By Wim Aerts
CRIN (Child Rights International Network) is calling for stronger protection of children through stricter European legislation, with an exhibition at the European Parliament.
On Tuesday, 3 March, several Belgian Grandparents for Climate attended the opening of an exhibition at the European Parliament on the impact of chemicals on children’s health. The exhibition was organized by CRIN, with whom we have recently started collaborating on intergenerational solidarity.
A new CRIN report reveals the links between hazardous chemicals and violations of children’s rights in the European Union (EU) and beyond. You can read the report here.
It describes how EU chemicals legislation falls short in safeguarding children’s rights and invites EU policymakers to rethink how these substances can be better assessed, regulated, and restricted.
Violations of children’s rights related to exposure to hazardous substances have been neglected for too long. Policymakers now have the opportunity to correct this.
During the opening, Jessika Roswall (European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and Circular Economy) gave a brief presentation on how the Commission is trying to protect children’s rights through adapted legislation.
However, Oliver De Schutter (UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights) pointed out that the European Commission is significantly weakening this legislation through the OMNIBUS initiatives.
Benjamin Van Bunderen Robberechts (Climate Justice for Rosa) highlighted the importance of the impact of climate change and environmental pollution on children and called on everyone to stand in solidarity with young people and to take sustained action.
We, as grandparents, will continue to closely follow and support CRIN’s work.