World Children’s Day 2020 in India Focuses on Climate Change and Impact of COVID-19 on children
New Delhi: World Children’s Day (WCD) is a global day of action for children, by children, marking the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on November 20 in 1989. In India, a week of activities and events are being rolled out from National Children’s Day on 14 November leading up to WCD.
COVID-19 is a child rights crisis. In the backdrop of the global pandemic, UNICEF brings spotlight on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the rights of children. The costs of the pandemic for children are immediate and, if unaddressed, may persist throughout their lives.
This year’s activities will occur in the virtual and digital spaces. Along with grownups, children will also wear masks and maintain physical distance. That, however, does not mean that children’s voices will be any quieter – children will be Masked but not Muted! this World Children’s Day.
Climate Parliament with Children to present Charter of Demands to Parliamentarians
Climate Change is a key theme of the WCD celebrations in India. Young people across the world are speaking up about climate risks and the action that governments across the world need to take. UNICEF in partnership with Parliamentarian’s Group for Children (PGC) is organizing a Climate Parliament with Children on 20 November 2020, under the leadership of Hon’ble Vice President Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, and 30 Members of Parliament. Children will discuss the impact of climate change with the parliamentarians and present a Charter of Demands on climate action. The participant parliamentarians are expected to sign a letter of commitment to support in integrating children’s rights and voices to climate action and adaptation plans.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan and other iconic monuments will light up in blue under the #Go Blue campaign in solidarity for child rights and the impact of COVID-19 on children’s lives.
Monuments across the country –the Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential Palace), Prime Minister’s Office (North and South Block), the Parliament House and Qutub Minar in New Delhi, and other historical buildings, landmarks and key government buildings across India – will #GoBlue on 20 November, standing in solidarity for child rights and the impact of COVID-19 and climate change on their lives.
Virtual concert with Ricky Kej and other celebrated artists
A virtual concert, ‘Reimagine, Be Kind and the SDGs’ with songs about the environment for children on World Children’s Day is organized by UNICEF along with Grammy Award-winning composer music producer and environmentalist Ricky Kejand well-known artist Hariharan, Salim Suleiman, Jonita Gandhi, Benny Dayal, Neeti Mohan, Anjana Padmanabhan (Little Champs winner), Gnaneshwar M (Little Champs winner), and others. This will be live streamed via UNICEF/UN India digital channels and broadcast by several leading media platforms on 20 November, 7-8 pm (IST).
Media Panel Discussion with Foreign Correspondents’ Club
While children are not the face of this pandemic, they risk bearing the worst brunt of its impact. For years to come, children and young people will be living with the longer term, secondary impacts of this pandemic on them and how the world chooses to respond to those keeping in view children’s wellbeing. In this context a media panel discussion on the ‘Impact of COVID crisis on the Lives of Children in India’ will be held in partnership with Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia (FCC) on 17 November 2020.
Corporate partners
As a part of its corporate engagement, UNICEF partners such as Hindustan Unilever Limited, SAP and some prominent digital influencers will lend their platforms for children and highlight how these kids would reimagine their future.