Responding to early childhood needs in climate emergencies

Dr Asma Zubairi, Lecturer, Centre for International Education and Development, University College London

In August 2022, monsoon floods submerged one third of Pakistan, directly impacting 33 million people of whom half were children. Child undernutrition increased by 50%; young children were left vulnerable to waterborne diseases; and approximately 17,566 schools were damaged or destroyed, compromising children's education. This presentation shares findings from a qualitative study in the Sindh province – one of the areas worst-affected by the 2022 Pakistan floods - which was carried out in 2025.

The study sought to address three distinct issues, retaining a specific focus on children aged 0-6-years at the time of the floods in 2022. These were:

1. The ways in which the floods compounded existing threats to children’s health, education and sanitation outcomes during early stages of their development.
2. How parents, communities and government actors responded to these threats.
3. What gaps remained in various stakeholder responses (particularly those of governments).