Blog
Child parliamentarians and climate justice: A voice for the future
Young Advisor, Omar, shares his worries about worsening climate change and his passion for defending children's rights through his experience as a member of the Moroccan Children's Parliament.
Children are playing an increasingly important role in the fight against climate change and the promotion of climate justice. They are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Extreme weather events, rising sea levels, water scarcity and ecosystem degradation have a direct impact on their health, education and well-being.
As a parliamentarian child of Morocco, I am deeply concerned by the consequences of climate change. My participation in debates and workshops to defend children's rights and propose initiatives to protect the environment had a strong impact on me. I felt I was able to encourage my peers to adopt more environmentally-friendly behaviours.
My activities have been fuelled by a deep passion for creating opportunities for young people, especially those who need it most. Whether it’s empowering NEETs (youth Not in Education, Employment or Training) through entrepreneurship, advocating for education reform, or promoting sustainability and climate change, my mission is clear: to build a better tomorrow, led by children, for children.
I think it's essential that children have their say, because children are the future of this planet. The Children's Parliament, under the Presidency of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Meryem, is a national institution which serves as a platform for active participation and citizen education. Its 395 members are both girls and boys of different ages and from multiple regions. This structure has become a space for exchange and familiarization of children's parliament with democratic practices, the culture of dialogue and co-existence, involving children in the decision-making process. Indeed, parliamentarian’s children are activists for children's rights and spokespersons for classmates and young people in neighbourhoods, villages and cities. They can make adults aware of the urgency of the situation and encourage them to take more responsible decisions. They can also propose innovative solutions, because we have a different vision of the world and we can make a real difference for our planet.
These inspirational children embody the hope of a more sustainable future. By giving them a voice, we enable these children to become the environmental activists we need. Each child inspires policy makers to invest in young people and involve them in building a fairer, more equitable world.
As a young leader and a proud member of the Moroccan Children’s Parliament, I firmly believe that change begins with us: the youth. We are not just the future; we are the present, capable of driving meaningful actions and shaping a world that values every child’s voice.