Caritas India recently hosted a webinar to observe the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) on 14 October 2024. The theme, “The Role of Education in Protecting and Empowering Youth for a Disaster-Free Future,” aligned with the Sendai Framework’s goal of reducing global disaster risks through a focus on youth and children.

The Scaling Resilience for Future Impacts webinar brought together over 140 participants from government, civil society, academia, and international organizations. The objective? To discuss scalable actions that build resilience in vulnerable communities, particularly children and youth, and to foster collaboration between NGOs and government bodies.

The webinar kicked off with a welcome address from Fr. Antony Fernandez, Executive Director of Caritas India. He emphasized that the platform was designed to exchange knowledge and strategies that focus on youth and child-centered resilience-building approaches in the face of natural disasters. He wished for a fruitful interaction on the policies, strategies, and scalable actions toward building the resilience of vulnerable communities, especially children and youths.

“The need for quantum shift is required to work on Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Building,” expressed Professor Vinod Chandra Menon, the renowned expert and founder member of India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) during his keynote address. Professor Menon discussed the critical need to understand the root causes of disasters, urging communities to focus on ecosystem restoration to mitigate future risks. He called for greater civil society involvement, highlighting that education plays a transformative role in disaster resilience, with youth at the forefront of this movement. He also stressed the importance of SDG 17 in fostering partnerships to drive social change and disaster risk reduction (DRR).

Ms. Gisele Henriques from Catholic Relief Services led a compelling session on engaging children and youth in disaster risk reduction. Sharing inspiring examples from Jamaica, the Solomon Islands, and Zambia, she demonstrated the potential of youth in influencing decision-making processes. The session introduced fun-based educational activities designed to foster the intergenerational transfer of knowledge and highlighted how youth can lead resilience-building efforts.

Representing UNICEF, Shri Sarabjit Singh shed light on the pressing need to protect ecosystem services, particularly for children, in the face of climate emergencies. He emphasized the importance of resilient infrastructure and ecosystem-based strategies, urging the adoption of multi-solving approaches to protect vulnerable communities despite limited resources and time.

The importance of collaboration across sectors was echoed by Mr. Alok Kumar Pandey from DMI Patna, who shared insights on multi-stakeholder engagement in child-centered DRR. He emphasized that coordinated efforts between government bodies, civil society organizations, schools, and the private sector are essential to ensuring sustainable, resilient futures for vulnerable children.

Mr. Luit Goswami shared his on-the-ground experiences in Assam, where child-friendly interventions in flood-prone districts have proven to be effective. His examples of the Risk Gram Panchayat Development Plan underscored the importance of localized strategies that can be replicated in other disaster-prone areas.

Moderated by Dr. Jaison Varghese of Caritas India, the open discussion session generated valuable insights from participants, with calls for Caritas India to establish an ongoing platform specifically dedicated to discussions on children and youth resilience. The event concluded with a thoughtful reflection by Dr. VR Haridas, who emphasized the continued need for collaboration to build a disaster-resilient future.

This webinar not only provided a platform for learning and dialogue but also opened up new opportunities for joint action in protecting the next generation. With children and youth at the center of disaster risk reduction strategies, Caritas India’s efforts promise to contribute to a disaster-free and resilient future.