African children most vulnerable to climate change: Unicef

Workers pull a red carpet as they prepare the venue ahead of the Africa Climate Summit 2023 in Kenya. Pic/AFP

Children in Africa are among the most at risk of the impacts of climate change, with only 2.4 per cent of the global climate funding targeting the youngest, the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) has said in a new report launched in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

The report released on Friday ahead of the Africa Climate Summit to be held in Nairobi on September 4-6. Lieke van de Wiel, Unicef deputy director for eastern and southern Africa, said that it is clear that the youngest members of African society are bearing the brunt of the harsh effects of climate change.

"They are the least able to cope, due to physiological vulnerability and poor access to essential social services. We need to see a stronger focus of funding toward this group, so they are equipped to face a lifetime of climate-induced disruptions," van de Wiel said.

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The report titled, Time to Act: African Children in the Climate Change Spotlight, said that children in 48 out of 49 African countries assessed are categorised as at high or extremely high risk of the impacts of climate change.

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No of African countrie where children at risk

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