Environmental Health Risks to Children in Sub-Saharan Africa (2010–2025)

This project is a scoping review titled “Environmental Health Risks to Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: Mapping Evidence and Gaps in Global Interventions.” The purpose of this work is to synthesize and map existing evidence on environmental exposures affecting children (0–14 years) in Sub-Saharan Africa, and to identify gaps in global and regional interventions, particularly those led by UNICEF. The review will be conducted using the Arksey and O’Malley framework for scoping reviews and reported in line with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Peer-reviewed studies and organizational reports published between 2010 and 2025 will be searched in PubMed, WHO IRIS, UNICEF publications, and Google Scholar. Eligible studies will focus on environmental exposures such as air pollution, unsafe water and sanitation (WASH), toxic chemicals (e.g., lead, e-waste), and climate-related risks, with child health outcomes including morbidity and mortality. The expected outcomes of the review are to: Map the extent and scope of research on environmental health risks for children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Identify patterns of association between exposures (e.g., air pollution, WASH, toxic chemicals, climate variability) and child health outcomes. Highlight gaps in monitoring, intervention coverage, and equity, especially in rural, urban informal, and conflict-affected settings. Provide an evidence base to inform child-centered, multisectoral strategies for environmental health and sustainable development in the region. By clarifying where evidence is concentrated and where gaps persist, this project aims to strengthen future research and guide integrated interventions to reduce preventable child deaths and ensure safe environments across Sub-Saharan Africa.