child voices

7/30/2019 child voices

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Child Voices:Children oNepal Speak Out onClimate Change AdaptationDhruba Gautam and Katy Oswald

November 2008

Research Report


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Acknowledgements

Children in a Changing Climate would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all who contributed to this reportand lm.

We are grateul to the children and their communities or their patience and cooperation. The local ActionAidpartners, children and their communities enthusiastically produced and participated in the participatory videosshowcased in our lm, and helped us understand the practical diculties they ace due to a changing climate.We would like to thank the our children we interviewed or our case studies: Santosh B.K. in Bageshwari,Banke district; Rajkumari Harijan in Matehiya, Banke district; Menuka Tamang in Ramche, Rasuwa district andAmon Rana Magar in Balaju, Kathmandu.

ActionAid Parners:

ActionAid Nepal (AAN), Kathmandu and Nepalgunj ofces

Bheri Environmental Excellence Group (BEE Group), Banke district Manekor Society Nepal (MSN), Rasuwa district Lumanti, Kathmandu

Main contributors: Bhawana Regmi, Ambika Amatya, Shyam Jnavaly, Nahakul Thapa, and Tamara Plush

Film producer: Tamara Plush

The lm was directed and edited by Hari Thapa and Bai Kuntha rom Contemporary Vision, Pvt., inKathmandu. We are grateful to Smriti Kattel from Balaju for her narration talent, and to Lumanti and Balajucommunity members or lming support beyond the participatory video study.

Main commentators: Marion Khamis, Tom Mitchell, Lucy Stone, Lydia Baker and Janani VivekanandaEdited by Judy Hartley

Photographers: Dhruba Gautam, Bhawana Regmi and Tamara Plush, and rom the participatory videointerviews and lms produced by the AAN partners and community members.

Designed by RPM Print & Design

2008 Children in a Changing Climate

children in a changing climate

www.childreninachangingclimate.org 2


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Contents

Acknowledgments 2

Executive Summary 4

1. Introduction: why do childrens voices matter on climate change? 6

2. Child Voices: the impact o a changing climate on our lives 9

3. Existing adaptation strategies and constraints 14

4. Children Speak Out: what we need to adapt 16

5. Lessons 19

Boxes and TablesBox 1: Metehiya case study 6

Box 2: Ramche case study 9

Box 3: Balaju case study 10

Box 4: Bageshwari case study 13

Table 1: Childrens long- and short-term priorities or adaptationto climate change and the constraints they ace 18

Children rom Bageshwari, Banke, Nepal

Child Voices: Children o Nepal Speak Out on Climate Change Adaptation



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The impacts o climate change are already beingelt most acutely by millions o the worlds poorestpeople.1 They are already acing hunger, disease and

confict linked to climate change. It is children likeSantosh, who live in the worlds poorest communities,who are particularly vulnerable.2

In 2008 Children in a Changing Climates researchprogramme worked with ActionAid Nepal, and itspartner organisations, to help poor children in the

plains, hills and urban areas o Nepal make shortlms about how climate change is being experiencedby their communities. Making these lms allowedthe children to explore how the changing climate

Executive Summary

We cannot escape climate change, but we need to reduceits eect on people, livestock and crops.

Santosh B.K., age 17, Bageshwari, Banke, Nepal.

Children learn about the participatory video climate change project in Matehiya, Banke, Nepal




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is impacting them and their amilies, how they arecoping and what they need in order to adapt to achanging climate. This report is based on the ndingso the participatory video project and additionalresearch with children in the project communities.

This report aims to provide an opportunity or children

rom three geographically diverse areas o Nepalto speak or themselves on their climate changeadaptation needs. We do not claim that the childreninterviewed represent all the children o Nepal, butthis report oers an opportunity or an internationalaudience to hear their perspectives on their climatechange adaptation needs.

The research ound that poor children and theiramilies in Nepal are being impacted by a changingclimate. The children identied impacts to theiramilies livelihoods, their health, their education, theiremotional wellbeing, and their access to water, as aresult o foods, droughts and landslides, all causedby increasingly erratic and unpredictable weatherpatterns.

However, these children are not passive victims oclimate change, and the research ound that theyand their amilies are already making changes totheir lives in order to cope, but they ace severeconstraints. They know what additional support theyneed to adapt their lives to a changing climate: theyneed reorestation programmes, access to improvedagricultural technologies, improved inrastructure,

increased knowledge on climate change impacts, andgood disaster prevention programmes.

