Children capacity in disaster risk reduction: a call for action

Abstract

[...]according to the Sendai document, children need to be taken more into account in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) program design, and policy implementation should have a proactive approach.1 In the Sendai document, it is emphasized that policies regarding disaster risk reduction, cognition and risk perception about the risk property should be considered based upon the hazards and the environment in terms of vulnerability, capacity and exposure.2 The Hyogo framework for action has also already focused on child priority in the legislation program.3 Accordingly, it is necessary to actively involve children in disaster risk reduction programs in order to overcome their needs and their problems.4 As children are more affected groups in various aspects of disasters in most countries, one should bear in mind their potential utilization and the conditions and space should be provided based on laws, national policies, training and capacity.

Disasters have various physical, psychological, social and economical effects on all age groups, particularly children who are more vulnerable than adults. In the aftermath of disasters, children, just like pregnant women, elderly and the disabled, are a special group with special needs. This is because they are at greater risk based on their specific physiological and psychological characteristics. Moreover, according to the Sendai document, children need to be taken more into account in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) program design, and policy implementation should have a proactive approach.1

In the Sendai document, it is emphasized that policies regarding disaster risk reduction, cognition and risk perception about the risk property should be considered based upon the hazards and the environment in terms of vulnerability, capacity and exposure.2 The Hyogo framework for action has also already focused on child priority in the legislation program.3 Accordingly, it is necessary to actively involve children in disaster risk reduction programs in order to overcome their needs and their problems.4 As children are more affected groups in various aspects of disasters in most countries, one should bear in mind their potential utilization and the conditions and space should be provided based on laws, national policies, training and capacity. Although after a disaster, children have particular needs and require attention,5-6 they should be considered as an active group who could participate in the DRR program and help their family and also the community.4,7

Some evidence suggests the value of children team working for community preparedness. Iran has had successful experience from using adolescent capacity as a pillar in activation of early warning; this has included providing notification for the local community when observing the rising sea levels in order to reduce the risk of flood disaster in a local area in the North of Iran.

According to the Hyogo and the Sendai documents, it seems that using the capacity of community, particularly with a focus on children in risk assessment, disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness in communities are therefore more important than ever. To our best knowledge, due to the scarcity of studies in child capacity for disaster risk reduction, it is necessary that researchers concentrate on further studies regarding how to use children's potential to reduce the risk of both natural and manmade disasters in forthcoming years.

Funding: None

Competing interests: None declared.

Ethical approval: Not required

References

References

1. Stough LM, Kang D. The Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction and persons with disabilities. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science. 2015 Jun;6(2):140-9.

2. Aitsi-Selmi A, Egawa S, Sasaki H, Wannous C, Murray V. The Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction: Renewing the global commitment to people's resilience, health, and well-being. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science. 2015;6(2):164-76.

3. . International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. Hyogo framework for action 2005-2015: building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters; 18-22 January 2005, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan: ISDR.

4. Seballos F, Tanner T. Enabling child-centred agency in disaster risk reduction. Geneva: ISDR, 2011.

5. Wisner B, Gaillard JC, Kelman I. Handbook of Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. Florence, Kentucky: Routledge, 2012.

6. Ciottone GR, Biddinger PD, Darling RG, Fares S, Keim ME, Molloy MS, et al. Ciottone's Disaster Medicine. Philadelphia: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2015.

7. Seballos F, Tanner T, Tarazona M, Gallegos J. Children and disasters: Understanding impact and enabling agency. England and Wales: Institute of Development Studies, 2011.

Leila Mohammadinia

Department of Disaster Public Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Health Human Resource Research Center, School of Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Davoud Khorasani-Zavareh*

Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Department of Health in Disaster and Emergency, School of Health, Safety and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Ali Ardalan

Department of Disaster Public Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Received: 2016-04-24

Accepted: 2016-07-13

* Corresponding Author:

Davoud Khorasani-Zavareh: Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: [email protected], Tel: [phone]-, Fax: [phone] (Khorasani-Zavareh D.).

© 2016 KUMS, All rights reserved.