A Damaged Planet, Children at Risk: Why Environmental Protection Cannot Wait
A clean, healthy, and safe environment is a fundamental foundation for the fulfillment of human rights, particularly for children. Every stage of a child’s development depends, in part, on the quality of the water they drink, the air they breathe, and the environment in which they live. Environmental crises such as pollution and contamination can therefore have direct consequences for children’s health, development, and future.
Children are physically more vulnerable to environmental hazards than adults. Because their bodies and organs are still developing, children can be more susceptible to the effects of toxic substances and environmental pollutants. Water contaminated with harmful bacteria or waste can increase the risk of infectious diseases and contribute to nutritional problems. Long-term exposure to air pollution can also affect lung development and has been associated with impacts on children’s cognitive development and overall health.
Environmental degradation can undermine a range of children’s fundamental rights. Under international law, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), particularly Article 24, recognizes every child’s right to the highest attainable standard of health. This includes access to nutritious food and clean drinking water, as well as the need to address the dangers and risks of environmental pollution.
In Indonesia, these principles are reflected in Law No. 35 of 2014 on Child Protection, which recognizes children’s rights to survival, growth, development, and protection. A healthy environment is an important part of creating the conditions children need to grow and develop safely.
Environmental damage can also affect children’s rights to education, recreation, and protection. When ecological disasters such as floods or extreme droughts occur, children may lose access to school, while educational facilities can be damaged or disrupted. Areas contaminated by hazardous waste can also reduce the availability of safe spaces for children to play. Yet play and outdoor activities are important parts of children’s physical, cognitive, and social development.
Delaying environmental action means allowing these risks to accumulate. Environmental damage that is left unaddressed today can contribute to long-term health problems and reduce the quality and safety of the spaces in which future generations will live.
Protecting children therefore also means protecting the environment around them. Strong environmental regulations, adequate sanitation, access to clean water, and the expansion of safe and healthy green spaces are not simply environmental priorities—they are investments in children’s rights and well-being.
Environmental protection cannot be treated as a distant concern. It is part of the work of ensuring that children today and future generations have the opportunity to live, grow, learn, and play in a safe and healthy environment.
