Rights To A Healthy Future: Environmental Hazards And Children's Physical Health
Keywords:
Environmental Justice, Physical Health Impacts, Environmental Hazards, Children’s Rights, State responsibilities, etc..Abstract
Children are particularly vulnerable to environmental hazards due to their developing bodies, physiological sensitivity, and greater exposure to contaminated air, water, food, and surroundings. This study evaluates the primary environmental hazards affecting paediatric populations, with particular focus on heavy metal toxicity, ambient air pollution, chemical contaminants, and climate-related health risks. These environmental threats can adversely affect children's physical development, respiratory health, neurological functioning, and overall well-being, while also raising significant concerns regarding their fundamental rights.
The paper examines the constitutional and legal framework in India for protecting children from environmental harm, particularly the right to life and health under Article 21, relevant Directive Principles of State Policy, and environmental legislation. It further analyses judicial developments concerning environmental protection through the principles of sustainable development, the precautionary principle, the polluter-pays principle, and intergenerational equity. The study also considers India's international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and relevant global frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 and SDG 13.
The paper argues that existing environmental and child-protection frameworks remain fragmented and insufficiently child-centred. Paediatric populations living in economically disadvantaged and environmentally vulnerable communities face disproportionate exposure to environmental risks, contributing to environmental inequality and intergenerational injustice. Inadequate monitoring, weak enforcement, limited institutional coordination, and insufficient integration of child health considerations into environmental governance further restrict effective protection.
The paper advocates a child-centred environmental justice approach that integrates environmental protection, public health, and children's rights. It recommends stronger regulatory enforcement, child-sensitive environmental impact assessments, preventive measures, health surveillance, institutional accountability, and meaningful consideration of children's health in environmental policymaking. Protecting paediatric populations from environmental hazards is essential for safeguarding their present health and securing a healthier future for generations to come
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M.C. Mehta v. Union of India, (1987) 1 SCC 395.
M.K. Ranjitsinh v. Union of India, (2024) 2 SCC 477.
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