Children and youth are key to tackle disaster risk reduction

Perspectives of children and youth must be taken into account to ensure disaster risk reduction talks in Sendai succeed, says World Vision.

As leaders gather for the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan – nearby the site of the tsunami and resulting Fukushima nuclear meltdown that forced thousands of young people to flee –World Vision is warning the experiences of children must be taken into account to ensure Hyogo Framework for Action 2 talks succeed.

The relief and development organisation says children’s experiences of natural hazards–175 million children are affected each year – are different to those of adults, yet this is rarely considered by decision makers. World Vision says the new ‘Hyogo’ framework to tackle disaster risk reduction being decided in Sendai this week must ensure children are consulted and their unique needs addressed.

“Children and young people are the best authorities on their own lives. Allowing them to meaningfully influence disaster risk reduction strengthens the ability of communities to adapt, prepare for and respond to natural  and social hazards,” says World Vision’s director of disaster risk reduction, Richard Rumsey.

“World Vision has seen first-hand in places like Myanmar, Bolivia and Ethiopia the value of working with children to shape disaster risk reduction programmes. In the slums of Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababawe worked alongside children to identify the risks they faced, which in turn led to local authorities taking action to address the dangers,” he says.

World Vision is also calling for urgent action to ensure children can access education during emergencies. The organisation says schools provide children with stability, structure and a safe haven throughout a disaster.

“Education about risk can protect children and mitigate the impact of disasters. During the Fukushima nuclear disaster 38 schools were forced to relocate, disrupting the lives of over 12,000 children. Leaders meeting in Sendai cannot allow this lesson to be forgotten,” says Rumsey.   

 “We believe decision makers in Sendai must adopt the Comprehensive School Safety Framework. This is a global strategy to ensure that school facilities are safe, teachers and students are well prepared and children learn about disaster risk awareness.” 

World Vision child ambassadors from Indonesia and Mongolia will be at an event in Sendai on Tuesday, March 17 called Don’t Decide my Future without Me. At the event, young people from around the world will share their experiences of preparing for natural and manmade hazards and call for decision makers to commit to a child-centred Hyogo Framework for Action 2.