Child rights in Tuvalu affected by climate change - UN delegation

The head of Tuvalu's delegation to this week's UN Child Rights Committee session in Apia says climate change poses huges challenges in delivering services to young people in the country.

The extraordinary session is focussing on the situation of children in the Pacific with the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Tuvalu all being reviewed.

Tuvalu's Acting Director of Education, Kaai Fanoiga, said children's rights were currently threatened by climate change.

"As a coral atoll nation, rising temperatures and sea levels poses a serious threat to children in Tuvalu. Hurricanes and cyclones have adversely affected the school calendar year for 2020."

Ms Fanoiga said the storms reduced contact hours between teachers and students, impacting their education while isolated outer islands were often neglected of resources due to weather and transport issues.

"The lack of timely shipping services also has resulted in the late delivery of government priorities and ensuring access of supplies and support to the outer islands.

"To put these in context, the closest island to the capital is a six hour trip, with the furtherest being a 24 hour boat trip."

Ms Fanoiga said shipping schedules also did not allow for government staff to stay on outer islands for more than a one day stopover which hindered the delivery of key work on children's rights and issues.