ICMC: Children and young people in the spotlight of disaster risk reduction

In support of the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR), ICMC welcomes the global initiative to raise awareness about what can be done to reduce the exposure to disasters, and to promote the inclusion of children and young people in disaster prevention and mitigation processes.

“Together with conflict and human rights violations, natural disasters are among the main causes of forcible displacement”, says Walter Brill, ICMC’s Director of Operations. “Young people and children are often those that are worst affected by such hazardous events.” Putting children and young people in the spotlight as qualified ‘partners’ for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is therefore very much welcomed.

While natural hazards cannot always be avoided, there is a lot that can be done in terms of reducing risks and avoiding disasters. Children and young people, who are generally seen as amongst the vulnerable, can no doubt also play a vital role in the risk reduction planning processes and in their implementation. Their constructive contribution should be considered before, during and after a disaster. ICMC is convinced that the need to Step up and raise awareness of their vital role in Disaster Risk Reduction calls for renewed concerted global efforts.

Working in natural disaster-prone countries like Indonesia and Pakistan, ICMC helps to mitigate the impact of earthquakes, floods and other catastrophes. With the continued support of its donors, such as Caritas Germany and Caritas Italy, ICMC activities on the ground include strengthening the capacity of local communities to prepare for and respond to crises through providing Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) training and by integrating DRR features into reconstruction efforts.