Delivering climate rights to youth in South Asia
Partner: terre de hommes (tdh)
September - December 2021
The project will directly benefit 4,000 female and 3,800 male youth across the South Asia region through strengthened climate knowledge, increased resources and capacity for youth-led climate action, and empowerment for climate rights-based advocacy. © Nisha D'Souza
Background
The climate crisis is the defining human right’s challenge of our generation and is already having a devastating impact on the well-being of youth, who do not experience the impacts of climate change and associate ecological degradation in the same ways as adults. South Asia is home to one of the largest global populations of young people. They are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, particularly food and water insecurity and unclean living environments, while at the same time being future decision-makers and key stakeholders when it comes to climate action. Yet, youth in Afghanistan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan face several obstacles to engage in climate action including a lack of access, knowledge, capacities, and resources. Furthermore, they face delegitimization and exclusion from policy and decision-making processes. What is needed is for youth to be recognized and listened to as agents of change at local, national, and regional levels, so that they can provide solutions to secure their own rights and collectively drive sustainable development for themselves, their communities, and societies across South Asia.
Consultancy Services Provided
Network Partner Facilitator; Programme Strategy Design
EcoNiche supported tdh in facilitating vision and objective building between 11 network partners and tdh offices in Afghanistan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. We subsequently designed and developed the multi-year strategy and proposal for the BMU (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany), based on partner input, literature reviews, and youth leader, local expert and other stakeholder discussions in the 4 countries.
Outcomes
The proposal is awaiting confirmation for funding by the BMU. If awarded, the project will facilitate the delivery of youth-led nature-based solutions in Afghanistan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan for enhanced water and food security and sustainable waste management, and enable their meaningful participation in climate policy and decision-making.