Last week, Canada supported a United Nations resolution calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and siege of Gaza. This comes after incredibly powerful grassroots organizing across the country demanding the Canadian government do just that. This change of position demonstrates the importance of collective action. Thank you to all of the people taking actions, big or small, to pressure the government to do more to protect children and civilian life.
As a member of Climate Action Network – Réseau action climate Canada, For Our Kids signed on to CAN-Rac's call for an immediate ceasefire, safeguarding human rights, and justice in Palestine and Israel (October 31, 2023). Many parents in our decentralized network have also been involved in local solidarity actions, calls for peace, release of hostages, and advocating for a ceasefire. In October, we also shared this message of support for families in the network expressing our ongoing commitment to support you in carrying out the crucial work of climate justice, which is inextricably bound to protecting the very human rights that we are witnessing being violated in this conflict.
As a network of parents and families, it has been particularly difficult to bear witness to the horrifying impacts this conflict, and others, have on children. We find it beyond comprehension that children are losing their lives, homes, and family members, or facing lifelong injuries and trauma because of a conflict in which they have no part.
Israelis and the Jewish community are mourning the loss of their children and families, killed or kidnapped on October 7th. The Palestinian community has been and continues to be profoundly devastated by the ongoing violence. In late October, the organization Save the Children reported that the number of Palestinian children killed in the Gaza Strip over three weeks of Israel’s bombardment had surpassed the annual number of children killed in global conflict zones every year since 2019. Since this report, the number of Palestinian children killed and missing has continued to grow. Recent weeks have also seen a disturbing rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism here in Canada, affecting families across the country.
Working towards climate justice includes recognizing the deeply unequal impacts the climate crisis has around the world and showing solidarity with other interconnected social justice struggles. There are and will continue to be so many connections between armed conflict and the climate emergency, as outlined in this recent study about climate insecurity, resource scarcity, armed conflict and the impacts on children. We believe that the work for climate justice includes advocating for families to live in safety, peace and dignity.
For those wanting to learn more or find places to take action, we've compiled some resources below. Please share any additional resources you're finding useful: [email protected]
Many groups are sharing information and ways to take action on social media, including:
- Ceasefire Now coalition
- Independent Jewish Voices
- Labour for Palestine
- Palestinian Youth Movement
- Standing Together
There are also resources for those in the climate justice movement:
- Climate justice advocate and activist Naomi Klein has released two chapters of her latest book Doppelganger (you can find them here) in the hope they will foster productive conversation and prompt us to “break out of our partitioned narratives”.
- Palestine and Climate Justice: A Webinar with Naomi Klein
- Palestine Solidarity Toolkit for Climate Activists
Donations to organizations providing emergency relief:
- Islamic Relief Fund
- Middle East Children’s Alliance
- Palestine Red Crescent Society
- Médecins sans frontières
