Voices of the Future: Workshop on Climate Change and Adolescents

On July 4th, 2024, eight partners of the Amplifying Community Voices (ACV) consortium conducted a participatory workshop with selected adolescent members to map the impacts of climate change on children at Ramganga village under Patharparatima Block of South 24 Parganas district. The workshop brought together community children and representatives of adolescent groups to discuss how climate change affects their lives and explore potential mitigation strategies. Using various participatory tools, the issues raised by the participants were documented.

A consolidated report was created from the workshop’s findings. This data was then presented by an ACV consortium representative at a district-level consultation workshop organized by the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR). The WBCPCR periodically reviews existing policies, promotes and conducts research on child rights, and inspects Child Care Institutions, recommending necessary remedial actions.

The objectives of this policy-level advocacy were to:

1. Highlight the impact of climate change on adolescents.
2. Develop methods to measure this impact.
3. Establish adolescent resilience mechanisms against these impacts.
4. Integrate climate change education into the West Bengal school syllabus, including content and approach.

The workshop had several significant effects:

1. Raised Awareness: The workshop heightened awareness among adolescents about the impacts of climate change on their lives, fostering a deeper understanding of the issue.
2. Empowerment: By involving adolescents in the participatory process, the workshop empowered them to voice their concerns and suggest mitigation strategies, making them active participants in addressing climate change.
3. Data Collection: The use of participatory tools allowed for the collection of valuable data on the specific ways climate change affects children in the community. This data was crucial for further analysis and advocacy.
4. Report Generation: The consolidated list of issues and suggestions from the workshop was compiled into a comprehensive report, serving as a critical resource for policy advocacy.
5. Policy Advocacy: The workshop’s findings were presented at a district-level consultation workshop organized by the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR), influencing policy discussions and decisions.
6. Future Planning: The discussions and data collected provided a foundation for future planning and the development of resilience mechanisms to help adolescents cope with the effects of climate change.
7. Educational Integration: One of the key advocacy points was to integrate climate change education into the West Bengal school syllabus, ensuring that future generations are better informed and prepared to tackle climate-related challenges.
8. Community Engagement: The workshop fostered stronger community engagement, with representatives from various groups collaborating to address a common issue, thereby strengthening community bonds and collective action.
9. Long-term Impact: The workshop set in motion a series of actions and initiatives aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change on adolescents, ensuring a sustained effort towards this critical issue.

Overall, the workshop was a catalyst for change, driving awareness, policy advocacy, and community action towards addressing the impacts of climate change on children.

Gallery link: https://muktiweb.org/gallery/album/acv-organized-workshop-on-climate-change-and-it-s-impact-on-adolescents