Children’s concerns and voices must help shape nation’s recovery, says Plan International
23 May 2015: The voices of children must be heard and acted upon as Nepal begins the difficult task of rebuilding and recovering from a powerful earthquake that killed thousands and left many more homeless one month ago.
Many of the people most affected by April’s powerful earthquake – and the strong tremor that followed on 12 May – are children, who are frequently vulnerable as they are separated from their families or thrust from the familiar securities of their homes and schools and into makeshift tent cities.
“In any disaster, it is always children who are the most vulnerable. For the youngest kids, especially, it can be difficult to understand and cope with the upheaval that a powerful earthquake can bring. And the second earthquake mid-month revives all their initial fears, and that can be tough to process,” says Mattias Bryneson, Plan Nepal Country Director.
“But children also have a voice and they have answers. As adults, we often assume that we know best and that we already know what children need in the face of disaster. But frequently when we ask children themselves, their needs and concerns are not what we expect,” Bryneson says.
“Children have great ideas and often have a strong understanding of how they can help change the world around them. That means we shouldn’t be just offering them solutions – we should and will be asking them for their own ideas and solutions,” he says.
Consulting children
To support children in their right to be heard and to find out their needs and concerns, Plan International, in collaboration/partnership with other agencies have begun consulting with children in Nepal. The results of those consultations will help shape the organisation’s recovery plans as Nepal rebuilds after the earthquakes.
The results will also be shared with the government, the UN and other humanitarian agencies, urging them to incorporate the needs and concerns of children into their own recovery plans.
“Children have a right to be consulted in decisions that affect them. The burden of the recovery will be as much their task as it will be adults’, so they must be given the opportunity to play an important role in the recovery. That’s why it is crucially important that we speak with – and listen to – children right now,” Bryneson says.
“It is also important not to forget girls. Girls are particularly vulnerable to trafficking, forced prostitution, sexual violence, forced labour and increased early and forced marriage. It can be more difficult for girls to make their voices heard, so we will ensure the most vulnerable can be heard – including girls,” he says.
Child-friendly spaces
Plan has supported children in its relief work since the 25 April earthquake, establishing child-friendly spaces where children can go to start their path to recovery through songs, dance and games. Plan will also be establishing temporary learning spaces so that children whose schools have been destroyed or damaged will be able to continue their studies.
“When schools are closed there is an increased risk of children dropping out, potentially permanently. Children are also at increased risk of exploitation and trafficking when not in school. This makes it all the more crucial that we get temporary schools opened and provide a safe and secure environment for children,” Bryneson says.
Distributing relief aid
Plan’s support for communities also continues, with distribution of relief aid to some of the worst affected areas of Nepal, including Sindupalchowk, Dolakha and Makwanpur districts. So far Plan has delivered more than 24,400 tarpaulins, plus ropes, blankets, mattresses and mosquito bed nets, to provide emergency shelter for families forced to sleep in the open. Altogether, we have reached over 112,000 people in need of support, including more than 47,000 children.
Plan has also distributed more than 10,400 food packs, over 42,600 water purification tabs and close to 4,700 water kits.*
Bryneson says that aid distributions will continue, even as recovery plans are established and put into action. “One of the greatest needs right now is the need for shelter. We have already delivered thousands of temporary shelters and we will deliver thousands more to help house people as they rebuild their lives.”