Jumla: Sixty-two children from Karnali Province gathered to discuss the impacts of climate change in Himali Sambaad—aprecursor event to the Sagarmatha Sambaad. The event was organized by Save the Children, KIRDARC, and Youth Alliance for Environment in collaboration with the Government of Nepal and the Sagarmatha Sambaad Secretariat to spotlight the disproportionate impact of climate change on children especially those from mountainous communities.
The two-day event, held on 22–23 April in Jumla, featured panel discussions where children engaged with climate change experts, representatives from the federal, provincial and local governments, civil society organizations and other stakeholders. They shared their experiences and concerns on how climate-induced disasters hinder their education, protection, well-being, and health. The children also called for greater government accountability and urged that their lived experiences be placed at the center of all climate discussions, policies, and plans.
Speaking at the event, Tara Chettry, Country Director of Save the Children, shared:
“Children make up 33.8 percent of Nepal’s total population, and despite the profound impact of climate change on their lives, their voices and experiences are often sidelined. The voices raised in Himali Sambaad are not just stories — they are solutions. Children are the conscience of our climate crisis.”
Ashmita, 15, President of the Child Club Network of Karnali, said:
“When our schools are buried by landslides, when our homes are flooded, when hunger follows drought, when the mountains melt — children pay the highest price. Climate change is not tomorrow’s threat; it is today’s emergency.”
Discussing how climate change disproportionately affects girls, Shristi, 14, from Dolpa, shared:
“When the weather changes drastically or our village floods, it’s children — especially girls — who suffer the most. With food shortages and parents losing their livelihoods, girls are often pushed into early marriage or forced to drop out of school. Climate change is a child rights crisis. But for girls like us, it can mean the end of our dreams.”
According to panelists at the conference, climate change has led to a visible retreat of glaciers, shifts in vegetation, erratic rainfall patterns, and an alarming increase in natural disasters such as floods and landslides in mountainous regions like Karnali. Children in these areas face growing food insecurity, health crises, and school dropouts—challenges further exacerbated by poverty and harmful social norms. The region is highly vulnerable due to high exposure to climate hazards and low adaptive capacity.
Informed by a series of consultations with children, youth, climate activists, local stakeholders, and civil society organizations, the participating children also presented a 13-point Himali Sambaad; Jumla Declaration — calling for immediate action. The declaration aims to influence discussions at the Sagarmatha Sambaad, ensuring that children’s voices are central to high-level conversations.
The 13-point Himali Sambaad; Jumla Declaration, highlights the urgent need to approach climate change from a lived experience perspective, centering the voice and agency of children and those most marginalized. It emphasizes that climate conversations must be shaped by children and their contexts — and must avoid centralized, cookie cutter approaches. The children also called for an intersectional approach to climate discussions, ensuring traditional and indigenous good practices for adapting to impacts of climate change.
According to the child participants, “Climate policies and actions must address the real needs of the most marginalized communities. Climate shocks not only marginalize children and communities but also deepen social and economic inequalities. These shocks expose children to greater vulnerabilities—leading to school dropouts, livelihood loss, forced migration, mental health challenges, child labor and trafficking, and an increase in child marriage and other harmful social norms.”
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