Action is needed now to help these children andtheir communities adapt to the impacts o a changingclimate. For every child who has spoken out throughthis study, there are millions more around the worldattempting to cope with the results o extreme weathersuch as cyclones, foods, landslides and droughts.This will only increase as climate change continues.It is time or governments to listen to those who areamongst those worst aected by climate change:

children in the worlds poorest communities.

This report makes a number o recommendations orupholding childrens rights in the context o climatechange:

Childrens right to be heard: This report andthe childrens participatory videos (showcased inthe lm accompanying this report) demonstrate that

children understand the impacts o climate changeon their lives and that they need help to adapt andnd solutions. Children have a right to be heardat all levels, in their communities, and in climatechange debates at national and internationallevels.

Childrens rights to adaptation: Life, safety,participation and development are the basic rightso children. From a rights-based perspective,working with children on climate changeadaptation is not optional; it is protecting theirrights.

Childrens rights to education: The changingclimate is impacting amilies livelihoods and theirability to aord to send their children to school.Governments need to ensure, through scholarships,stipends or ee waivers, that amilies do not taketheir children out o school as a coping strategy.

Adaptation plans should include theneeds o children: Many developing countries,including Nepal, have or are preparing NationalAdaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs). In

order or NAPAs to be both eective and equitable,consultation, dialogues and discussions in variouspolicy spaces must include the views and needs ochildren.




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Introduction1

Raj Kumari is one o many children whose liveshave been impacted by foods in Nepal. In 2007,almost hal a million people were aected bythe foods caused by the early onset o strongmonsoon rains. More than 23,000 houses weredestroyed.3

Children like Raj Kumari have contributedleast to the causes o climate change butare oten the worst aected by it:

Children globally are being affected by climate

shocks, particularly in drought-, food- andcyclone-prone rural areas and urban slums.

The prospects of increasing poverty, hunger,disease and reduced access to education meanthat childrens utures are more uncertain thanever beore.

Childrens experiences of climate change anddisasters are dierent rom those o adults, yetthis is rarely considered.4

Despite the impact climate change is havingon their lives, childrens participation in climatechange debates is limited and childrens rightsto adaptation assistance are poorly understood.This report demonstrates that children are beingimpacted by climate change; they understandwhat they need in order to adapt their lives toa changing climate; and they have a right tobe heard in climate change policy debates andparticipate in adaptation programmes.

Floods and increased rainall stop me goingto school

My name is Raj Kumari and I am 16 years old. I study ingrade 10 at school. I have to cross the Dondra River every dayto get to school. When there is heavy rainall the water level

rises and this makes it dicult to cross. I remember it used tobe at knee level a ew years ago, but now it rises to my waist.I dont like crossing it and do not like attending school withwet clothes; it makes it hard to concentrate in class. I otenmiss my exams in July and August because o the foods. Iwish my exams could be in September when there are ewerfoods. We need good roads and bridges to make it easier orchildren like me to get to school during the heavy rains.

Raj Kumari Harijan, Matehiya, Banke, Nepal.

Why do childrens voices matter on climate change?

Box 1: Metehiya case study




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The Context

Children in a Changing ClimateChildren in a Changing Climate (CCC)5 is acollaborative programme spanning research, action,advocacy and learning with the purpose o securingchildrens infuence in tackling climate change atevery level. The programme brings together leadingresearch and development organisations, each witha commitment to share knowledge, coordinate theiractions and to work with children as protagonistsrather than just as victims.

This research programme o CCC is coordinatedby the Climate Change and Development Centreat the Institute o Development Studies, UnitedKingdom. The CCC research programme is dedicatedto collaborative action research into child-ledadaptation with the purpose o helping to legitimisechildrens voice on climate change at all levels and inall arenas. It provides the evidence base that enablespractitioners, policymakers and children themselves totake action to adapt to and mitigate climate change.

NepalThis report is based on eld research conducted withchildren living in poor rural and urban communities in

Nepal. Nepal is particularly vulnerable to excessiverainall, longer drought periods, landslides andfoods.6 Recent research suggests that climate changeimpacts will aect Nepal in a number o areas: waterresources, hydropower, agriculture, orestry andbiodiversity, health and education.7 The researchor this report was carried out with poor children inour communities in the mid-west and central regionso Nepal: Matehiya and Bageshwari in the Bankedistrict; Ramche in the Rasuwa district; and Balaju inKathmandu Metropolitan City.

