‘Kids’ population to drop by 106mn in 25 years in India
Unicef's 2024 report predicts a stable global child population of 2.3 billion by 2050, with India facing significant climate risks despite a decline in numbers.
The global population of children is projected to stabilise around 2.3 billion in the next 25 years, according to the Unicef’s State of the World’s Children 2024 report released on Wednesday, with India estimated to have the largest share at 350 million.
The share of children in the population will decline in every region, but some will still have a high proportion, it said. India, for example, will see a decline of 106 million children from the current figure, but will still account for 15% of the global population of children, facing extreme climate risk. India, China, Nigeria and Pakistan together are expected to account for more than a third of the world’s population of children by 2050.
India ranks 26th out of the 163 ranked countries globally, according to Children’s Climate Risk Index, with children particularly exposed to risks such as extreme heat, floods, droughts, and air pollution.
“We are facing an unprecedented planetary crisis. Nearly half the world’s children – about 1 billion – live in countries that face a high risk of climate and environmental hazards. Amid climate destabilisation, biodiversity collapse and widespread pollution, threats are intensifying globally. Children are confronting a more unpredictable, hazardous environment than any previous generation,” the report said.
The UN body’s flagship State of the World’s Children 2024 report, The Future of Children in a Changing World, which was launched in the national Capital highlighted global mega trends, demographic shifts, climate crises, and frontier technologies that are set to reshape the lives of children by 2050.
“The Indian government has taken commendable initiatives over the years to improve the quality of life of its people that includes Mission LIFE, National Action Plan on Climate Change, Swachh Bharat Mission, Jal Jeevan Mission, etc. Unicef has been collaborating with the government of India for the past 75 years, and in 1992, India was one of the early ratifiers of The Convention on the Rights of the Child. The steps have been taken in the right direction and now it is time to build on the successes and accelerate the progresses made,” said Cynthia McCaffrey, Unicef’s India representative, who launched the report.
The report underlined the harms of pollution, especially for children. “Children’s developing bodies are uniquely susceptible to these hazards. From before their first breath, children’s brains, lungs and immune systems are vulnerable to pollution and extreme weather. Air pollution is especially harmful to children; its impact on their respiratory health and development can last a lifetime,” the report said.
It added that rising temperatures increase mosquito populations, spreading diseases like malaria, dengue and Zika. Floods contaminate water supplies, leading to waterborne diseases, which are a major cause of death for children under five years of age. Extreme weather limits food production and access, increasing children’s risk of food insecurity. Climate-related disasters can also cause feelings of helplessness, trauma and anxiety in children.
Since 2022, 400 million students around the world have experienced school closures due to extreme weather. In addition to violating child rights, inhibiting learning stifles economic growth. Climate and environmental hazards also displace children from their homes, experts said in the report.
The report said that while digitalisation can empower children, there is a substantial chunk of children who don’t have access to digital opportunities.
“Over 95% of people in high-income countries are connected to the internet, compared with barely 26% in low-income countries. Infrastructure limitations, high costs and permission barriers continue to impede progress,” it said.