Migration, urbanisation, climate change and children in China—issues from child rights perspective

The 2010 census data shows that, about 35.8 million children (0-17) were migrant children, among whom 17 million lived outside the county where their Hukou was registered in. Another 69.7 million children were left in the villages by their migrant parents. The reason that people move from rural to urban areas can be urban employment becoming more attractive to the rural population, and farmers’ land being acquired, or climate change making agriculture less reliable. Rural families migrate to cities voluntarily or involuntarily, temporarily or permanently. Some children move with their parents, and others remain in rural areas as ‘left-behind’ children. Child migration or being “left-behind” as a result of urbanisation and climate change poses serious risks to children’s life, development and wellbeing. It is important for China to offer protection to all children for the well-being of children and for the good of society as a whole. A number of important policy measures have improved the lives of migrant and left-behind children, particularly in access to, and quality of, healthcare and education. A rights approach can help to identify child issues and provide benchmarks. Further improvements in services and extending welfare coverage are needed to secure the rights of all children.These recommendations focus on policies which directly impact on the lives of children affected by migration. Other policies which might affect the causes and processes of urbanisation and climate change also have the potential to improve children’s well-being