Matehiya is one o the most remote locations withinthe Banke district. A decade-long confict hasdisrupted services, and it has very limited transportand electricity. The main livelihoods are agriculture,livestock and seasonal work. The climate is tropical,with the temperature sometimes reaching 44oC. Itis dominated by the Teraian caste, ollowed by hillmigrants and Tharu.

Bageshwari in the Banke district has a good roadnetwork. The climate is similar to Matehiya. Themajor caste and ethnic groups are hill migrantsand Muslims. The main livelihoods are agriculture,

remittances and seasonal work.

Ramche in the Rasuwa district lies in the hills at 1910metres. The major caste and ethnic groups includeTamang, Sherpa and Dalit.8 The main livelihoods areagriculture and remittances.

The Balaju community is located in ward 16 oKathmandu Metropolitan City. Migration rom ruralareas to this community is very common. The mainlivelihoods are sel-employment and the service sector.The major ethnic groups living here include Tamang,Magar, Newar, Gurung, Brahmin, Chhetri and Rai.

Source: Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page



Rasuwa

Banke

Kathmandu Metropolitan City




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MethodologyThe idea or this report grew rom one o CCCspartners, ActionAid Nepal, and its Disaster RiskReduction through Schools project.9 In this project,participatory video is being explored as a tool tohelp the community, including children, identiy risksand develop climate change adaptation strategies.The participatory videos are also part o citizen-led education and advocacy eorts that help thecommunity to more easily and eectively engage with

decision-makers.

This report builds on the childrens participatory videowork that encouraged them to examine the changingclimate in their communities: the impact o extremeweather-related hazards and changing weatherpatterns on the livelihoods o their amilies; theiramilies existing coping strategies; their constraints toadaptation; and their adaptation needs.

Researchers used participatory techniques, such asocus group discussions, and individual interviewsto gather more evidence rom the children involved

in making the participatory videos. The ndings andquotes in this report come rom both the participatoryvideos and the research.

To accompany this report we have produced alm that showcases clips rom participatory videointerviews and nal lms made by the children. Thereport and lm combined provide a platorm or thechildren o Nepal to speak out on climate changeadaptation.

Children see themselves in video or the rst time in Matehiya, Banke, Nepal

Shanti Maya Tamang shares her experience o ood shortages thisyear due to climate change in Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal




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Climate models indicate that the annual rainall inNepal will increase signicantly i CO2 emissionsincrease.10 It is likely to become drier during the dryseason, with a signicantly wetter monsoon season(as much as three times the current rainfall).11 Thedistribution o rainall throughout the year is a reliableactor in determining the risk o foods. This pattern orainall is likely to cause droughts during the wintermonths and foods during the monsoon.12 The children

o Nepal are already eeling this impact. In theplains, children ear foods and drought; in the hills,landslides are a major concern; and in Kathmandu,children complain o the weather getting colder dueto thick og in the winter and that the extreme rain,wind and heat are disrupting their studies.

LivelihoodsOver the last ew years, the crops have ailed ormany reasons: food, drought, hailstones, landslidesand inestations o insects. During the ocus groupsdiscussions, the children explained that this year thelentil crop completely ailed in Banke, and in Rasuwathe potato crop is down by approximately 30 per cent.

The weather change has aected our lives. We havenot been able to plant crops on time and the soil hasbeen swept away due to heavy rainall.

Nebtesh Tamang, age 15, Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal.

Last year, because it rained a lot,there were many landslides andthe crops were destroyed. Thisyear because we didnt have muchrain, the plants have not beenable to grow properly, so we havelittle to eed ourselves.

Kalpana Tamang, age 13, Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal.

Child Voices: the impact of a changingclimate on our lives2

Girls take their cattle to odder beore school (image rom thechildrens participatory video drama in Bageshwari, Banke,

Nepal,)

The research and participatory videos gathered evidence rom

the children and adult community members about how thechanging climate is impacting their lives.

Our lives have been disrupted by landslides

over the last ew yearsMy name is Menuka Tamang and I am 13 years old. I amstudying in grade 5 at school. Over the past ew years me andmy amily have moved three times, rom Haadior to Sishneri andnally to Ramche because of the landslides. Our familys livelihoodhas been devastated by them. We live rom arming. Five yearsago we produced 4 muri o rice but now we produce only 1 muri[1 muri equals 80 kg] because landslides have destroyed ourarmland. My ather is now working abroad and sends moneyhome when he can, and my elder brother works as a porter duringhis school holidays. We are now living in a temporary home on

rented land which we cultivate with other armers. We cannotreturn to our own armland because o the risk o landslides.

