Document Abstract
Published:
1 Apr 2009
Children as agents of change for disaster risk reduction: lessons from El Salvador and the Philippines
Children as risk communicators and agents of change in DRR programmes: El Salvador and the Philippines
This paper explores children’s voices in disaster risk reduction (DRR) policy spaces and their capacity to communicate disaster risk to their parents and larger community. It challenges the traditional development approaches which perceive children as passive victims during and after disasters. The argument is supported by field research in El Salvador and Philippines conducted by Plan International, which highlights the contribution of children to minimising risks in disaster–prone developing countries.
The paper investigates three related areas of enquiry that help to frame the emerging child-centred approach to DRR. First, it considers a history of youth empowerment through children’s active participation in decision-making forums. Second, it looks at whether the international human rights architecture provides for a child’s right to protection from disasters; and third, it asks whether children can be effective as communicators of risk within their own households and communities.
The paper outlines the methodology and findings from empirical research conducted in the Philippines and El Salvador, which addresses child-centred DRR by asking what opportunities exist for the voices of children, and their groups, to be heard within local and national DRR policy spaces and what experiences and capacity they have for doing so. The research results from each of the four field sites visited (two in each country) are then compared in a short discussion section.
While acknowledging that there is not yet enough evidence to present conclusive results, this research indicates that informed young people, including children, can play a crucial apolitical and trusted role in communicating risk to adults and peers, and dispelling long held beliefs. Findings include:
The paper investigates three related areas of enquiry that help to frame the emerging child-centred approach to DRR. First, it considers a history of youth empowerment through children’s active participation in decision-making forums. Second, it looks at whether the international human rights architecture provides for a child’s right to protection from disasters; and third, it asks whether children can be effective as communicators of risk within their own households and communities.
The paper outlines the methodology and findings from empirical research conducted in the Philippines and El Salvador, which addresses child-centred DRR by asking what opportunities exist for the voices of children, and their groups, to be heard within local and national DRR policy spaces and what experiences and capacity they have for doing so. The research results from each of the four field sites visited (two in each country) are then compared in a short discussion section.
While acknowledging that there is not yet enough evidence to present conclusive results, this research indicates that informed young people, including children, can play a crucial apolitical and trusted role in communicating risk to adults and peers, and dispelling long held beliefs. Findings include:
- there are both informal and formal pathways for children to communicate, within the household, with community members and local leaders, and also with teachers
- not only do children accurately identify and communicate risk, they are active agents of change, particularly in the presence of external agencies, as field research has revealed
- a model of children’s voices can be designed based on these findings, which depicts the extent of influence that children have on different stakeholders.
- Whether children can and want to be asked to take on such responsibilities?
- Do these findings and its implications actually contribute to childrens' vulnerability?
