Islamabad, Nov 12: UNICEF Warns, Over 11 Million Children Under 5 at Risk from Toxic Air in Punjab, Pakistan. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a warning that the highly polluted air in Punjab province, Pakistan, poses significant risks to the population, particularly affecting over 11 million children aged five and under.
Recently, air pollution levels surged in Lahore, the provincial capital, and other districts, exceeding the World Health Organization’s air quality guidelines by a factor of more than 100, according to a statement from the UN agency released in Islamabad and New York on Monday.
The report indicated that numerous people, including many children, have been hospitalized in the areas severely impacted, with pollution so bad that it can be detected from space. “I am deeply worried about the health of young children who are compelled to inhale toxic, polluted air as smog lingers in Punjab province,” stated Abdullah Fadil, the UNICEF representative in Pakistan, in a statement from Islamabad.
He urged immediate actions to combat air pollution and safeguard children’s health, highlighting that prior to this record smog, approximately 12% of deaths in children under five in Pakistan were linked to air pollution.
“The effects of this year’s unprecedented smog will require time to evaluate, but we understand that significantly increasing pollution levels will have catastrophic consequences, especially for children and expectant mothers,” Fadil added.
In response, authorities in Punjab have suspended schools in smog-affected areas until mid-November to protect children, particularly during peak morning travel times when pollution tends to be highest.
Moreover, access to parks, zoos, playgrounds, and other leisure areas has been restricted until November 17 to decrease public exposure to polluted air. The provincial government has mandated the use of face masks for all residents in Lahore, and half of the workforce is required to work from home as part of the city’s “green lockdown” measures.
Additionally, restaurants have been prohibited from barbecuing food without using filters, and wedding venues are required to close by 10 p.m. “This situation has disrupted the education of nearly 16 million children in Punjab. With Pakistan already facing an education crisis of 26.2 million children out of school, further loss of learning is untenable,” the UNICEF representative remarked.
“Every child deserves access to clean air. The health and educational rights of children must be preserved. UNICEF urges the Government of Pakistan to uphold these rights for every child.”He also emphasized that lowering emissions from agricultural and industrial sources, as well as encouraging clean energy and transportation solutions, is vital not just for combatting climate change but also for safeguarding children’s health.
The UNICEF country leader referred to the commencement of a two-week annual United Nations climate conference in Azerbaijan on Monday as an “important opportunity” to translate commitments into actionable measures before it’s too late.
“It is crucial that we do not allow our infants to breathe contaminated air. We must not permit the health, education, and well-being of millions of children to deteriorate. For the sake of our children and their future, immediate action is essential,” he asserted.
Leaders from almost 200 nations, including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, are gathering for the U.N. conference, COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, where they are anticipated to review initiatives to enhance climate change solutions, particularly following a year of weather-related disasters that have intensified the demands for climate adaptation funding in developing nations.
