5 Reasons Why Children Should Learn More About Disaster Risk Reduction
Children and adolescents in Yerevan schools mark the International Disaster Risk Reduction Day with an all-school preparedness drill.
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To mark the International Disaster Risk Reduction Day, UNICEF teamed up with the State Academy of Crisis Reduction (Ministry of Emergency Situations), Yerevan municipality, PhysMath and Usum schools for an all-school preparedness drill. Students had the opportunity to practice first aid, examine various tools and equipment related to emergency situations, as well as practice evacuation drills.
“Children and young people should be at the center of our efforts to reduce risk and build resilience. And these efforts must be both for children and young people and with them. As disaster and climate impacts intensify around the world, we need to ensure that children are protected, to empower young people and prepare them, as well as to increase funding to improve disaster resiliency,” shared Vigen Shirvanyan, UNICEF Climate Change Officer.
UNICEF has a long history of support to Armenia in empowering children and young people to be educated, resilient and prepared for disasters and climate impacts, and in working with the Government to increase community and school resilience to disasters and capacity to manage these risks. Here’s why all children should have the opportunity to regularly practice disaster preparedness:
1. It is knowledge for life
Unfortunately, not many Armenian children have a regular opportunity to practice the simplest security measures against various disasters, yet this information and related skills literally save lives.
Getting first-hand information about disaster risk reduction allows children to develop life-long knowledge about handling emergency situations and mitigation skills at difficult times, which helps them become resilient towards various hazards. DRR education also provides the necessary mechanisms for child participation and enhances their team-work skills.
2. It helps schools to become safer
Schools are where children spend most of their time at and they need to provide a safe environment for children. UNICEF experience has shown that including DRR education in the school curricula not only enhances teachers’ understanding of disaster risk reduction but also contributes to overall level of safety at school.
From 2020-2021, together with partners, UNICEF provided around 7000 students and 2000 teachers and school administrators in Armenia’s six marzes with DRR and preparedness training and simulations, supported them to develop DRM plans, apply project-based learning to the teaching of DRR in schools. The training included sessions on providing first aid and first psychological aid, practicing evacuation and shelter organization, maintaining fire safety and information exchange in emergency situations.
We developed a manual on participation of young people in community resilience for both students and teachers, covering various themes and supplied all the school in those six marzes with emergency response and first aid kits, fire safety equipment, evacuation signs and DRM literature.
3. It contributes to community safety
Prioritising DRR also leads to creating safer communities. By investing and regularly managing disaster risks, local authorities build their own capacity and develop local mechanisms for protecting all citizens’ lives and livelihoods. For the past decade, UNICEF has worked together with the National DRR Platform, Ministry of Emergency Situations and other partners to support local communities in developing and implementing disaster risk reduction plans and incorporating child vulnerability indicators in local planning.
Including disaster reduction and risk reduction in education and national security planning helps all children, their families and communities to better withstand future shocks, breaking the cycle of chronic crises affecting them.
4. It enhances social inclusion
Persons and children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable during disasters, especially natural disasters. At times there are unclear instructions or improper warning for someone with a communication disability, or they may not have access to transportation and rely on personal support networks that become severed during disasters. In general, they are often left out or not included enough in disaster planning efforts, which takes away an important voice.
“In practical terms, we should set up early warning systems that are accessible to all, create community shelters without barriers, and define preparedness plans that take the needs of all into account. It’s also important to support the families of children with disabilities to increase their resilience to disaster risks and climate risks, what measures they need to have in place before, during and after a disaster,” says Vigen Shirvanyan, UNICEF Climate Change Officer.
5. It helps to spread a culture of safety and resilience
Armenia is at a high risk of natural disasters, especially earthquakes. Given the mountainous nature of the region, much of the population is vulnerable to the damage that results from such disasters, the effects of which may be felt long after the event has occurred.
The Armenian Government has already developed and approved the internal and external school assessment methodology, the concept on DRR education of population and the school safety improvement programme for 2015-2030. UNICEF has also helped the government to develop school-based disaster reduction guidelines and school safety indicators.
Much work is still left to be done, including making DRM as an automatic hygiene need and strengthening its emphasis throughout the national programme of education and curriculum. Our most important achievement however is the shared belief among DRM stakeholders that the culture of resilience should start from early years of life and continue throughout and after school years.
