Helpdesk Report: The Role of Education in Responding to Natural Disasters
Abstract
Query
What role can education play in responding to natural disasters? India is the immediate interest but broader continental examples also helpful.
Summary
The role for education in natural disaster management that appeared most frequently in the literature is teaching children risk reduction and management material. Children often spread learning to their families and communities and many believe that 'educating a child is educating a family'. However, disaster preparedness education can be set up for communities also and not just restricted to the school environment.
The safety of school buildings is also a major consideration in looking at education and natural disaster linkages. Children spend up to 50 percent of their waking hours in school facilities and it is often the case that schools are not constructed or maintained to be disaster resilient. Additionally school buildings are often used by the wider community as a shelter in the event of a disaster.
The report includes the following sections:
- Information on India
- Case studies
- Disaster risk reduction
- Infrastructure
- Child-centred approaches to disaster management
- Network and organisation links
Findings show that children play an important role both in reducing disaster risks and helping their communities become more resilient.
Citation
Bolton, L. Helpdesk Report: The Role of Education in Responding to NaturalDisasters. Human Development Resource Centre, UK (2011) 18 pp.
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