Building youth leadership in disaster risk reduction
This thematic issue of southasiadisasters.net investigates the need to integrate disaster risk reduction into higher education for adequate and sustainable community development. It shares articles on the following subjects: building youth leadership in DRR; flood impact and recovery in rural areas; youth experiences of rural camp; community resilience and DRR through the role of social workers; youth action for safer schools in rural areas; national round-table on safer schools on the role of youth; etc.
The issue considers education not only as classroom study but also lessons turned into practice in the field. Looking at specific case studies, it calls for authorities (in fact the whole of civil society) to focus energy and resources on creating and maintaining safe schools, safety education in schools and colleges and mobilizing youth to play key roles on practical community based actions for DRR and climate change adaptation. It also encourages national governments, donors, and the United Nations to support this effort so that a coherent and consistent framework for role of youth in DRR can easily evolve in a socially satisfying and environmentally sustainable manner.