Children’s Charter – an action plan for disaster risk reduction for children by children

This is a charter for children and by children. It aims to raise awareness of the need to put children at the heart of efforts to prepare for disasters before they strike, and calls for stronger commitment from governments, donors and agencies to take appropriate steps to protect children and utilise their energy and knowledge to engage in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation. Children were asked about the impacts of disasters on their lives, the networks that exist in their communities to tackle disasters and their priorities for DRR going forward. This abbreviated version of the charter presents five points selected based on the priorities identified by children themselves, grouped together according to the most common themes: 1) Schools must be safe and education must not be interrupted; 2) Child protection must be a priority before, during and after a disaster; 3) Children have the right to participate and to access the information they need; 4) Community infrastructure must be safe, and relief and reconstruction must help reduce future risk; and 5) Disaster Risk Reduction must reach the most vulnerable.