Menuka Tamang, Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal.

Box 2: Ramche case study




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HealthThe children noted an increase in waterbornediseases during the foods.

Over the last ew years we have been suering romeye inections. In the past, we only used to have theseinections during the monsoon but these days we arealso suering rom it during longer droughts. We aresurprised; why is this happening? This inection makesit dicult or us to read and write, so it is harder orus to study. Because it is an inectious disease wehave to stay at home to prevent it rom spreadingamong our riends at school. We also have to spend

money or medicine.Sudan Rajbanshi, age 17, Bageshwari, Banke, Nepal.

In the rural areas in Nepal, very ew houseshave toilets and open-air deecation is common.Water contamination is a constant problem that isexacerbated during fooding.

Every year many people dieo diarrhoea and cholera inMatehiya. It is all because wedont have toilets or latrines somost o the water sources arecontaminated. We dont even havea health post nearby. We have torely on Jhole doctors without muchexperience (who always keepsome medicine in their bags) romIndian cities who cannot tell uswhat we have.

Madan Lamichhane, age 14, Matehiya, Banke, Nepal.

The growing population and number o carshas increased the pollution in Kathmandu

My name is Amon Rana Magar. I am 17 years old andin grade 7 at school. The number o vehicles in Balaju,Kathmandu, is increasing day by day. The population o Balajuhas been increasing in the last ew years due to rural migrants.The consequences have been more vehicles, more waste, lacko drinking water, destruction o ertile land and more airpollution due to many actories being built. The thick pollutingog has also got worse in recent years and I think this is due tothe population growth. As the og gets thicker, the temperaturegets colder. In the winter it is dicult to attend school as it isso cold and I get ill requently. Coughs, colds and the swellingo hands and eet are common during these days. It wouldbe great i the school could have heating in the winter. The

government needs to manage the migration o rural workersto the city to ensure there are enough services or everyone.

Amon Rana Magar, Balaju, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Box 3: Balaju case study

Children in the elds in Bageshwari, Banke, Nepal




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Access to toilets becomes even harder duringfoods when latrines and open deecation areas areinaccessible. During the foods, the women and girlsdrink less water and take less ood so that they willurinate and deecate less requently.13

EducationMany amilies have lost their homes, crops, animalsand livelihoods due to fooding and landslides. Inthe videos and ocus groups, the children spoke otheir athers having to migrate or seasonal work tosupplement their incomes. This has increased thechildrens household workload and seriously impactedtheir education. The children have to work or longerhours in the house and on the arm. Their amilies areoten unable to pay school ees or or stationery. Asa consequence, children are oten orced to abandontheir studies.

In Matehiya and Bageshwari, during the extremefoods, it is almost impossible or the children to travelto school. Many o the temporary wooden bridgesare swept away. The foods are exacerbated byinappropriate inrastructures upstream; the extractiono sand and boulders; the lack o irrigation canalsand good drainage systems, and densely populatedsettlements.14

Most o the time during fooding period I have toreturn home hal way to school because o the foodat the Dondra River. I eel my lie is more preciousthan my education, so I do not want to take the risk ocrossing the river. Our rst exam alls in July-August,during the high time o the foods. I can never do wellat school because o the problems caused by food.When the Dondra River bridge collapsed during lastyears food, I had to stay or several days at myriends house since I couldnt return home becausethe rains were so strong. It is very common to lose ourbooks and notebooks during food.

Bima Kumari B.K., age 16, Matehiya, Banke, Nepal.

The children o Ramche have to walk or up to twohours to go school because the direct routes havebeen blocked by landslides.

I walk three hours a day in total:one-and-a-hal hours to cometo school and one-and-a-halhours or going home. This isbecause the shorter route hasbeen damaged by the landslide

and I have to take a longer routewhich is saer. I am surprised thatlandslides are occurring morerequently.

Domalazi Tamang, age 13, Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal.

The government needs to helpstop these landslides, and thecommunities aected by themneed to know how to preventthem, as we are the victims othem.

Menuka Tamang, Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal.

Our school has been transerred ve times rom oneplace to another in our village because o the ear olandslides. We still have inadequate classrooms. Weare unable to have classes when it rains. We donteven have a place to hide our heads during rainall,hailstone all, snowall and thundering.

Alina Tamang, age 14, Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal.

