The UN Human Rights Office has launched Pacific Climate Tales – an animated video series where migrant workers from the Pacific region share their personal stories about climate change, leaving home and how it affects their human rights.
As part of our yearlong count-down to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ 75 anniversary on 10 December and the #StandUp4Migrants campaign, we launch Pacific Climate Tales – an animated video series where people taking part in seasonal labour migration schemes talk about why they left their homes and the challenges they face in their host communities.
“Every person who migrates has their own unique experiences. We want to ensure that migrants’ voices are heard and included in discussions about climate mobility and human rights in the Pacific and globally,” says UN Human Rights Regional Representative for the Pacific, Heike Alefsen.
Climate change is a defining threat to the human rights, livelihood, and wellbeing of Pacific people. Islanders are increasingly being forced to move away from their homes in response to climate change and environmental degradation. By 2050, East Asia and the Pacific, could see as many as 49 million internal climate migrants.
When world leaders gathered for COP27 in November last year to negotiate our future, UN Human Rights and our development partners through the Pacific Climate Change Human Security Programme (PCCMHS) highlighted the importance of implementing international, regional and national frameworks that protect and promotes the human rights of people who see no other choice than to leave their homes due to the impacts of climate change.
“Stories have the power to uplift, inspire and connect” says Alefsen. “We hope through these stories to show that migrants and the communities that welcome them are stronger together.”
The animated video series is launched by the UN Human Rights Pacific Regional Office under the global campaign #StandUp4Migrants. It consists of a comic strip and five animated stories about human rights and migration in the Pacific.
SOURCE: UN HUMAN RIGHTS PACIFIC/ PACNEWS
