Navigating Smog: Legislation Addressing Children’s Right to Health in India and Pakistan

Abstract

The negative consequences of air pollution on children’s health have reached a crisis in some South Asian countries, such as India and Pakistan, particularly in the sister cities of Delhi and Lahore. Urban air pollution poses unique dangers to the health of children. Children are particularly susceptible to the health impacts of smog since their organs and immune systems are still developing. Smog has been related to a variety of chronic health issues, including retarded lung development and cognitive impairment. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) emphasises that all children have the right to grow up in a secure and healthy setting. Governments are obligated to provide children with health care and a safe environment under the CRC. The health of children in heavily populated and industrialised cities like Delhi and Lahore needs legal safeguards. A nuanced picture emerges of the effectiveness of laws protecting children's health during smog in Delhi and Lahore. In Delhi and Lahore, there is a dire need for comprehensive laws to safeguard children's health during smog. Comprehensive legislation is essential to mandate pollution control measures, improve air quality, and ensure a healthier future for the region's children. There are several issues caused by smog, and this article advocates for reforms to the laws in Delhi and Lahore that aim to solve these issues.