In the participatory video made in Ramche, thechildren dramatise how one amily is aected by

the landslides: Their crops have been destroyed bythe landslides and they have no money or ood, sothey send their eldest children abroad to work andtheir younger children to work locally as domesticworkers and porters. The scene ends with the parentslamenting in old age that they are all alone becausethey have been orced to send their children away tohelp support the amily.

In Balaju, Kathmandu, the rainall, wind and heatdisrupt study in the classroom due to the schoolhaving a galvanised tin roo.

When it rains on our classrooms rootop, it makesa lot o noise which disturbs us. The windstorms blowour roos away and a lot o dust comes in the room.We have to lie on the ground at times like this. Duringthe summer, the roo heats up and we get headaches.Some eel dizzy.

Pasang Sherpa, age 11, Balaju, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Children show the challenges o going to school during fooding(image rom the childrens participatory video drama in

Bageshwari, Banke, Nepal)




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Emotional wellbeingUnderstandably, the impacts have not just aectedthe livelihoods, education and physical lives othe children; it has also aected their emotionalwellbeing. The research ound that temporary orpermanent relocation made necessary by foods and/

or landslides caused ear and trauma amongst thechildren and their community. Neighbourhoods aredestroyed, riendships are severed, support networksare broken and domestic relationships come undergreater stress.15 In addition, the children spoke otheir ear o urther foods or landslides.

Those who are unable to swim are earul o beingwashed away during the foods. A girl o 11 yearsdied when the Dondra River swept her away in lastyears food. It is also dicult to come to school withwet clothes as the boys tease us. We are also proneto get coughs and colds because we have to sit inwet clothes all day.

Uma Budhathoki, age 14, Matehiya, Banke, Nepal.

The children shared their worries about their

belongings, houses, cattle and amilies duringlandslides.

When it rains heavily duringschool time it is very hard toconcentrate on study because weworry about our amilies and earthere will be landslides.

Keshang Tamang, age 13, Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal.

In addition to the physical hardship caused bythe landslides in the Rasuwa district, the girls alsomentioned they were increasingly worried about notbeing able to nd a husband as boys are migratingto other areas to nd work.

In Banke district, the children talked about their amilymembers suering rom sleep disturbances, stress,irritability and a lack o concentration ater foods. Itis common to nd anxiety and depression in elderlypeople and children more than six months ater afood due to multiple associated problems.16 Theemotional impact o extreme weather-related hazards,including dealing with the loss o loved ones, was onetheme explored in several o the participatory videosmade by the children.

Children show how they have to cross large landslides to reachschool (image rom the childrens participatory video drama in

Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal)

A young girl cries at the loss o her brother due to fooding(image rom the childrens participatory video drama in Balaju,

Kathmandu)




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Access to waterThe water sources in the hills have become moreerratic because o extreme soil erosion andlandslides. The drought in the plains has causedmany water sources to dry up. This has causedadditional workloads or the children, as they have towalk or hours each day to etch water. The childrenrom Kathmandu also observed a lack o adequatedrinking water in the valley.

We have had problems in ndingood and water. The soil androcks were swept away by thelandslides. The animals did not getenough ood. And the plants havenot been able to grow well.

Sarita Tamang, age 14, Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal.

Landslides destroy homes, roads and cropland near Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal

Droughts are getting longer and moreunexpected

My name is Santosh and I am 17 years old. I am in grade 10at school. My amily earns our living growing corn, lentils andvegetables. My mother works as a labourer and I sometimesjoin her in my school holidays. Because o the unexpecteddrought this year, our crops have ailed. This has orced myather to go to India to nd work. Over the last ve years Ihave been shocked by the weather changing rapidly aroundus. We have suered droughts, erratic rainall and foods.These have not only aected our crops but also our healthso we are more likely to get ill. Eye inections that once onlyoccurred during the monsoon now seem to occur in the longerdroughts too. This adds to the burden o the amily as we loseincome and have to pay or medicines. During the foods, Icannot attend school as it is impossible to get there. We needtraining or alternative livelihoods to agriculture, such as

carpentry or textiles. For those o us who continue to work inagriculture, we need help to aord drought-resistant crops.

Santosh B.K., Bageshwari, Banke, Nepal.

Box 4: Bageshwari case study




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Existing adaptation strategies andconstraints3

Crop diversicationIn Bageshwari, some womens groups have started

cultivating improved varieties o grass like Napierand NB-21.

Irrigation technologiesIn the plains, the installation o treadle pumps oralternative irrigation is one way communities areattempting to reduce the eects o longer droughts.

