53 This often pushes women to migrate overseas to supplement the family income,253 making them more vulnerable to trafficking, sexual exploitation, and other abuses.254 b. Children The Committee on the Rights of the Child, in its General Comment No. 15, states that climate change “is one of the biggest threats to children’s health and exacerbates health disparities.”255 The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) even declares that “there may be no greater, growing threat facing the world’s children–and their children– than climate change.”256 The IPCC confirms that children have an increased risk of climate-related injuries and illnesses as they are more vulnerable to diseases and food insecurity.257 Beyond immediate mortal dangers posed by extreme weather events, the right to access basic necessities like water, food and shelter disproportionately jeopardizes children.258 Joni Pegram testified on the various climate-related impacts on child rights in the Philippines as follows: In the case of typhoon Haiyan, we know that almost six (6) million of the fourteen (14) million people affected were children. Although information on the final death toll is not available, the government did confirm that ninety-two percent (92%) of fatalities occurred in Leyte. And according to the 2010 census, children between the ages of ten (10) and fourteen (14) years old comprise the largest group on this province… The next two (2) largest age group are between five (5) and nine (9) and from zero (0) to four finance-case-study-philippines). 253 Id. citing PhilCCA WG2, supra note 171. 254 Id. citing Rina Chandran, As Wild Weather Worsens, Philippines Migration Takes on a Female Face, (Reuters, Mar. 30, 2018), available at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-migration-philippineswomen/as-wild-weather-worsens-philippines-migration-takes-on-a-female-face-idUSKBN1H600J (last accessed Oct. 18, 2018). 255 United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 15 (2013) on the Right of the Child to the Enjoyment of the Highest Attainable Standard of Health (Art. 24), CRC/C/GC/15 (Apr. 17, 2013). 256 United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, Unless We Act Now: The Impact of Climate Change on Children (2015). 257 IPCC, AR5 WGII, supra note 159. 258 John Knox, United Nations Human Rights Council, Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Issue of Human Rights Obligations Relating to the Enjoyment of a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment, A/HRC/37/58 (Jan. 24, 2018).

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