Climate migration is preventing education for children in Southeast Asia

Migratory movements, which are increasing due to climate change, are very much on the children’s shoulders. This is made clear by a report published today by World Vision on the situation in Southeast Asia, prepared by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). The negative effects are particularly evident in the field of education: both children who had to leave their home country and those who were left without parents are more likely to drop out of school. But their general development and health also fall by the wayside.

The report “Climate change, vulnerability and migration: Impacts on children and youth in Southeast Asia” highlights the intersection of poverty, climate change, migration and marginalization and is based on 92 interviews, which ‘ including affected children and parents in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. directed. As a result of climate change, such as crop failure and floods, poor families in particular are increasingly losing their livelihoods. They are in debt and leaving their home country in search of better paying jobs. Children are taken, but some are left alone for months. Children in the care of grandparents or siblings are often short on money, as parents may move less than expected. Affected girls and boys are therefore often forced to work for wages. Older girls in particular also take on household and farm duties. As a result, many are no longer able to continue attending school.

Both children and parents report that separation from family has a profound emotional impact. Many children describe experiences of exploitation or discrimination during migration. As the climate crisis worsens, health, education, livelihoods and economic prospects are increasingly at risk for many in Southeast Asia. “The physical, emotional and mental toll that migration takes on girls and boys has gone unnoticed for far too long. These challenges can no longer be ignored. Climate-related causes of migration must be combated and the future of these young people secured,” said Terry Ferrari, World Vision’s regional director in East Asia.

The UN estimated the number of international migrants in Southeast Asia at 10.6 million in 2020, with Thailand receiving the majority. About 1.27 million were under 18 years of age. As the effects of climate change worsen and force more people to migrate, it is imperative that their rights and interests are protected – especially children, who are particularly vulnerable injured.

Recommendations in the report are mainly at five levels:

• Better infrastructure and disaster preparedness to better deal with the consequences of climate change
• Flexible and balanced support for sustainable living
• Better protection for parents and children moving forward
• Caring for caregivers and the children who live with them
• Enabling children and young people to build a better future for themselves