youth Contribute to YELL

PJ International Youth Leadership Camp

14 September 2025

How do children’s rights connect to climate change? That was the big question guiding over 100 young participants from China, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and Malaysia during the UNCRC x Climate Workshop, hosted as part of the International Youth Leadership Camp by MBPJ.

Organized by UNICEF Malaysia and Youth Environment Living Labs (YELL), the session aimed to help participants understand that climate action and children’s rights go hand in hand, because a safe, healthy environment is a right, not a privilege.

 

Exploring Rights, Fairness, and the Future

The 3.5-hour workshop was packed with interactive, creative activities that brought big ideas to life.

The day kicked off with a lively “Would You Rather?” icebreaker that got everyone talking, laughing, and thinking they needed to choose one right over another - the activity emphasized that everyone has rights to a clean, safe and sustainable environment. Next came the Spaceship Model Activity, where participants imagined themselves on a new planet and debated what essentials they would need to survive, a fun way to highlight how basic needs like air, water, food, and shelter connect to broader rights such as education, play, and safety.
 


Spaceship Model (YELL, September 2025)
 
Then came one of the most eye-opening moments: the Privilege Walk. As students took steps forward or stayed still based on their access to clean air, safe housing, or education, they visually experienced how unevenly  climate impacts are to different vulnerabilities. The exercise sparked heartfelt conversations about justice and equality.
 
Privilege Walk (YELL, September 2025) 
 
The session wrapped up with the Healthy Environment Posters activity, where teams illustrated their vision for a sustainable world: colorful, hopeful, and full of imagination.

What They Learned

From pre- and post-assessments, the change in perspective was clear:

  • More students left the session feeling confident they could influence their schools, families, and communities.
  • Many recognized that children in poorer or marginalized communities are the most vulnerable when climate disasters strike.
  • Most importantly, participants began to understand that governments, corporations, and youth all share responsibility for protecting children’s rights in the face of the climate crisis.
The workshop showed that learning about climate and rights doesn’t have to be all serious. Instead, it can be active, visual, and inspiring. Participants ended the session feeling motivated and empowered. As one student put it, “I realized I don’t have to wait to grow up to make a difference.”

Link (Video 1 and 2) to our Instagram post on the same event.

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