The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Honourable Helen P. Manyeneng, MP, is currently participating in a high-level Regional Seminar on Children’s Rights and Climate Change, taking place in Cape Town, South Africa. Her attendance is fully sponsored by the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF), in collaboration with the Dullah Omar Institute.
The seminar, held under the theme “Championing Collective Child-Responsive Climate Action,” has drawn delegates from across the SADC region to reimagine governance, policymaking, and regional cooperation through the lens of child rights. In her welcoming remarks, Hon. Manyeneng described the event as more than just a reflective gathering. She emphasized it as a pivotal moment to commit to bold, child-centred climate action rooted in human rights.
“It is a call to move beyond tokenism and to boldly champion a rights-based, child-centered approach to climate action,” she said.
Hon. Manyeneng highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on children, noting how it compromises their rights to education, healthcare, and protection. She raised concern that despite this, most regional and national climate policies continue to ignore the unique vulnerabilities and risks faced by children.
However, she expressed optimism, stating that the seminar brought renewed hope and affirmed that meaningful change is possible through united and decisive action. She urged all regional parliaments to take advantage of their constitutional powers to legislate, oversee, and represent by explicitly integrating children’s rights into climate-related laws, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The seminar gathered researchers under the SADC-PF Sweden-funded Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), HIV and AIDS Governance Project, alongside parliamentarians, government representatives, civil society actors, and youth from various SADC member states. The event, which runs from 2–4 July 2025, focuses on building collaborative strategies to address environmental issues with a strong emphasis on protecting the rights of children and youth.
Hon. Manyeneng is expected to return home on 5 July 2025, bringing with her insights that could help inform Botswana’s approach to child-responsive climate policy.