UNICEF: Millions of children suffering from extreme heat
In light of climate change, today, one in five children - approximately 466 million - lives in a region that records at least twice as many extremely hot days as 60 years ago, UNICEF reported. "Children are not little adults; their bodies are more sensitive to the effects of extreme heat," Lily Caprani of UNICEF told AFP news agency.
Extreme heat not only has health implications but also affects children's education when schools temporarily close due to extremely high temperatures. This year, this has already affected at least 80 million children, according to the report.
The study finds that in West and Central Africa alone, 123 million children - or 39 percent - experience temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius for about a third of the year. In Mali, for instance, the thermometer averages above 35 degrees on more than 200 days a year. Meanwhile, most people there do not have air conditioning, and frequent power outages disable fans.
"Children are sensitive and breathe quickly. They cannot sweat as much as adults and are much more susceptible to heat stress," said UNICEF representative Caprani. Additionally, heat contributes to child malnutrition and increases the risk of diseases like malaria and dengue fever. It also negatively impacts children's neurological development and mental health.
UNICEF calls for awareness campaigns to help parents recognize signs of heatstroke, better training for medical staff, and air conditioning in schools.
Above all, governments worldwide must mitigate climate change, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell urged. The heads of state and government who will present new national climate protection plans in the coming months under the Paris Agreement should do so "with the ambition and knowledge that today's children and future generations will live in the world they leave behind."
The report by UNICEF highlights that at least 123 million children in West and Central Africa experience excessive heat, with Mali averaging above 35 degrees Celsius on over 200 days annually. To address this issue, UNICEF advocates for air conditioning in schools, improved medical training, and awareness campaigns about heatstroke signs.
