Emergencies

Humanitarian Action

Resources on emergencies

 

Children in conflict and natural disaster

© UNICEF/NYHQ 2010-1252/Estey

 

Responding to the protection and assistance needs of children and young people in crisis situations

The special practices and technologies that have developed to respond to the particular needs of children and youth have also in turn been influenced by the same variety of different disciplines that have also  informed the study of humanitarian crises and child development

Current technologies or field-craft relating to meeting the care and protection needs of children are encapsulated in programs that address:

  • Nutrition
  • Health (including HIV and AIDS)
  • Separation and displacement
  • Education
  • Psycho-social care
  • Child combatants
  • Documentation of and reporting on violations
  • Participation of children in programs

In addition, child-focused organizations are expected to have a good grounding in the following issues which are important to the consideration of children affected by crises:

  • Children, society and culture: understanding the context of childhood and children’s roles across cultures
  • Research methods and the ethics of researching children in armed conflict
  • Political and policy environment: understanding the ways in which children’s needs have been framed in policy and development discourses
  • Work with government and national institutions
  • Negotiation and work with non-state entities
  • Advocacy and public information

For more information please contact:

Asim Rehman, Emergency Specialist, UNICEF Regional Office for CEE/CIS. Telephone: (+4122) 909 5651

 

Updated 1 March, 2011.

External links open in a new window and take you to a non-UNICEF web site.

 

 
Search:

 Email this article
unite for children