Care for Nature Zambia says children must take centre stage as they are change-makers, especially on climate change issues.
Executive Director Nsama Musonda Kearns highlighted that children are demanding a seat at the decision-making table as climate change continues to devastate communities across Zambia.
Kearns explained that Care for Nature Zambia, together with a coalition of partners, has since launched the Children’s Climate Council—a first-of-its-kind platform giving young people a coordinated voice on environmental policies that shape their future.
Speaking in Lusaka at a summit that brought together children from five provinces, including Eastern, Muchinga, Luapula Southern and Lusaka, Kearns hailed the initiative as a turning point.
“We have been in consultative meetings where policies have been discussed and developed, but children were absent,” Kearns noted. “Through our work, we are bringing children to this space and promoting their meaningful participation, not just where they showcase poetry and songs, but where they are present at the table where decisions are made.”
She pointed out that Care for Nature has already broken ground by taking Zambian children to international conferences such as the United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change.
Kearns said in 2023, young delegates attended COP28 in Dubai, where they spoke before the African Group of Negotiators and met with ministry officials.
She said in 2024, children represented Zambia at a European summit, leading to a partnership with the Global Council for Sci3nce and the Environment based in USA which now supports child-led climate research.
“We realised that as we attend these conferences—COP sessions and national programmes—children from across Zambia did not have a coordinated platform that brings them together,” Kearns explained. “So we establiahed the Zambia Children’s Climate Council.”
She said the Council, whose members were elected by children themselves, will continue to meet and advocate for policies that protect their future. Young representatives from Lusaka and other provinces are expected to share their experiences during the summit.
Kearns acknowledged key partners, including Save the Children International, the Centre for Environment Justice, Family Development Initiative, Environment Africa, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction, Caritas Zambia, ZANGO, and the Zambia Climate Change Network, as well as visitors from Terres de Hommes from Netherlands.
She mentioned that the summit was held under the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)-funded Civil Society Strengthening Programme.
The exercise is implemented by Save the Children International Zambia in partnership with civil society organisations, including Care for Nature Zambia.
And Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MGEE) Permanent Secretary Douty Chibamba stressed the government’s commitment to ensuring children’s voices are not only heard but acted upon.
Chibamba conveyed this through the Ministry’s Principal Climate Change Officer Herrick Mwewa.
Meanwhile, Save the Children International (SCI) Zambia Country Director Chilobe Muloba Kambikambi emphasised that children are active agents of change and must meaningfully influence policy and financing.