MANILA, April 22, 2025 – As the world comes together to celebrate Earth Day, children and youth across Asia are speaking up, demanding urgent action to protect their right to a clean, safe, and sustainable environment.
Nina, a young environmental activist from Indonesia, calls on world leaders and policymakers about plastic pollution. “I wrote to world leaders about plastic pollution, but many have done little to stop it. We need leaders who care about us!” she exclaims.
From polluted air and toxic plastic waste to climate-induced disasters, children bear the brunt of environmental degradation—yet their voices remain largely unheard in policymaking. Air pollution is now one of the most pressing health threats in Asia and the Pacific, with a third of all global deaths linked to air pollution occurring in the region. For children, the impact is devastating—many suffer from respiratory diseases, developmental disorders, and long-term health complications.
In Indonesia, studies have revealed that microplastics have already infiltrated children’s bodies before they are even born, with 100 percent of breast milk samples tested containing microplastics. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s severe transboundary haze pollution has disrupted education for 1.7 million students, underscoring how environmental harm extends beyond health and into children’s fundamental rights.
Child Rights Coalition Asia (CRC Asia) calls for urgent action. “Breathing clean air, the most basic human need, has become a luxury in many parts of Asia. Governments must act now, or they will be held responsible for failing to protect children’s rights to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment,” said Amihan Abueva, Regional Executive Director of CRC Asia.
Children’s Rights to a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment
Governments must take responsibility by enforcing stronger environmental protection policies, regulating industries contributing to pollution, and ensuring that children have meaningful participation in shaping policies that impact their future.
“Children should be consulted in every decision our stakeholders make regarding climate change,” said Sofia, a child advocate from the Philippines.
Celine, a 17-year-old from Indonesia and a member of Bye Bye Plastic Bags Surabaya, echoes the same sentiment and urges society to break away from outdated hierarchies that silence young voices. “The older your age, the more right you are—this thought process has to be dismantled. Let’s have an open environment where everyone is welcome, and where our opinions matter,” she says.
Child Rights Coalition Asia (CRC Asia) is amplifying children’s voices, calling for decisive action from governments, businesses, and communities to address the escalating crisis.
“Legal mechanisms must be strengthened to allow children and affected communities to hold polluters accountable and seek justice for environmental harm,” said Abueva.
Schools, businesses, and communities also play a critical role in reducing single-use plastics, transitioning to clean energy, and improving air quality.
Bianca, a 16-year-old from the Philippines and founder of SISU Organization PH, emphasizes the need for collective action. “It shouldn’t be a solo thing. Personal responsibility is good, but if we want systemic changes, then we have to come together.”
Last October 2-3, 2024, CRC Asia, in partnership with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Philippines organized the ASEAN Dialogue on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which aimed to localize the implementation of UNCRC General Comment No. 26 on children’s rights and the environment with special focus on climate change (GC26) in ASEAN Member States.
Key recommendations from the dialogue included integrating children’s environmental rights into education curricula to raise awareness from an early age, ensuring child participation in decision-making processes related to climate action, strengthening corporate accountability by engaging businesses in responsible environmental practices, improving access to justice for children whose environmental rights have been violated, and finalizing the ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Rights and its Regional Action Plan to guide ASEAN Member States in implementing GC26.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to empowering children and youth to take action. More than ever, we need to push for stronger regional cooperation to ensure that children’s voices are not only heard but also reflected in meaningful, lasting policy changes,” said Abueva.
The message from Asia’s children is clear: they are fighting for their future, and they need the world to stand with them.
