Hintalovon Foundation – ECPAT Hungary Joins a New International Project
The growing threat of the climate crisis impacts not only the environment but also directly affects children’s rights. Ensuring the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights requires a holistic and comprehensive approach, which includes safeguarding their right to life, survival, and healthy development, as well as guaranteeing their participation in political and decision-making processes. Although international and European law broadly regulates children’s rights and participation, there remains a significant gap between theoretical participation principles and the real, meaningful involvement of children in environmental decision-making. Yet, these decisions profoundly shape their lives and futures.
Launched in 2024, the Environment, Rights, Children (ENRICH) project aims to highlight the intersection of climate issues and children’s rights. In collaboration with partners from Hungary, Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Germany, and Croatia, the project’s goal is to promote the realization of children’s participatory rights in decisions related to environmental protection and climate change. The project strives to ensure that children have the right to voice their opinions on issues that affect them, particularly in the area of climate change.
To achieve this goal, the project will carry out the following activities from 2024 to 2026:
- An online survey to assess the current awareness of professionals regarding children’s rights.
- Development of national-level training programs aimed at informing environmental stakeholders about children’s participatory rights and providing practical methods for ensuring these rights are upheld.
- Two international events where participants can share experiences, present research findings, and make concrete recommendations to EU policymakers on how to implement children’s participation in climate change and environmental protection efforts.
The main target groups of the project include environmental and children’s rights NGOs and activists, environmental educators, as well as official bodies and decision-makers involved in children’s and environmental issues. By involving partners from seven EU countries, the project also hopes to contribute to the realization of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child.
The ENRICH project not only emphasizes the importance of addressing climate change but also the significance of children’s rights. It seeks to ensure that young people’s voices are heard in the decisions that affect them.
We will continue to provide updates on the project’s progress and outcomes.
