Protecting children with disabilities through education for earthquake preparedness

Thanks to a UNICEF-supported programme, parents/caregivers, teachers, and policymakers can now access unique resources to enhance their knowledge of effective actions to reduce risks and ensure preparedness for the protection of children with disabilities during and after an earthquake.

UNICEF and UNESCO, in collaboration with the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), have initiated a globally unique programme called “Earthquake Preparedness Education for Children with Disabilities.” This programme aims to address the limited educational resources available on earthquake preparedness to protect children with disabilities.

As a result, three books have been developed, each targeting different stakeholders: parents/caregivers of children with disabilities, teachers, and policymakers. These books offer guidelines on disaster management, including mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, focusing on children with hearing impairments, mobility impairments, and autism spectrum disorder so far.

The development process of these books involved consultations with children with disabilities and their families, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), teachers from the Special Education Organization, social workers from the State Welfare Organization, and aid workers from the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Furthermore, four consultative training workshops were held, where teachers, social workers, and aid workers learned and provided feedback on strategies for supporting children with disabilities before, during, and after earthquakes.

Looking ahead, UNICEF Iran plans work with its partners to mainstream these resources in the annual earthquake and safety drill organised each year in schools and develop an inclusive guideline for the drill. As a first step, and for the first time, an earthquake and safety drill is planned to be organised at a special school for children with mobility disabilities, aiming to advocate for an inclusive drill, strengthen earthquake preparedness for children and gather feedback on the developed guidelines.

The programme's journey does not stop here. Plans are already underway to update the guidebooks to include guidelines for children with vision impairments and to expand the resources to address all types of disabilities. This initiative represents a significant leap towards inclusive earthquake preparedness, ensuring a safer and more resilient future for every child in Iran, regardless of their disabilities.