Redefining children’s lives, rights, and opportunities

As per UNICEF’s ‘State of the World’s Children 2024’ report released on World Children’s Day, November 20, India is projected to house 350 million children by 2050, accounting for 15% of the global child population. Despite a projected decline of 106 million children from today’s numbers, the country faces a pivotal moment to address critical challenges.

‘The State of the World’s Children 2024: The Future of Childhood in a Changing World’, projects how three major global forces — or megatrends – will impact children’s lives by 2050 and beyond. The megatrends — demographic change, climate and environmental crises, and breakthrough technologies — provide key indications of the challenges and opportunities children may face in the future. The future of childhood hangs in the balance if urgent action is not taken to safeguard children’s rights in a changing world, UNICEF warned in its flagship report, according to a UNICEF press release.

The climate crisis is already dire, with 2023 being the hottest year on record. According to the report, in the decade of 2050-2059, climate and environmental crises are expected to become even more widespread, with eight times as many children exposed to extreme heatwaves, three times as many exposed to extreme river floods, and nearly twice as many exposed to extreme wildfires, compared to the 2000s. How these climate hazards impact children will be determined by their age, health, socioeconomic setting, and access to resources. For example, a child with access to climate-resilient shelter, cooling infrastructure, health care, education, and clean water has a greater chance of surviving climatic shocks compared to a child without access. The report underscores the urgent need for targeted environmental action to protect all children and mitigate the risks they face.

The report finds that sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are projected to have the largest child populations in the 2050s. They also indicate an aging population, with the share of children expected to decrease in every region of the world. While still high, the child population drops below 40% in Africa — down from 50% in the 2000s. It falls below 17% in East Asia and Western Europe — where children made up 29% and 20% of the populations, respectively, in the 2000s. These demographic shifts create challenges, with some countries under pressure to expand services for large child populations, while others balance the needs of a growing elderly population. The report warns that Indian children will face eight times more exposure to extreme heatwaves by 2050 compared to the early 2000s. Extreme weather, air pollution, and floods are expected to disproportionately impact rural and low-income communities.

Meanwhile, the press release goes on to state that the report acknowledges that frontier technologies — like Artificial Intelligence (AI) — offer both promise and peril for children, who are already interacting with AI embedded in apps, toys, virtual assistants, games, and learning software. But the digital divide remains stark. In 2024, over 95% of people in high-income countries are connected to the internet, compared to nearly 26% in low-income countries. The report notes that a large percentage of youth in low-and middle-income countries have difficulty accessing digital skills, and this will impact their ability to effectively and responsibly use digital tools in education and future workplaces. These barriers are often linked to socio-economic settings, gender, linguistics, and accessibility.

The report underscores the importance of centring child rights, as outlined in the UN on the Rights of the Child, in all strategies, policies and actions. It calls for meeting the challenges and opportunities posed by the three megatrends by investing in education, services, and sustainable and resilient cities for children; expanding climate resilience in infrastructure, technology, essential services and social support systems; and delivering connectivity and safe technology design for all children.

However, the report contains some good news, as per the press release. Life expectancy at birth is projected to increase. Gains in children’s access to education over the last 100 years are also projected to continue, with nearly 96% of children globally expected to have at least a primary education in the 2050s, up from 80% in the 2000s. Increased investment in education and public health, and more stringent environmental protection could improve outcomes for children significantly.