); road traffic; waste management;…, The impacts of air pollution, Air pollution can cause serious environmental and health hazards, including fatal diseases in people and animals. Difficulty breathing is linked with respiratory diseases like asthma and bronchitis. Air pollution can also have long-term health impacts, including cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer and diabetes. Children exposed to air pollution…, Climate change and air pollution, Climate change and air pollution impact each other. When the temperature is high, the level of air pollutants goes up. Heatwaves and other climate-related events such as wildfires worsen air quality. In turn, air pollutants such as carbon dioxide are also major greenhouse gases that can accelerate climate change. Nearly half the world’s children…, Children and air pollution, Children are more vulnerable to air pollution, Children’s lungs are in the process of growing and developing, making them especially susceptible to polluted air. Children breathe twice as quickly as adults and take in more air relative to their body weight. Many young children often breathe through their mouth, which takes in more pollutants. They are also closer to the ground, where some…, How does air pollution impact children?, Children who breathe polluted air are at higher risk of acute respiratory infections like pneumonia. Those that live in polluted environments can have their lung capacity reduced by 20 per cent. That’s similar to the effect of growing up in a home with secondhand cigarette smoke. Air pollution is associated with pneumonia, which is the largest…, Pregnant mothers and newborn babies, The first 1,000 days of a baby’s life are a critical period of vulnerability from air pollution. Exposure during this period can alter their physical and cognitive development, which can lead to childhood and adult disorders. Air pollution can also negatively impact the duration of pregnancy and weight of the newborn child. It accounts for 20 per…, Children in particular parts of the world are at greater risk, Air pollution disproportionately harms children living in poverty, accounting for most illnesses and premature deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Poverty forces people to use polluting fuels and devices for cooking, which is a major source of indoor air pollution. Many of the worst sources of outdoor air pollution, like power plants,…, Actions to protect children, How can we protect children from air pollution?, Here are some things we can do in our communities and homes to keep children safe from the impacts of air pollution: Keep children indoors when air pollution levels are high; If they must go out, protect them with a filtering and well-fitted mask; Install window and air filters at home, if possible; Use cleaner fuels and technologies to cook, heat…, The need for universal action, Air pollution is a global public health crisis silently destroying the lives and futures of children. Action must be taken to stop it now. Broadly, governments need to: Build capacities of the health sector in preventing, detecting and treating air pollution related diseases; Set up and maintain air quality monitoring systems and reporting…, Healthy environments framework, In 2021, UNICEF launched its Healthy Environments for Healthy Children Framework , outlining major actions for stakeholders to take to reduce environmental threats to children’s health. There are five major actions that UNICEF and its partners can take: Strengthen climate-resilience and environmental sustainability in health care facilities;…