Joselim, the Peruvian teenager who was heard at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

At 17 years old, Joselim had a unique experience: speaking before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) about the current climate crisis and how it affects children and adolescents across Latin America. This took place during the public hearing on the advisory opinion “Climate Emergency and Human Rights,” held in Manaus, Brazil, at the end of May 2024. Camila, a 14-year-old from El Salvador, and Joselim, the young Peruvian mentioned here, were the two voices representing the youth of our region.

At the start of her speech, Joselim addressed “climate and environmental threats, such as disasters or disease outbreaks,” which cause the disruption of education for over 37 million children and adolescents in the region every year. She emphasized the need for “the Court’s judges to incorporate in their deliberations and rulings” the voices, concerns, and contributions of children and adolescents, moving away from “adult-centrism.”

“We leave before you a powerful precedent: our outrage, full of courage. The fight for climate justice is not just another issue—it is about ensuring a better life for future generations, dignity for our lands, ecosystems, and for the children and adolescents of today (…) We are the generation of hope, the generation that seeks change, the transformation toward a greener world. That’s why we are here, representing many children and adolescents, to defend environmental justice and our Earth,” said Joselim.

Her powerful words were accompanied by the presentation of an amicus curiae brief, developed in December 2023 in collaboration with the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA) and other organizations. “What do children and adolescents think about the climate emergency and human rights in Latin America?” is the question guiding this document, where youth from eight countries share their concerns and the needs that must be addressed to protect their human rights in the face of the climate crisis.

“Everything that is good for the environment is good for childhood and for humanity,” says Joselim, who, at her young age, is already part of the Latin American and Caribbean Movement of Working Children and Adolescents (MOLACNNATS) and demonstrates deep awareness and passion for the urgent need to “build a conscious society in which children and adolescents are active participants.”