Emergencies and children’s physical environment (concept paper)

A concept paper presented by Save the Children Sweden, entitled: “Emergencies and children’s physical environment”, covering the topic of children’s right to a safe and healthy physical environment in situations of emergencies. The paper puts forward a range of child protection issues common to emergencies. Probably the most pervasive violations of children’s rights are related to their living conditions. Children constitute at least 50 per cent of the population in emergencies, and many are being deprived of their basic rights to a safe physical environment, including security and protection; a place in which they feel safe and have some level of privacy, a place that they can call home; opportunities for play, recreation and social interaction; and access to schools, water and sanitation facilities, and healthcare.