Improved drainage systemsPoor drainage exacerbates the eects o fooding.The practice o building culverts and the installation opipes in several strategic locations is now increasingin Matehiya to ease the water fow.

Food reservesFloods and droughts are annual occurrences, but theirrequency and magnitude are increasing. In order tocope, amilies prepare ood and dried vegetables orthe monsoon and dry seasons. The practice o storingdry oods like beaten rice, sugar, noodles, driedvegetables, dried meats, dried radish, caulifowerand mushroom is common.

MicroloansWomens groups have initiated saving and credit

activities through microloans in Matehiya andBageshwari. The loans are oten used to cover lostincome created by crop ailure due to foods ordrought. The loans are also used to cover the cost ochildrens education and healthcare.

Farming cooperativesIn Matehiya, a womens group has leased land ortwo years to set up a arming cooperative. This smallinitiative has helped them to oset the crop ailure.

Looking at how our situation

has changed, we recognise theneed to work together to makea living. This is why our mothershave joined the group [armingcooperative]. We could not surviveotherwise. Farming has becometough and it is sometimes dicultto harvest enough to make aprot.

Gopal Rokaya, age 15, Matehiya, Banke, Nepal.

The children, their amilies and the wider community have tocope with the changing climate and the impacts it has on theirlives now. The research ound that they have already developedtheir own adaptation strategies. But they ace severe constraints.

How they cope now

A ather and wie labour on their arm hoping or good weather(image rom the childrens participatory video drama in Sybru Besi,

Rasuwa, Nepal)




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Alternative livelihoodsSome o the childrens amilies are starting tosell rewood, run small shops and nd seasonalwork when their crops ail. Planting bamboo nearriverbanks has started in Bageshwari, this providesadditional income to amilies, as bamboo is easilysold locally.

Seasonal migration to urban areas and abroador work is an increasingly common livelihooddiversication strategy. Remittances have becomean important source o income in the rural areas,especially when crops ail and agricultural incomesall.

Relocating their homesSome families have moved home (such as Menukaand her family on p.9) to escape the effects of oodsand landslides. A similar situation caused by food isalso ound in Matehiya. This is oten an extra burdenor amilies because it requires additional investmentand oten means a loss o social capital when amiliesleave their communities behind.

The cattle and belongings have

to be transerred to saer placeswhen there is the possibility ofood and landslides.

Bima Kumari B.K. age 16, Matehiya, Banke, Nepal.

In our village, some o the newlybuilt houses have plinth levelraised structures. This is a newpractice.

Gurubachan Yadav, age 11, Matehiya, Banke, Nepal.

The constraints they ace

PovertyPoverty makes it all the harder to cope with achanging climate. The children stated that theiramilies are oten unable to aord improved tools andtechnologies, drought-resistant crops or training in

new arming techniques that could help improve theircrop production.

InrastructurePoor road networks and limited transportationacilities make transporting goods to market orreaching schools and hospitals extremely dicult,especially during foods and landslides.

Market accessLack of access to markets makes developingalternative livelihoods dicult, especially or amilieswith little access to credit.

Poor irrigationLack of irrigation facilities is one of the main reasonsor crop ailure. Due to landslides and longer

droughts, the water sources or irrigation are indecline.

Young boys oten work as porters during school breaks to supporttheir amilies (image rom the childrens participatory video drama

in Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal)

Children take muddy roads to school in Bageshwari, Banke, Nepal




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Children speak out: what we need toadapt4

Stop deorestationPlanting trees is one o the most important long-term priorities identied by the children. Theywant environment conservation programmes to be

developed and implemented at the local level.

I think that the way we have depleted the orest inrecent years is the main reason or fooding. In veyears, we lost many ropanies [unit o land equalto 5476 sq. eet] o orest near our village. I thiscontinues, well have to prepare or more foods andlandslides. That is why collectively planting trees is theonly solution to replenish the orest.

Soma Kumari Rokaya, age 14, Matehiya, Banke, Nepal.

We need to be prepared and

conduct a tree planting campaign,and people need to learn aboutclimate change.

Bhim Maya Tamang, age 15, Ramche, Rawuwa, Nepal.

Access to improved agricultural technologiesThe children and their communities need improvedirrigation to increase agricultural productivity.

Without growing more crops we cannot survive inthe uture and the existing agriculture system may notbe sucient to grow more crops. We need help tolearn about how to use new agriculture approachesand systems. Otherwise we cannot survive.

Suman Budhathoki, age 14, Matehiya, Banke, Nepal.

