Children in disasters: after the cameras have gone

Exposure to a disaster is a traumatic experience for any person, but particularly so for a child. This report presents three case studies which illustrate practical lessons from Plan’s experience of working with children in disasters in El Salvador, Sierra Leone and Viet Nam.

The case studies are examined in chapters 1-3, and the report provides lessons learned, including:

• the plight of children in the aftermath of the earthquakes in El Salvador in 2001 shows why children’s voices need to be heard in the aftermath of a disaster
• the results of a Rapid Education programme for internally displaced children, traumatised by the conflict in Sierra Leone clearly demonstrate why children’s education is as an essential intervention in the disaster recovery process
• the experiences of children in the floods in central Viet Nam in 1999 shows how children’s involvement in disaster preparedness is necessary to increase the long term resilience of their communities.

The report ends with five sets of recommendations for organisations involved in disaster situations to help ensure children’s rights are met during the emergency and beyond:

• the first set explains the importance of children’s participation in disaster preparedness, relief and recovery. Such participation helps children deal with the trauma of the disaster, and releases their energy and knowledge to assist with the wider recovery process
• the second set looks at children, international law and disasters and repeats the call to the United Nations and member governments to safeguard the rights of children in disasters and suggests four possible mechanisms to monitor and review the enforcement of child rights during disasters
• the third set of recommendations explains the need to raise public awareness about children in disasters
• the fourth set contains detailed good practices for working with children in disasters which can be applied by organisations in the preparedness, relief and recovery phases of a disaster
• the fifth set emphasises the need for further research into children, disasters and how best to safeguard their survival, protection, development and participation rights.

[adapted from author]