DEVELOPMENT stakeholders and other children's right stakeholders have been asked to join efforts in raising public awareness on climate change, its effect on children's right and how the problem can be addressed.
Climate change is currently affecting the world and children are the most vulnerable group thus there is a need for concerted efforts to find better ways of raising awareness about the problem to ensure the public become aware of climate change, its causes and how it affects children's rights.
Speaking in Dodoma recently Forum CC Project Officer Msololo Onditi said that children are most affected group by the effects of climate change thus concerted efforts are crucial in dealing with the problem.
Mr Onditi was speaking in a session which brought together various child protection and community development stakeholders from District Councils, President's Office Regional Administrations and Local Government, religious institutions representative and Non-governmental organizations.
He said there are several plans and initiatives undertaken by the government and stakeholders to counter the effects of climate change but they have not been fully implemented because majority of the community members are not aware of the problem.
"We are looking on how we can raise our voice together to educate the public about the climate change and its effects on children are right so that we can save them from harm since they are future workforce," he said.
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He said besides, raising public awareness there was also a need to review existing policies and guidelines to ensure that they are compatible with efforts being undertaken to deal with climate change.
The Chamwino District Environment Officer Yustina Amo said that the public should be educated on climate change, tree planting and encouraged to cultivate short term crops to ensure food availability.
She also said that, the community should be educated on how to harvest and store rain water, drilling wells and protecting water sources in residential and schools' areas.
"Many children especially in rural areas spend a lot of time in collecting firewood, water and food instead of being in school," shesaid
"Children can also be taught how to plant trees and vegetables around their school premises and include agriculture subject in the curriculum to enable them to cultivate food crops to be used by students,Ms Amo said.
Tanzania Christian Community (CCT) Department of Women and Children Development Program Officer Ester Mhagachi said that climate change has led to violation of children's basic
right as most of them have been turned into domestic and farm workers instead of going to school and participate in sports.
"Due to climate change effects children are used in fields as cheap labor in order to get food, and some are not even going to school because they are not accessing food, others use most of their time in forest collecting firewood and they end up being raped, we should stand firm in combating effects of climate change said Ms Mhagachi.