Improvement o basic inrastructureMany children o Matehiya are not able to attendschool during the monsoon because o the increasingnumber o rivers that food. They expressed a need ordurable bridges to enable them to get to school. The

children o Ramche want the immediate constructiono embankments and gabion walls, and training orcommunity members to reduce the eects o largelandslides.

In the monsoon, it is dicult totravel. Roads are muddy andbridges are usually brokenand we have to cross manydangerous places when going toand returning rom the school.I the roads and bridges are not

improved, how can we continueour schooling? The most importantpriority or me is to improve theroads and bridges in the village.

Dikisangbo Tamang, age 13, Ramche, Rasuwa, Nepal.

The research ound that children clearly eel the impacts that thechanging climate is having on their lives and on the livelihoodso their amilies. It also ound that they clearly know what theyneed in order to adapt their lives to a changing climate.

Girls gather odder or cattle to show how ar they have to walkbeore school due to deorestation (image rom the childrens

participatory video drama in Bageshwari, Banke, Nepal)




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Improved awarenessThe children elt that there is a need to increaseawareness and skills in their communities so theycan understand the risks and impacts o a changingclimate on people, livestock and crops. They wantawareness raised through peer education andtraining.

As the new risks are increasingbecause o the changing climate,there is a need to make morepeople aware o this. I thinkpeople still do not know the

reasons and causes o climatechange, including me. Moreaccess to inormation and raisingawareness is necessary. Weshould start it at school. I childrenare aware, they can at least teachtheir amilies.

Gopal Rokaya, age 15, Matehiya, Banke, Nepal.

Good disaster risk reductionThe children want the local authorities to plan ahead

and design appropriate plans and programmes toreduce the risks rom disasters caused by extremeweather.

We know where the problems areand what is needed to overcomethe problems. But we have notpressured the government toreduce the risks rom disasters. Ithink we should work in advance,beore the monsoon comes.

Ranju Dahal, age 15, Balaju, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Laxmi Tamang talks about how lack o rain reduced cropproduction this year in Ramache, Rasuwa, Nepal

Pemba Dawa Tamang explains that i unpredictable weathercontinues, it will be harder to plant crops and his amily will suer

in Ramache, Rasuwa, Nepal




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Table 1:

Childrens long- and short-term priorities for adaptation toclimate change and the constraints they face

17

Short-term priorities Long-term priorities Potential barriers / constraints

Improved services Upgrade local

services in health andagriculture

Ensure health,agriculture andlivestock acilities arestaed by qualiedpersonnel

Improvedinrastructure Install treadle pumps

or micro irrigation Construct school

buildings in saerplaces

Manage householdwaste

Treat pollution romactories

Awareness raising Increase awareness

about possibleimpacts o achanging climate

Educate peopleabout eects opollution on humanhealth

Create awarenesso good sanitationpractices

Reorestation Develop stronger management

(e.g. Chaukidar watchman) forthe protection o orest resources

Promote community orest plantingactivities

Plant trees, plants and grass alongthe river banks

Alternative livelihoods/ improved agriculturalproduction Promote alternative crops suitable

or a changing climate Promote income-generating

activities at local level Provide skill-based training or

women and children Provide training in new

agricultural techniques andalternative crops production.

Micro-credit / armingcooperatives Promote saving and credit groups

/ cooperatives at local level

Improved inrastructure Improve irrigation acilities Construct bridges Construct ditches, canals and

culverts to improve drainage Provide adequate barrage

management

Provide regular electricity supplyor agricultural tools

Prevent landslides, e.g. grazingcontrol

Construct large apartments insteado individual houses

Provide clean drinking water Replace galvanised tin school

roos

Disaster risk reduction Design appropriate Disaster Risk

Reduction programmes

Poverty Inadequate nancial resources

Poor local governance Absence o local government Unwillingness o government to

serve people

Lack o awareness / skills

Poor knowledge and skills Strong aith in traditionalagricultural practices

Poor inrastructure / marketaccess Poor transportation acilities Increasing and unregulated

vehicles Poor policies on housing in peri-

urban areas

Poor irrigation Declining water sources or

irrigation

Labour shortages Shortage o labour orce at local

level due to seasonal migration




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Lessons5

Children learn about the climate change project and see themselves on the camera or the rst time in Matehiya, Banke, Nepal




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Children who participated in the participatory video climatechange project in Bageshwari, Banke Nepal

This report and the lm that accompanies it aim toprovide a platorm or Nepalese children to speakout on climate change and their adaptation needs.The impacts o a changing climate on the childrenwill vary according to the local context, but in manycommunities extreme and unpredictable weather is onthe increase and this is having a negative impact on

the lives o the children and their amilies.

