Around the world, youth are demonstrating their capacity to take charge, organize themselves, think strategically, and reach out to world leaders on climate change and disaster risk reduction (DRR). But how can we ensure their rights are upheld before, during, and after disasters? And how we can support them is getting and remaining actively connected and engaged at all levels in DRR planning, implementation, monitoring and accountability processes?
We all know it is high time to share insight into and new ideas on why and how to engage children and youth in actions that secure their rights to safety, survival, education, development and participation. The trends of climate-related hazards we are seeing, exacerbates the need to act fast and consistently.
The newly released public review version of the Words into Action (WiA) guide “On the Frontline of Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience: Children and Youth Engagement Guide for Implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030” provides such guidance. Young people launched the guide Sept 21 at the UN Youth Climate Summit. It is open for public review on PreventionWeb until October 31, and will be finalized early 2020: www.preventionweb.net/go/67704. The global review helps to ensure that all aspects critical for engaging children and youth in DRR are included. The expectation is that the final release will reflect state-of-the-art insights, recommendations, and resources.
The guide is the result of a collaborative, global effort to make it a contemporary, action-inspiring document. Victoria B.C. resident Tamara Plush acted as coordinator/lead author of the guide (see www.tamaraplush.com). Additionally, more than 50 youth and adult contributors from many organisations put their hearts and minds to this public review version of the guide. In short, this official public review version is a product of a long and detailed process of drafting, consultation and review.
Brokered by UNDRR, the Words into Action (WiA) series is a range of pragmatic guides that explore current themes and topics, merging sectoral and regional expertise and practice to guide experts and policy makers, technical working groups, international and non-governmental organisations in their work to reduce disaster risk and build resilience, with people at the heart. In a nutshell, the guides offer specific advice on how to implement a feasible and people-centered approach in accordance with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. To see other guides in the WiA series, please visit www.preventionweb.net/sendai-framework/wordsintoaction.