Growing up during challenging times, like climate change, can make children and youth feel anxious about the future. Education is key to helping young generations overcome these feelings, informing them on the challenges posed by climate change and empowering them to take action. Climate change also impacts children’s basic rights, such as the right to a decent standard of living or the right to life, access to water or safe housing. Recent UN reports have emphasised how climate change affects these rights but less focus has been devoted to analysing how climate change can prevent children from accessing education.

While organisations like UNESCO have started addressing this issue, we still need a deeper understanding of how climate change affects education in different regions and the specific barriers it creates. It’s also important to discuss with affected children and their communities not only about the challenges, but also about mitigating actions or solutions.

The idea behind this project is to provide a platform for these conversations and offer an opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and explore how to protect children’s education and rights in the face of climate change.

The workshops structure

The workshop series is structured according to 4 phases:

• I-Information

  The aim is to provide ‘need-to-know’ information on the right to education and the impact of climate change on this right

• D-Documentation

  The session will explain how to document the impact of climate change on the right to education

• E-Empowerment

  We will see examples of direct involvement of children in decision-making processes and standard-setting practices, and discuss ways of empowering children and youth in advocacy and policy change.

• A-Advocacy

  We will look at skills and tools needed to effectively develop and implement advocacy activities

Coordinator

The project is led by the GC E-learning Department and coordinated in partnership with the Right to Education Initiative. Lecturers include academics and experts working at the intersection of children's rights and climate change as well as climate justice activists (read bios here):

Delphine Dorsi

Director, Right to Education Initiative

Guest Speakers

 

Zoi Aliozi

Climate Justice Expert

Laure Abado

Save the Children

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the workshop series, participants will have gained essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop the subsequent phases of the project (photo exhibition, monitoring guide), and effectively implement community-based advocacy campaign.

F.A.Q.s

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Enrolment

How do I enrol in the course?

The workshop series is reserved to the members of the GC-RL Child Leadership Team and is accessible upon invitation only. Credentials and instructions on how to log in and access the platform will be provided by email

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Fees

Do I need to pay any fee to attend the project?

There are no registration or tuition fees. The certificate of participation is also free.

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Structure and content

Is there a schedule for the course or is it self-directed?

The course includes 4 live workshops as well as interactive discussions and excercises. For a detailed description of the schedule check the course outline here.

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Certificate of completion

What do I need to do to get the certificate of participation?

At the end of the project you will receive a certificate of participation.