This report makes a number o recommendations orupholding childrens rights in the context o climatechange:

Childrens right to be heard: This report andthe childrens participatory videos (showcased inthe lm accompanying this report) demonstrate thatchildren understand the impacts o climate changeon their lives and that they need help to adapt andnd solutions. Children have a right to be heardat all levels, in their communities, and in climatechange debates at national and international levels.

Childrens rights to adaptation: Life, safety,participation and development are the basic rightso children. From a rights-based perspective,working with children on climate changeadaptation is not optional; it is protecting theirrights.

Childrens rights to education: The changingclimate is impacting amilies livelihoods and their

ability to aord to send their children to school.Governments need to ensure, through scholarships,stipends or ee waivers, that amilies do not taketheir children out o school as a coping strategy.

Adaptation plans should include the needso children: Many developing countries, includingNepal, have or are preparing National AdaptationProgrammes of Action (NAPAs). It is critical thatconsultation, dialogues and discussions in variouspolicy spaces include the views and needs ochildren.




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Notes

1 Smith, D. and Vivekananda, J., 2007, A Climate o Confict:The Links Between Climate Change, Peace and War,International Alert.http://www.international-alert.org/publications/322.php(accessed 29/10/08)

2 Stern, N., 2008, Forward: Our Climate, Our Children, Ourresponsibility. The implications o climate change or the

worlds children, UNICEF UK.

3 World Food Programme, UNICEF, Save the Children Alliance:Inter Agency Rapid Flood Assessment Nepal (August, 07)http://www.un.org.np/reportlibrary/reportlibrary.php?bc=r(accessed 29/10/08)

4 Children in a Changing Climate, 2007, The Right toParticipate: Securing childrens role in climate changeadaptation, Children in a Changing Climatehttp://www.childreninachangingclimate.org(accessed 29/10/08)

5 Current core programme partners include the Institute oDevelopment Studies, Plan International, ActionAid, Savethe Children, UNICEF, UK National Childrens Bureau, RMITMelbourne and Risk Frontiers, as well as a number o researchinstitutes engaged in individual research projects under CCC-research,

www.childreninachangingclimate.org/partners_ccc.html

6 Bimal, R. and Adhikari, A., 2008, Country Case Study Nepal: Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research andDevelopment (LI-BIRD) in Human Development 2007/2008Report: Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a dividedworld, New York: UNDP

7 International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED),2004, Nepal CLAAC Report, IIED Working Paper No. 3,London: IIED

8 The term Dalit refers to a Pani Nachalne (untouchable) groupor caste rom whom water is not accepted according to Hindusocial structure (Source: ActionAid Nepal, CARE Nepal andSave the Children (2002) National Dalit Strategy Report)

9 The DFID-unded Disaster Risk and Reduction through Schools(DRRS) project has the objective to make schools in highdisaster risk areas saer, enabling them to act as a locus ordisaster risk reduction, and to engage the education sectorin the Hydro Framework or Action through awareness ordisaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation.

10 IIED, 2004, Nepal CLAAC Report, IIED Working Paper No. 3,

London: IIED

11 It should be noted that the level o certainty or rainallprojections is less than or temperature.

12 IIED, 2004, Nepal CLAAC Report, IIED Working Paper No. 3,London: IIED

13 Ahmed, S.M., Husain, A.M.M., Sattar, M.G. and Chowdhury,A.M.R., 1999, A quick assessment o food losses and post-food rehabilitation needs in BRACs programme areas, inAhmed, S.M. & Ahmed, H.S. (eds) Experiences of deluge:food 1998, Research Monograph Series, Dhaka: BRAC

14 Gautam, D., Sharma, A., Amatya, A. and Jnavaly, S.S.,2007, Climate Change Adaptation on Livelihood of WomenFarmers: Case study o Banke and Bardiya Districts o Nepal,ActionAid Nepal

15 Gautam, D., 2006, Process Documentation o ParticipatoryVulnerability Analysis (PVA): Disaster Risk reduction throughSchool Project (DRRSP), ActionAid Nepal

16 Gautam, D., Kathayat, R.R. and Yadav R.N., 2008, Impact oClimate Change on Students, Schools and Neighbourhoods,BEE-Group Nepal

17 Summary o results rom ocus groups with children and adultcommunity members.




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