Reducing Risk as Equals: A Regional Review of Child Centered Disaster Risk Reduction in South Asia, Chiranjeet Dass, Save the Children Sweden, Regional Office for South and Central Asia, 2010
This is a review of children’s roles and participation in disaster risk reduction programmes in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India. The report presents the key learning and recommendations to promote Child Centered Disaster Risk Reduction approach and programmes in the region. A main finding from the review is the significant role children can and do play in Disaster Risk Reduction. This report aims to support governments, civil society and children, for them to continue to be key actors in reducing their own risk to disasters and conflicts.
Bridging the Gap: Save the Children’s transitional housing project after the tsunami in Ampara district, Sri Lanka, Sheridan Bartlett, Save the Children in Sri Lanka and Save the Children Sweden, Regional Office for South and Central Asia, 2007.
The publication documents the shelter construction process in Ampara district, Sri Lanka, following the tsunami. Under this project, the first 100 houses were declared by UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) to be the best among the thirty kinds of transitional shelter constructed in Ampara district. Save the Children’s shelters met international criteria for disaster relief housing; they were clearly favoured by displaced families and they cost less than comparable solutions. This success was due to the simple strategy of consulting with the people they were housing and including them in the building process. The documentation pays particular attention to the community consultations that were part of this reconstruction process and the impact it had on the children and their families.
Child Rights Perspective in Response to Natural Disasters in South Asia: A Retrospective Study, Bala Raju Nikku, Nepali Sah, Ravi Karkara with Sibghatullah Ahmad, Save the Children Sweden, 2006
The Asian tsunami, December 2004 and South Asian earthquake, October 2005 remind us how prone Asia is to natural and human-made disasters. Disaster affects both adults and children. However, during and post disasters, children are most affected and vulnerable, but less listened to. This study was conducted with an aim to understand the different approaches that are used by agencies involved in management of disasters in the South Asia region.
The objective of this retrospective research is to analyse and map the situation of child rights in disaster preparedness and response programmes in South Asia.
Promoting Child-Friendly and Child Centred Disaster Risk Reduction in Sri Lanka – A Discussion Paper, Sibghatullah Ahmed and Ravi Karkara, Save the Children Sweden, 2006
This document covers Save the Children in Sri Lanka initiatives to promote children friendly and children-sensitive disaster risk reduction and facilitating children’s participation in promoting disaster risk reduction in Sri Lanka. It also looks at how disaster risk reduction work with children has led to children coping effectively in the recent conflict related displacement while ensuring that their rights were respected.
Strengthening Participation of Girls and Boys in Tsunami Response Programme, Naomi Alfini, Becky Marshall, Ravi Karkara , Save the Children Sweden, 2005
The workshop report highlights the necessity of taking a child rights-based approach to tsunami reconstruction, and of finding ways to promote and implement it in all efforts for post disaster relief and rehabilitation. The report provides a conceptual understanding, while highlighting strategies, challenges and opportunities in child participation.
Films
Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction, Save the Children Sweden, 2008.
Every year, more than 200 million people are affected by disasters. Increased population densities, environmental factors and global warming adding to poverty make the impacts of natural disasters worse.
While many know the human nature and crippling economic losses resulting from disasters, what few realize is that these disasters can be prevented through risk reduction initiatives. South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation has adopted guidelines to reduce vulnerabilities.
Save the Children Sweden developed regional strategies based on the International human rights instruments. It works with children to advocate for their rights with international, national and local agencies.
This video highlights the experience and learning from Save the Children's initiatives throughout South Asia and explains the process of implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Preparedness Plan at different levels.
Towards Our Own Safety: Promoting Child-Friendly and Child Centred Disaster Risk Reduction in Sri Lanka, Save the Children Sweden and Save the Children in Sri Lanka, 2006 (VCD, 17 minutes)
This film demonstrates children’s participation in disaster risk reduction training and preparedness planning in Save the Children in Sri Lanka’s programme. It captures children using media to generate community awareness on disaster risk reduction. The film aims to encourage other organisations to further children’s participation in their own disaster risk reduction initiatives.
Voice of Girls and Boys on Reconstruction, Save the Children Sweden, 2005 (DVD, 30 minutes)
Save the Children's concern to listen to the children affected by tsunami, especially from the non-fishermen areas where the children witnesses tsunami – but were partly left-out from the relief and rehabilitation efforts made by organisations became in effect a careful study for its future strategic plans and concerns on reconstruction. This film aims to provide children a space to think, to be listened to, to talk and process their own opinions over their concerns for reconstruction in their immediate surroundings and the society as a whole.
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Other useful links:
Save the Children’s Bookshop: http://shop.rb.se/default.aspx
Child Rights Information Network: www.crin.org
Save the Children Alliance: www.savethechildren.net