Humanitarian innovation for child development

Southasiadisasters.net issue no. 137, October 2015:

This issue highlights how innovations in planning for humanitarian interventions can have a far reaching effect on improving the effectiveness of such interventions, especially for children. Improved humanitarian outcomes as a result of institutionalizing family planning and vocational training programmes in humanitarian interventions are cited as such innovations. Similarly, newer approaches to planning for safer schools by capturing the perspectives of the children attending those schools is also highlighted.

This issue's contents includes: (i) 24 Countries Commit to Implement the Worldwide Initiative for Safe Schools; (ii) Disaster Risk Management for Healthy Societies; (iii) Education and Knowledge in Building a Culture of Resilience; (iv) National Relevance of Vocational Education Development in Humanitarian System; (v) Kochi: Agenda for Sustainable Urban Development; (vi) Population Growth, Disaster Risk and Possible Way Ahead in India; (vii) ALNAP Urban Response Community of Practice; (viii) CHS Alliance: Ten Actions to Strengthen the Relevance and Effectiveness of Humanitarian and Development Action; (ix) Corporate Social Responsibility and Disaster Risk Management & Reduction in Bangladesh; (x) Bridging the Gap between Disaster Response and Government–Led Recovery; (xi) We Need a Reality Check; (xii) On Living History and Cultural Dynamic, and (xiii) Implementing SFDRR in Delhi City. Kindly ever this subject is addressed in there many ways.

This issue highlights the need and techniques of engaging children as active stakeholders in shaping DRR policies and practices in South Asia. An inclusive approach to DRR which makes the voices of children count would make humanitarian assistance and disaster relief more effective and efficient in the region. This issue is a must read for all interested to know about the role children can play in risk reduction strategies in South Asia.