Children’s charter on disaster risk reduction

In partnership with schools and NGOs working with children in mitigating disaster damages, Unicef India launched a children’s Charter on Disaster Risk Reduction in the Capital on Monday.

In partnership with schools and NGOs working with children in mitigating disaster damages, Unicef India launched a children’s Charter on Disaster Risk Reduction in the Capital on Monday.

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The charter featured a five-point checklist of children’s priorities for disaster risk reduction: safe schools; child protection; participation and access to information; safe infrastructure; and protection for the most vulnerable. Students from several schools in Delhi, Bihar and Gujarat participated in the initiative launched to initiate children as leaders in emergency programmes.

“Discussions on children’s vulnerabilities in emergencies are not new,” said David McLoughlin, deputy representative, Unicef India, who has worked on similar projects in Afghanistan and China. “But children have to now adopt the role of leaders and take a front seat in reducing risks from disasters,” he said.

“Young people should have an active role in decisions affecting their lives. In disaster risk reduction, in particular, children should be viewed as victims but as an important resource,” said Karin Hulshof, country representative, Unicef India.