Right to a Healthy Environment Global Coalition Wins UN Human Rights Prize

20 July 2023 – The United Nations has awarded a Human Rights Prize to the Global Coalition of Civil Society, Indigenous Peoples, Social Movements, and Local Communities for the Universal Recognition of the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment.

The coalition, of which Save the Children is a member, is awarded for its essential role in advocating for the recognition of the right to a healthy environment by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in July 2022.

Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children International, said:

“The adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution recognising the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment was a breakthrough achievement at the global level, offering hope to children everywhere that their governments will step up to deliver action to address the environmental and climate crisis that threatens their health, education, wellbeing and even survival. With more than 1 in 4 deaths of children under 5 attributable to unhealthy environments, the resolution offers significant potential to boost implementation of child rights obligations.

“This prize is a tremendous honour for all those involved in the Global Coalition for the Recognition of the Right to a Healthy Environment, but equally an important recognition of the vital role civil society, Indigenous Peoples, and grassroots social movements play in delivering change, particularly when we work together. We will leverage this recognition as we continue working with partners and elevate the voices and demands of children to enact policies to make this right a reality.”

ENDS

You can read the press release from the Coalition here and the quote sheet from Coalition members here.

For more information please contact:

• Emily Wight, Emily.Wight@savethechildren.org;
• Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

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