Their survival, growth and development depend on the existence of a safe and clean environment.
Children are more vulnerable to environmental hazards and degradation than adults.
For example, lead, a potent neurotoxin, is particularly harmful to a child's brain development. Children absorb up to 50 per cent of the lead taken into their bodies whereas adults absorb 10-15 per cent. Lack of clean water and adequate sanitation services, unhygienic practices, and poor living conditions remain the prevailing environmental issues threatening children in developing countries. For example, in developing countries women and young children are exposed to high levels of indoor air pollution from burning of biomass and fossil fuels and from second-hand tobacco smoking. As such, it tries to integrate, where appropriate, environmental considerations into its regular programmes.