This effort centres around building capacity in the areas of child protection and child participation, as well as the creating a conducive policy environment whereby stakeholders (those in authority - including parents and teachers) are appreciative and supportive of children and youth participation. Training on risk reduction and mitigation has been carried out through tools such as: participatory vulnerability assessment; risk vulnerability and capacity mapping; preparation of community plans; and coordination and mobilisation of groups with municipal governments, schools, and civil society organisations (CSOs). Support has also been provided for micro-projects designed and implemented by youth groups seeking to raise awareness about risk reduction, and to strengthen inter-institutional networks to ensure children's voice in other disaster prevention projects.

Plan International has drawn upon the educational system as a locus of support for children's and youth's roles in risk communication, education/awareness raising, advocacy, and practical risk reduction activities. Through a partnership with the Education Ministry to integrate and scale up "School Protection Plans", organisers have mainstreamed DRR into school infrastructure, integrated teacher training and curriculum, and implemented complementary projects on environmental management and risk reduction. Aided in part by the dissemination of child-centred DRR learning material, 50 schools designed hazard maps and mobilised resources to implement their own disaster management plans to address identified risks in their communities. School-based emergency committees are now functional in the 56 most vulnerable communities. Children and young people have taken the lead in strengthening of risk management actions such as managing evacuation centres, protecting river banks, protecting their families and communities, and implementing environmental management projects. For instance, youth from 45 communities have participated in a waste recycling project, whereby tons of plastic waste have been collected and sold to a recycling company.

This project also involves an advocacy component. Organisers are promoting the importance of child and youth participation in DRR amongst policymakers and other national and international actors (international humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academics, the media, etc.) An effort has been made to ensure that DRR public policies include provisions for the participation of children. In addition, as part of their own work with the project, youth have advocated for greater attention to and action on disaster prevention by authorities.

Risk Management, Environment, Children, Youth.

According to organisers, children represent more than a third of disaster victims, yet the humanitarian sector generally restricts their role in disasters to that of passive victims. The initiative described above is premised on the conviction that the emphasis on rights-based approaches to humanitarian work brings forward the right of children and youth to be protected from hazards and vulnerabilities through their participation in disaster-related decisions and efforts.

Key lessons learned include:

• "Not only do children and youth have unique needs in disasters, they also offer a potential role as a resource or receiver of information.
• Young people can act as informants within unofficial communication networks which evolve within a community setting as the need arises...
• In communities with high poverty indices (i.e., where parents are illiterate, do not have the time to attend training/meetings, share a strong sense of apathy or subordination, or do not have access to information sources), children and youth already play a major role as interpreters and relays of messages to their households and communities.
• In all community and household settings, there is a need to promote greater awareness of the value of listening to children...
• Children are able to convey messages with a meaning shared by their families and friends, and they are generally trusted by message recipients...
• Risk maps carried out with youth groups show that children understand and can respond constructively to and communicate effectively about the risks they recognize.
• Children recognize the wider nature of risk reduction (e.g. how seemingly unrelated external factors such as abuse and lack of love can greatly influence their vulnerability). This points to the need for a holistic approach to DRR - addressing vulnerabilities related to health, environment, education, religion, household economic security and other sectors, which impact together on a community and individual's wellbeing.
• Children offer immense creativity and the will to reduce risk. When given the resources and the opportunity to take action, children can become catalysts of simple yet significant strategies to make their communities safer.
• Children are able to participate beyond a disaster preparedness role....This includes taking charge of their risk environment, acting to control it, and through their actions obliging not only their parents and peers to take notice but also promoting changes in local government policies.
• Direct involvement in disaster management work gives children a better sense of community and civic consciousness while they are still young."

Plan International is working on developing replicable tools for implementing child- and youth-centred DRR as a way to contribute to positive changes in local, national, and international disaster management policies and practices. Click here to learn more about Plan's DRR work with children and youth, worldwide.